Okay before anyone gets any ideas, I am not pregnant! But a while ago, I read Sangeetha’s post on the same subject (do check her blog out, it is great!). While her picks were great, I kept thinking “hey I wish she had included this movie” and “oh I loved that movie when I was pregnant.”
So I decided to list out my own 10 must-watch movies when you are pregnant. I don’t know about anyone else but when I was pregnant I always liked to watch movies about pregnant women, babies or families. And I watched a lot of them so I have listed my favorites for you all.
Not all of them are about being pregnant or expecting parents. Some are family movies that make you feel good about having kids and if you are pregnant (with your first child) then these are definitely good for your brooding instincts.
10 Movies to watch in pregnancy
Parenthood
A film about the extended Buckman family trying to navigate the parenting journey spanning generations. We have a father dealing with his son’s behavioral problems and at the same time trying to face his issues with his own father. There is a divorced mother trying to handle two teenagers, a husband-wife who don’t see eye to eye on how to raise their daughter and the quintessential black sheep of the family.
The best part is that there is something for everyone here. You feel like you have gained insights and yet there is no lecturing in the film. This is my all-time favorite movie about parenting!
Father of the bride II
If you loved Father of the bride then this is definitely a treat. Another Steve Martin classic, this one is a must-watch when you are pregnant. Just when George Banks is dealing with his daughter’s pregnancy, another bomb shell is dropped and he comes to know that his wife is also expecting a baby.
The movie is all about how he juggles the duties of becoming a grandpa with his mid-life crisis and a new baby. Funny, emotional and always a riot!
Baby Mama
Apart from the fabulous combination of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler this movie also has a scintillating comic story line. Tina plays a successful businesswoman who has always put her career over personal life. When she finally decides to have a baby she founds that she has a hostile uterus. So she goes the surrogate way and finds one in Amy who is absolutely the antithesis of what Tina’s character is.
The movie is all about their Tom and Jerry kind of relationship and how each of them changes the other for the better. Check out Baby Mama at amazon right now!
Knocked Up
A hilarious comedy despite a snarky take at pregnancy and parenting. A one night stand between an odd couple turns complicated when Allison Scott, a journalist for E online! (played by Katherine Heigl) finds herself pregnant with Ben Stone’s (Seth Rogen)baby. To say that the couple is like chalk and cheese is an understatement.They soon realize that making a relationship is much harder than making a baby. Knocked Up is a funny, funny ride!!
Juno
Among the very rare well made movies on teenage pregnancies, this was the movie which got Ellen Page in limelight. Facing an unexpected pregnancy at 16 Juno decides to go for adoption rather than abortion. The movie is about how she finds the perfect adoptive parents, how she deals with her pregnancy and judgement from other people and also how she deals with the situations when everything goes haywire. Do not miss this!
She’s Having a Baby
A romantic comedy, this movie looks at pregnancy from the man’s point of view. A very young Kevin Bacon plays Jake Briggs married to Kristy Briggs played by Elizabeth McGovern. They get married young and Jake is confused about how to adjust to his new life as a married man. The story revolves around the what happens from the time they get married to the time they have their first baby. All newly married couples being pressured to have babies will relate to this movie.
Okay I am cheating a bit and including these two TV series which are a must-watch too in my opinion for pregnant women.
Parenthood (The TV Series)
If you loved Parenthood the film, then you will love this TV series adaptation of the film even more. With incredible writing, top notch acting and amazing story lines woven for every character, you can’t help but fall in love with this series.
Infidelity, special needs children, divorce, peer pressure, marital problems and lot more issues are handled in a sensitive and poignant way. Please do not miss any chance to watch this series when it is shown in India again.
The Gilmore Girls (TV Series)
This one stars Lauren Graham as Lorelei Gilmore who turns around her life from a pregnant, teenager run away to a poised, confident, career woman and single mom. The show’s central theme is the amazing relationship between Lorelei and her daughter Rory which while going through a lot of ups and downs remains one of the most beautiful mother-daughter relationship ever.
I have a confession to make here, this series was one of the reasons I always wanted to have a girl and hope that I will have a balanced relationship like this with my own daughter. Get Gilmore Girls Season 1 now!
What to expect when you’re expecting
Though this one got a lot of mixed reviews, I would still urge you to watch this because it is based on the pregnancy bible What to expect when you’re expecting. You can see almost every type of pregnant woman in this movie, whether the super fit pregnant woman, the woman who is having a bad hair day every day of her pregnancy, the gorgeous woman who gets even more gorgeous with her pregnancy and so on. If you are pregnant and haven’t bought the book yet, you can go over to amazon and buy What to Expect When you’re Expecting!
Salaam Namaste
The only Bollywood movie in the list, the reason I have it on the list is because it shows that you can be pregnant, not supported by a husband/boyfriend and face being a single mother but it’s okay. A breath of fresh air from the movies which portrays single mothers as pitied creatures. It also has cute song and dance numbers especially one with Preity Zinta craving for Ben and Jerry Ice cream.