Some days I just love being pregnant and some days I wish it would end!
There are so many weird pregnancy symptoms and I feel like I'm always looking things up to see if they are normal during pregnancy.
You're body totally throws you for a loop and once you get used to your "new normal" something changes.
These symptoms are the ones that I found out about while I was pregnant that I thought were totally weird.
I didn't have a few of them, but they are common things that happen during pregnancy.
Bloody Noses
Maybe our body is punishing us for not having our monthly menstrual cycle so it decided to make us bleed in other places.
Bloody noses happen in 20% of pregnant women compared to the 6% of women get bloody noses while they are not pregnant. This is a huge increase!
During pregnancy the blood vessels in your nose expand and with an increased volume of blood you're more susceptible to bloody noses.
So keep some tissues in your purse just in case!
Sinus Problems
These are caused by hormone levels changing. Most women will notice sinus problems in their 3rd trimester.
If you are prone to allergies or had asthma before you got pregnant this could be worse during pregnancy.
Excessive Drooling
I've noticed this a lot more lately. I'll wake up while I'm sleeping and feel my face all wet from the drool on my pillow, it's so gross!
This is caused by the change in your hormone levels.
Also your body will usually produce more saliva if you have a lot of nausea and vomiting. The saliva will coat the walls of the esophagus to help neutralize the stomach acid.
So I guess it's helpful, but still not fun waking up to drool on your pillow!
Bleeding Gums
Another thank you to hormonal changes!
These changes can make your gums more vulnerable to plaque leading to inflammation and bleeding.
Burping and Farting
I feel like every pregnant woman experiences an increase in burping and farting.
Before I got pregnant I rarely burped, it usually came out the other end. Now I'm practically burping and farting what feels like all of the time.
I give my husband a run for his money at this point!
The Progesterone hormone relaxes the muscles in your body. Gas will build up leading to bloating, burping, and farting.
Hopefully this mainly happens for you at home, but if not just keep walking and act like nothing happened!
Hemorroids
I had no clue what this was till I got pregnant. So many women on a birth board I belong to would talk about the painful hemorrhoids they were having.
If you don't know what they are it's the veins in your anus swelling. You may notice bleeding after you poop or it could even be painful to poop. Your anus could also be itchy, burn, or swell.
They are caused by your uterus getting bigger and putting pressure on your veins causing them to swell.
Sounds fun right! You're already constipated and your body wants to add hemorrhoids along with it!
Excessive Discharge
You will discharge more when you are pregnant, at least I noticed a large increase of discharge.
This is caused by the increase of estrogen levels.
You also have increased blood flow in your pelvic area which stimulates your mucous membranes in your vagina.
Leaking Breasts
I have not had this symptom yet, but on the baby board that I belong to on baby center women started talking about leaky nipples already! One lady said that she woke up with a small puddle next to her chest in her sheets.
This is something that is totally natural and common to have especially when you are coming close to welcoming your little bundle of joy! Man the things we do for our kids, even before they are born!
When your nipples leak its usually colostrum which is the first milk you make in preparation for feeding your baby. You can start leakage weeks or even months before you have your baby.
Giant Nipples
Your nipples will get darker and larger especially later on in your pregnancy.
They will also form bumps called Montgomery Tubercles.
With your hormones changing and your breasts getting larger it affects the pigmentation of your nipples.
For me it's a small price to pay to have the larger boobs that I always dreamed of when I was a teenager!
Don't worry though usually after a few months postpartum your nipples will go back to what they were.
Hair Growth
Now I'm not talking about the luscious locks on our head, I'm talking about the hair growth in places we don't want.
I've noticed hair growing on my tummy, nipples, and even on my chin!
Hormone changes can make your hair grow faster which is nice when it comes to your head, but not so nice when it comes to other places.
Also an increase in secretion of male hormones or androgens from the ovaries and placenta.
Luckily this can go away after pregnancy.
Vivid Dreams and Nightmares
In the middle of my pregnancy my dreams were so vivid. I was anxious about everything so of course when I slept I would have nightmares about the things I was anxious about.
Hormone levels change which can affect your sleep pattern leading to new dream patterns.
Also your anxiety can lead to dreams or nightmares. That darn subconscious!
Pica Disorder
Pica is craving substances with little or no nutritional value. Usually the cravings are non food items such as:
- Dirt
- Clay
- Ice
- Laundry starch
- Burnt matches
- Mothballs
- Toothpaste
- Soap
- Plaster
- Baking soda
- Corn starch
- Sand
- Stones
Most doctors speculate that it's your body's attempt to obtain vitamins or minerals that are missing through your normal food consumption.
If you think you have Pica talk to your doctor so they can go over ways to help you with this disorder.
Comment if you have had other weird symptoms you think other women should know about!