What Does It Mean When You Dream About Pregnancy?

Dreams about pregnancy can take various forms. Maybe you're pregnant or someone else is in the dream—it could be a friend, family member, or total stranger. The dream could be about wanting to get pregnant, finding out about a pregnancy, giving birth to a child, witnessing childbirth, or even experiencing pregnancy loss.

Either way, you might find yourself wondering why you had the dream and what it means. If so, you’re not alone. "Dreams about pregnancy are without a doubt one of the most common dreams I am asked about," says Lauri Loewenberg, a certified dream analyst.

While it is common to dream about these things if you’re actually pregnant, these dreams can also have other meanings and interpretations.

Dreams about pregnancy can be triggered by various factors, including personal experiences (such as being pregnant or knowing someone who is), memories related to pregnancy, the desire for parenthood, changes or developments in your life, anxiety or uncertainty about the future, or hormonal changes, says Shelby Harris, PsyD, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis.

In this article, we explore what different types of pregnancy-related dreams could mean.

Decoding Pregnancy Dreams

Like all dreams, even pregnancy-related dreams can have multiple interpretations and may not be what they seem. Below, Loewenberg helps us decode what the different types of pregnancy dreams could mean.

If You’re Pregnant in the Dream

If you’re a person of reproductive age, a dream about pregnancy can be a reminder from your biological clock, says Loewenberg. On the other hand, if you’re already pregnant, it’s quite common to dream about it.

However, more often than not, having this dream (at any age) could mean that something in your life has just begun to grow and develop, Loewenberg explains. For example, she says it could be:

• An idea: It could be an idea that you're "pregnant" with that still needs time to incubate, such as an idea for a new business. The idea likely has lots of potential but is going to take time to become what it is meant to be.
• A goal: It could be a goal that you're working toward and is on your mind often, such as a degree.
• A change: It could even indicate that you're in the midst of changing or reinventing something about yourself.

Just like pregnancy yields new life, if the dream is triggered by a development in your life, the end result of the dream will likely be a new life—but rather than the new life being a brand new child, it will be a brand new you instead, says Loewenberg.

If Someone You Know Is Pregnant in the Dream

It’s not unusual to dream about pregnancy if you or someone you know is pregnant, since the topic is likely on your mind.

However, this dream could also have other meanings. For instance, if you dream that someone close to you is pregnant, it could mean that you're starting to see growth in this person, says Loewenberg.

On the other hand, if someone who is not very close to you is pregnant in your dream, then that person may represent a part of yourself that is beginning to grow, Loewenberg explains. “For example, if you dream that someone you work with is pregnant, yet you don't know them all that well, then there is likely some quality they have that you recognize in yourself that is beginning to grow. Perhaps that coworker is the best closer on your team. This dream could mean that your skill and know-how in closing deals is beginning to grow and get better.”

If You Dream About a Stranger Being Pregnant

A dream featuring a pregnant stranger can feel bizarre. However, the dream is probably about you in some way, although it may be a part of yourself you’re not very familiar with, says Loewenberg.

Perhaps you recently discovered a new hobby such as gardening and find that you enjoy it, are surprisingly quite good at it, and would like to continue and grow in that area—in that case, you may dream of a stranger being pregnant because the idea of being a gardener was a previously strange idea to you, she explains.

If You Dream About Childbirth

It’s common for pregnant people to dream about childbirth.

However, if you’re not pregnant, the dream could have different interpretations depending on whether you're giving birth in the dream or witnessing it, says Loewenberg:

• If you're giving birth in the dream: Giving birth in a dream signifies that your hard work, or your "labor," is now bearing fruit. It's common to have this dream once you've earned your degree or started a new business.
• If you're witnessing childbirth in the dream: Witnessing childbirth in a dream can indicate that you have witnessed and been inspired by someone else's hard work and productivity. 

If Someone in Your Dreams Tells You That They Think You’re Pregnant

If you're trying to get pregnant and you have this dream, it could be your body telling you that you have conceived, says Loewenberg.

However, if you’re not trying to get pregnant, she says this dream could either mean that others are noticing something new going on with you or that you're hoping others will recognize that you're working on something new and exciting.

If You or Your Partner Expresses a Desire to Have a Baby in the Dream

If you or your partner express a desire to have a baby in your dream, it could be your subconscious preparing you for the idea of starting a family, says Loewenberg.

However, you may even experience this dream even if you’re not thinking along those lines. If having children is definitely not in your plans right now, having this dream could mean that need to invest more time and effort into your relationship with your partner, or add a new element to your relationship that will help it grow, such as finding a new activity you can both do together, Loewenberg explains.

If You Dream About Miscarriage or Pregnancy Loss

It is fairly common to dream of pregnancy loss while actually being pregnant, says Loewenberg. In fact, nightmares and disturbed sleep are common symptoms of pregnancy, particularly in the last trimester.

A dream about pregnancy loss is not necessarily an indicator of what is to come but rather an expression of your concerns, especially if you're experiencing your first pregnancy or a high-risk pregnancy, Loewenberg explains. “Rather, these dreams serve as a pressure gauge that allows your subconscious to fully express your fears in the dream state and help you get them out of your system.”

On the other hand, if you’re not actually pregnant, a dream about pregnancy loss could represent an idea, project, or goal that didn't work out in real life, says Loewenberg.

She recommends paying close attention to how you felt in the dream and especially to what your thought process regarding the loss was in the dream because it will directly apply to a similar scenario in your waking life.

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