Life

Dreaming About Water During Your Pregnancy? Here's What All Of That Dream Fluid Means

by Shannon Evans

The nine months of pregnancy are infamous for bringing with them some crazy dreams. During my own pregnancies, my dreams ranged from my husband having an affair to my newborn baby dying; that's some heavy stuff to deal with when you wake up in the morning, and more than once I did so to a pounding heart. While those subjects are pretty self-explanatory — it makes evolutionary sense that a pregnant woman would fear losing either her partner or her baby — there are other common themes that take a bit more decoding. Like, what do pregnancy dreams about water mean?

Lauri Loewenberg, sleep expert and author of the book Dream On It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life, tells Romper that water is a very common symbol in dreams whether you are pregnant or not. That being said, it can have unique representation for the gestating crowd.

"During pregnancy, you may find the amount of water in your dreams increases as you produce more amniotic fluid," Loewenberg says. "As you get nearer to delivery, it is common to dream of flowing water or water bursting as your subconscious is preparing for your water to break."

But according to Loewenberg, its also important to pay attention to the type and state of the water in your dreams because it directly corresponds to your emotions the day before.

"Paying attention to your dreams is a great way to get an edge in life because the subconscious mind is so much wiser than our waking conscious mind," the dream expert insists, "and will show us the truth about our selves and our lives so we can make better decisions and therefore create a better life."

According to Loewenberg, here's a list of the most common appearances of water in pregnancy dreams and what they mean.

Rain

In dream language, rain is indicative of sadness. Did something happen the day before that made you sad? If not, you might subconsciously be grieving the upcoming change in your life, even in the midst of all of your joy, according to Loewenberg. It doesn't mean you don't love your baby, but big feelings come along with such a life shift.

Tidal Wave Or Drowning

Both of these water symbols represent feeling overwhelmed. Ask yourself whether pregnancy side effects or preparing for baby is causing you to feel in over your head or out of your normal routine.

Mud

In dreams, mud represents depression, Loewenberg says. Different than sadness, depression sticks around and causes you to feel stuck in the mud and dirties up your psyche. If this feels true, be sure to talk to your doctor or midwife about it at your next appointment.

Calm, Clear Water

This desirable type of water indicates that you are now feeling calm, at peace, and clear about your life, decisions, and circumstances. You've got your ducks in a row and are ready for baby!

Flood Water

This is a classic dream indicator of anxiety, according to Loewenberg. Analyze the root cause by asking yourself what in your life is feeling like the rising flood water, getting worse and worse? It could be your worry about your birthing plan, life post-delivery, or something entirely unrelated to having a baby.

Hot Or Boiling Water

Your anger is boiling under the surface! What's got you heated right now? Tired of strangers rubbing your belly? Or perhaps you're feeling pressured about maternity leave at work and "the heat is on" in that sphere of your life?

Shower Or Waterfall

Waterfalls and showers are physically cleansing, as they obviously wash away dirt and grime. Symbolically these images represent washing away negativity, anger and frustration. If you've dreamt about these forms of water you're likely turning over a new leaf and have revived your mind and heart for the motherhood journey, notes Loewenberg.

Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.