12.5.4  Strange dreams and nightmares

Pregnant women may have strong, vivid dreams. They can be beautiful, strange, or frightening. For many people, dreams are an important way of understanding themselves and the world. Some people believe that dreams can tell us about the future, or give us messages from spirits. But usually, when something happens in a dream, it does not mean that it will happen to us in life. The events in the dream may be telling us what we are afraid of, or what we desire. Or they may simply be stories our minds make up while we sleep. Pregnant women who are having frightening dreams may need someone to talk to about their hopes, fears and feelings.