Pregnancy comes with so much pressure—pressure to eat the perfect foods, take the perfect prenatal vitamins, follow the perfect exercise plan, and, somehow, also look like a glowing goddess the whole time. And if you’re someone who cares deeply about doing things well, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of perfectionism.
But here’s the truth: it doesn’t have to be perfect. Not your pregnancy, not your birth plan, not even the way you show up for yourself every day. The idea that we need to get everything “just right” is a recipe for stress and disappointment, especially during a time that is already full of change and uncertainty.
Letting Go of Perfection
Letting go of perfection doesn’t mean you stop caring or trying. It means giving yourself permission to make mistakes, to experiment, to get things wrong, and to learn along the way. This is such a big shift—especially if you grew up feeling like mistakes weren’t okay.
For me, letting go of perfection has been a long, messy process. I used to have a loud inner critic who would jump in every time I made a mistake. If I burned dinner or forgot something important, that voice would tell me I’d failed. Over time, I’ve learned to rewrite that narrative. These days, when I burn dinner—which still happens sometimes—I laugh and say, “Well, that’s dinner!” It’s such a simple thing, but it’s a reminder that imperfection is not the end of the world.
During pregnancy, this mindset can be so freeing. Maybe you didn’t eat perfectly today. Maybe you didn’t exercise the way you planned. Maybe your birth plan feels less “plan” and more “pile of ideas scribbled on a napkin.” And that’s okay. Pregnancy is about showing up, not about getting everything right.
The Power of Compassion
When we let go of perfectionism, we create space for compassion—for ourselves and for the people around us. During pregnancy, that compassion might look like acknowledging that you’re doing your best, even on days when you feel like you’re falling short.
It might also mean noticing the expectations you’ve been carrying and asking if they’re really serving you. Do you feel like you need to know everything about labor and delivery to be a good parent? Are you obsessing over the perfect nursery décor while neglecting your own rest? When we take a step back, we can see how much energy we spend chasing things that don’t actually matter.
Messy Moments as Opportunities
I think back to moments in my own life where things didn’t go as planned. Like the time my daughter took one bite of dinner and said, “Mama, this tastes weird.” I laughed and told her, “That’s because I burned it.”
That moment could have felt like a failure—dinner wasn’t perfect, and I served it anyway. But instead, it was an opportunity to show my daughter that imperfection is okay. That even good cooks sometimes burn things. That love and effort matter more than perfection.
Pregnancy is full of these messy, real-life moments. Maybe it’s realizing you forgot to pack snacks for your appointment or feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice on what to eat. These moments aren’t failures—they’re invitations to practice self-compassion.
Rewriting the Narrative
For so many of us, the belief that we need to be perfect started long before pregnancy. It might have come from a household where mistakes weren’t tolerated or a culture that tells us we have to look and act a certain way to be enough.
But pregnancy is a chance to rewrite that story. It’s a time to remind yourself—and model for your baby—that imperfection is human. That it’s okay to try things and mess them up. That growth and learning come from the messy middle, not from getting everything right the first time.
Moving Through Imperfection
As you move through your pregnancy, notice where perfectionism shows up. Maybe it’s in the way you think about taking care of your body or preparing for your baby. Maybe it’s in how you handle unexpected emotions or tough moments.
Wherever it shows up, see if you can meet it with kindness. Remind yourself that you are enough, even when things don’t go perfectly. Because at the end of the day, pregnancy—and life—isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being real, showing up, and letting yourself grow in the process.
So take a breath. Let go of the impossible standards. Burn dinner if you have to. And know that who you are, imperfections and all, is exactly what your baby—and the world—needs.