The more I talk to other moms, the more I hear about how common, if not universal, these dreams are. My friend had repeated dreams about giving birth to amphibians. My sister dreamed about having rabbits and gerbils. My neighbor dreamed about wolf cubs. I believe that all of these dreams have different meanings, depending on a woman's own subconscious mind, but they share a common thread: linking our own bodies and lives to those of animals.
One reason for this dream might be a sense of reassurance -- a message from our subconscious minds telling us that we can handle having a baby. I believe that my own dreams were largely a way of showing me that I could handle the task of caring for a child by comparing her to a kitten, something that is far easier to manage than a newborn baby. Dreams about giving birth to cats, rabbits, gerbils, dogs, or other pets may be a sign of subconscious reassurance.
Another possibility is that your mind is processing your unborn baby's development. For a pregnant mother, it can be difficult to conceptualize what a nine-week-old embryo looks like. We know that it lives in fluid, has only a primitive brain, and doesn't yet look quite human. Our brains might interpret this information to make the baby a fish, frog, or salamander. These dreams might be a way of processing what the developing baby looks like while still tying it to a relatable image of something cute and living.
During pregnancy, dreams about giving birth to animals might represent anxiety and fear. A dream about giving birth to a wolf, bear, or jaguar, for example, might be a sign that you view your pregnancy as frightening and intimidating. You might feel like a child is something you want and love, but are afraid you can't handle. These dreams may be a sign of intense stress or worry about your role as a mother or about the process of giving birth.
The dreams may also represent another kind of anxiety. An animal may be a subconscious symbol of a baby with a disfiguring birth defect or other worrisome problem. You, for example, might dream about getting a lizard or crab instead of a baby because you're afraid you might get something you don't want or didn't expect. It could represent a baby with a physical or mental disability, or even a baby who isn't the sex or appearance you'd hoped for. These dreams might be your mind's way of processing that possibility.
Skyrocketing hormones during pregnancy can cause bizarre dreams of all kinds. And, while it may be interesting to analyze them, it's important to remember that they are, essentially, just dreams. Your mind and body are both processing a lot of information during this time, and dreams about giving birth to animals are a fairly normal part of pregnancy. If the dreams are particularly stressful or upsetting to you, it can't hurt to mention them to a counselor or to your primary care provider for help with stress management and healthier sleep habits. Otherwise, take them with a grain of salt and keep an open mind about what your dreams might teach you.