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‘I Love Lucy’ -

Lucille Ball was a trailblazer for so many reasons. Not only was she one of the first successful female comedians, she was also the first woman to portray a pregnancy on TV! Ball starred in the show ‘I Love Lucy’ opposite her real-life husband, Desi Arnaz. The situation arose because Ball herself became pregnant, and worked hard with the producers to have the pregnancy written into the show.

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‘I Love Lucy’ -

Considering that the relationship between the starring couple was real, and the pregnancy was real, the authenticity of the situation shines through the slapstick humor. The birth episode was aired the night that Ball actually gave birth to their son!

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'The Office' -

When it comes to the hit series ‘The Office,’ Jenna Fischer found out she was really pregnant after her character’s pregnancy was already written into the show! Fischer got the news just after they started filming the pregnancy reveal episode.

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'The Office' -

Both of Pam’s pregnancies in the show are pretty true to life, from the morning sickness to the lack of personal boundaries when it comes to unwanted belly touches.

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'What to Expect When You're Expecting' (2012) -

This 2012 movie was named after the famous book considered to be the Bible for all pregnant mothers back in the day. The film has a star-studded cast including Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, and Anna Kendrick. Each woman is experiencing pregnancy in her own way, and it gets very real.

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‘Tully’ (2018) -

Charlize Theron stars in the 2018 film ‘Tully,’ which does not go for the glowy, idealized version of pregnancy. In fact, her character has a pretty rough time. She already has kids and is totally overworked and overwhelmed when she finds out she’s expecting another baby. ‘Tully’ was directed by Jason Reitman, who is also known for the 2007 film ‘Juno.’

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‘Juno’ (2007) -

‘Juno’ is another movie that takes a different approach to the pregnancy story we usually see. It follows a teenage girl struck with an unplanned pregnancy who has to navigate the complications this creates with her family and her classmates in addition to the usual challenges that come with carrying a baby.

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‘Juno’ (2007) -

The movie also examines the strange relationship that develops between the protagonist and the adoptive parents she chooses for her baby, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman.

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‘Alias’ -

Speaking of Jennifer Garner, she was pregnant with her daughter Violet during season five of her drama series ‘Alias.’ Her real-life pregnancy was written into the storyline and her stunts were toned down to give a more realistic depiction of her physical abilities at that time. Given the action-packed premise of the show, it certainly portrays the struggle to carry on with your daily life while pregnant!

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‘This Is Us’ -

The hit show ‘This Is Us’ follows its characters through many stages of life. Mandy Moore’s character Rebecca actually became pregnant with triplets while Moore was pregnant with a single baby in real life. The show doesn’t shy away from the challenges and dangers of childbirth, so be careful watching if child loss or miscarriage is a sensitive topic for you.

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‘Friends’ -

The show also deserves some props for Rachel’s experience with labor. She’s in the hospital for an extremely long time and finds it frustrating that the party is taking so long to get started! Indeed, not all labors are last-minute rushes like many movies portray.

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‘Friends’ -

Several of the characters in ‘Friends’ are pregnant at one point or another. When Phoebe becomes the surrogate for her brother’s triplets, she uses her expansive belly to rest her plate on. Several seasons later, Monica is trying to have a baby with Chandler but discovers it’s not possible. This leads them down the path of adoption where they find a young pregnant woman (Anna Faris) and go on a touching journey to parenthood with her.

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‘Knocked Up’ (2007) -

While ‘Knocked Up’ star Katherine Heigl later went on to criticize the movie for making all the female characters buzz kills, certain elements of her pregnancy were spot on. For one, her character didn’t go into labor, rush to the hospital, and give birth within the space of 10 minutes. She knew that real labor is usually a long process so she had time to take care of business at home and try to relax before going to the hospital.

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‘7th Heaven’ -

‘7th Heaven’ was a ‘90s TV drama about a traditional couple with seven children, many of whom later have kids of their own. The series was one of the first mainstream shows to portray an older woman getting pregnant, when matriarch Annie reveals she is pregnant with twins.

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'Gilmore Girls' - Spoiler alert! In the 2016 Netflix reboot of the classic show, Rory gets pregnant. What was particularly interesting is that Rory’s pregnancy was unplanned, even though she’s always been portrayed as the most organized, cautious, and sensible person in the world. It just goes to show that these things can happen to anyone.

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‘Precious’ (2009) -

‘Precious’ tells the heartbreaking true story of how pregnancy sometimes occurs under the most horrific of circumstances. Precious is a teenage girl from an abusive home who cannot read or write when she becomes pregnant by her father for the second time. It’s a tough but important story.

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‘Sex and the City’ -

For longtime fans of ‘Sex and the City,’ it was always expected that baby-obsessed Charlotte would be the first to get pregnant. However, when the pragmatic Miranda falls pregnant first, she’s totally conflicted about the situation. She also grapples with telling Charlotte, knowing her friend will have mixed feelings, too. The reality is that pregnancy happens faster for some than it does for others, and it’s hard to deal with the emotions this brings up.

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‘The Back-Up Plan’ (2010) -

‘The Back-Up Plan’ may be a cheesy rom-com starring Jennifer Lopez, but it still hits a few home truths. Lopez stars as a woman who has decided to get pregnant by herself using artificial insemination. She starts dating a man shortly afterward, and they try to develop their relationship as she goes through this incredible life-changing experience.

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‘She's Having A Baby’ (1988) -

The 1980s brought us a number of pregnancy-related movies that became timeless classics. This 1988 rom-com starring Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern follows a couple struggling to get pregnant and later experiencing a traumatic pregnancy.

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‘Baby Boom’ (1987) -

Another ‘80s classic, ‘Baby Boom’ stars Diane Keaton as the original working mom. She’s a high-flying career woman (think shoulder pads and power suits) who becomes pregnant and subsequently loses her boyfriend and her job. She’s forced to start an entirely new life for herself and her child.

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‘Nine Months’ (1995) -

The movie ‘Nine Months’ starring Hugh Grant might be a little silly, but it does show how having a baby gives the parents nine months to adjust themselves to a totally new lifestyle that will come with the arrival of their baby.

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'Away We Go’ (2009) -

This cute indie movie starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski follows an expecting couple as they travel across the country trying to pick the perfect place to raise their child. It’s a kooky look at all of the considerations and unwanted advice new parents have to grapple with when starting a family.

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‘Apocalypto’ (2006) -

The 2006 movie ‘Apocalypto’ is set during the peak of Mayan civilization. As the period predated any form of modern medicine, it depicts a hyper-realistic natural birth. Many viewers believed that a real birth had been filmed for the movie! However, most new mothers don’t have to hike through the jungle during a storm immediately after giving birth…

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‘Workin' Moms’ -

Catherine Reitman’s comedy series ‘Workin’ Moms’ might be one of the most relatable shows about motherhood on TV. The character Anne, played by Dani Kind (pictured), is struggling with her teenage daughter and her new baby when she discovers she’s pregnant once again, just eight months after giving birth. Needless to say, this news brings up mixed emotions!

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‘Expecting Amy’ (2020) -

Famed comedian Amy Schumer has never been afraid to share the gory details of her life. In 2020, she released a documentary series following her personal struggle to get pregnant, her difficult pregnancy, and childbirth. It doesn’t get any more real than that!

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'First Comes Love’ (2013) -

In this intimate documentary, film director Nina Davenport documents her own experience choosing to become pregnant as a single mother at the age of 41 and raising a child by herself. The approach is both candid and humorous, and gives a fascinating look into the realities of making a baby in the modern world.

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‘The Letdown’ -

Pregnancy isn’t always about a happily married woman experiencing a planned pregnancy. ‘The Letdown,’ written by and starring Alison Bell (pictured), explores the theme of unwanted pregnancy and abortion with humor and tact.

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'One Born Every Minute' -

While the docuseries 'One Born Every Minute' focuses more on labor and childbirth than the entire pregnancy journey, it's perhaps the most realistic insight you'll find anywhere! The cameras act as flies on the wall of a bustling maternity ward, capturing the experiences of the parents-to-be as well as the staff while the patients go through the most terrifying, painful, and often joyful experience of their lives.

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‘40 Weeks’ (2014) -

‘40 Weeks’ is an incredible documentary that examines the different stages of pregnancy from week one to week 40 through interviews with many different women across the US.

Sources: (FamilyEducation) (Refinery29) (BuzzFeed) 

See also: All the things they don't tell you about being pregnant

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