Where's My Glow? a Less-Than-Radiant Pregnant Woman's Movie Guide

With all of the first trimester nausea, depression and exhaustion, remembering why you wanted a child in the first place can become a little difficult. Once an exciting venture, the first trimester can quickly make the idea of parenting seem daunting to a first time mom. First trimesters have been known to make a woman doubtful of her decision to procreate. Below are five movies that helped this woman find immense comfort during her own tumultuous trimester. They will brighten even the darkest of days. They might even restore your faith in children and parenting. If nothing else, they will certainly inspire some laughs. Disclaimer: the below films apply to first-time moms. Second-time moms could never find the time to watch movies.

5) Sugar and Spice (2001)

Remember that age-old adage; don't judge a book by its cover? To an outsider, Sugar and Spice might seem a little pubescent. After all, it's a movie about high school cheerleaders. However, this one avoids becoming trite, by embracing the clichés and exploiting them in a hilarious way. When the squad leader, played by Marley Shelton, becomes pregnant, the cheerleaders devise a plan to rob a bank, thereby providing a future for the embryonic cheer leading addition. Shelton is great as the perky, yet likable unwed teen mother, consumed by candy bars and ice cream. Her can-do attitude rarely falters, though she is faced with one obstacle after another.

4) Look Who's Talking 2 (1990)

Look Who's Talking 2, with its' added sibling rivalry, really appeals to those of you who aren't exactly new to parenting. For those of us who previously thought one was enough, this movie makes procreating more than once surprisingly appealing.

3) Look Who's Talking (1989)

No one made single motherhood seem cooler than Kirstie Alley in Look Who's Talking. A successful accountant, she manages to juggle her career and her baby while winning over John Travolta. She brings new meaning to the idea of a "modern" mom, after her baby's deadbeat father leaves her to fend for herself. Fortunately, Travolta steps in as the incredibly likable cabbie/nanny, unbelievably good with kids. This movie takes you on Alley's emotional roller coaster both during and after her pregnancy as she tries to find her baby the perfect father.

2) Monsters, Inc (2001)

Boo is quite possibly, the cutest little girl I've ever seen, animated or not. The adorable chemistry between her and John Goodman's character is almost too much to bear. When Goodman accidentally brings Boo back to his world, a whirlwind of action ensues as he tries to get her safely home. Her infectious personality and his lovable, nurturing demeanor will penetrate through any pregnancy blues.

1) Junior (1994)

The irony behind Junior as my number one pregnant movie pick is not lost on me. Arnold Schwarzenegger, however, does an unbelievable job at completely capturing the essence of a hormonal pregnant woman. Incredibly skeptical, I assumed this movie would be nothing more than a mockery. I entered with a degree of defensiveness, the feminist within me eager to lash out at any sign of sexism. I was pleasantly surprised however, at the seriousness with which the movie took itself. Junior is not simply a comedy about Arnold experiencing pregnancy. More than anything, it is about a person who loves their unborn child so much, they will do whatever it takes to keep it. Arnold, essentially a single dad, goes through an array of emotions with his pregnancy. Meanwhile, Emma Thompson, the accidental surrogate, finds herself having to accept a more unconventional approach to motherhood. In the end, however, the two are incredibly compatible and oddly adorable as the unorthodox pregnant couple.