Weird pregnancy symptoms
During my pregnancies I experienced very common things like morning sickness, but I also experienced very odd things that no one tells you about. Let me just share with you some weird/strange things that you could experience when you are pregnant.
First off, morning sickness, although it’s very common, it does not just happen in the morning. Some people experience morning sickness ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT! Hurling over a toilet for 80% of the day, sometimes more, is not enjoyable. Trust me, I know. During my first pregnancy I was sick 24/7. I would get sick while taking my morning shower, driving to work, in the middle of a meal, and even during my midnight bathroom runs!
You will also hear that morning sickness will go away after the first trimester. Although this is true for some people, do not be shocked if it continues past the 12-week mark. Some people will have morning sickness stop during the second trimester and then it starts back up in the third trimester. Other people will experience morning sickness the entire 9 months of pregnancy. With my first pregnancy I experienced morning sickness throughout the whole pregnancy. During my second pregnancy I was never really sick and when I was, it wouldn’t last long.
Another thing that no one seems to mention is that your nipples could potentially change to a darker color while pregnant. I had no idea that this could happen so when I noticed that my nipples were getting darker I lowkey thought I was going crazy. This happened during both my pregnancies but after I was done breastfeeding/pumping they returned to their normal color. I have read that they change to a darker shade to help the baby find them while nursing, but who knows if this is the case or not.
You might also experience varicose veins while pregnant. I had them right above my knees and on my thighs during pregnancy, but they were light. I only noticed them if I was looking, and as far as I can tell they all went away after giving birth.
Another thing that everyone knows happens, is feeling fatigued. However, I was not prepared for the reality of how tired I was going to be. There would be days where I probably could have slept the entire day if I could. On my lunch breaks I would take a nap, even if I only had 10 minutes, I would set my alarm and nap. During my first pregnancy, when I didn’t have a toddler to take care of, I would go to bed at 7pm.... Not even my grandparents go to bed at 7pm. The amount of exhaustion that comes with pregnancy is insane so just remember that it’s okay if you do not have the energy to do anything after working an 8-hour day – I mean you are growing a human, you deserve to be tired.
Something no one mentioned to me was the amount of congestion I would feel. During pregnancy your estrogen levels increase which causes the mucous membranes in your nose to swell. This then leads to congestion and snoring. I never snored prior to being pregnant but around my second trimester I snored and drooled almost every night. LOL I’m sure my husband was relieved that he wasn’t the only snorer at the time.
Swelling in your hands, feet, legs, and face is also a pregnancy symptom that I think we all know about but until you experience it you don’t realize how much swelling will/can occur. My face got round during both my pregnancies and my legs and feet got HUGE. I swelled drastically during the twin pregnancy!
An odd thing that I have never experienced, but my mother has, is that her feet grew with each of her pregnancies. It was not a drastic change, but she had to change shoe sizes at least once after having a child. I have heard of other women experiencing this as well, but I personally never have.
Bleeding gums is another odd pregnancy symptom that I only heard about because I worked in dental care during my first pregnancy. They say avoiding sweets during pregnancy can help minimize this. Also, rinse your mouth out after you’ve been sick, and visit your dentist while you’re pregnant. Even though you cannot get x-rays while pregnant, you still should visit your dentist for regular cleanings during pregnancy.
The last odd thing that not many people talk about is things that go on with the baby bump. You can develop more hair on your stomach while pregnant. I had a bunch of tiny little blonde hairs all over my tummy during my first pregnancy, almost like peach fuzz but not that drastic. You can also develop a dark line down the center of your stomach, I never did but I know people who have. Finally, your belly button might pop out towards the end of your pregnancy. I had someone refer to it as my “turkey timer”, meaning that it was sticking out far enough to let me know the baby was done cooking.
Pregnancy is something you should never take for granted, and even though it is difficult and exhausting, remember to enjoy the pregnancy phase and take joy in it. You are growing a human, how cool is that!
