Pregnancy is no doubt an exciting time – both for you, the expecting mother, and the nurses, midwives and obstetricians here at All About Women. This excitement though does have its challenges as pregnancy also carries some symptoms that are certainly not pleasant.
Many of these symptoms are quite common and expected – nausea, headaches, backaches, vomiting, swollen or tender breasts are just a few.
But there are other symptoms you may not associate with your pregnancy. While these symptoms may not come with much pain, they certainly can be a nuisance. Continue reading to learn more about these 5 symptoms and some things you can do to alleviate them or prevent them from occurring:
Constipation – Not painful but definitely annoying. Some hormones generated by your pregnancy can have the effect of slowing your intestines, causing them to be sluggish. Drinking plenty of water, exercising and eating foods high in fiber can help alleviate constipation while pregnant.
More Burping and Gas – Hormones during pregnancy also have the wonderful side effect of disturbing your gastrointestinal tract, which can make belching, burping and gas fairly common. Therefore, avoid offending foods but don’t try to hold anything in…it can cause lots of pain.
Insomnia – It’s kind of counter-intuitive – you generally think you will be fatigued during pregnancy. In many instances you will but insomnia can also occur too. You may have trouble falling asleep or going back to sleep after getting up to use the restroom (…which you will be doing more often). Regular exercise and reduced caffeine intake can help alleviate this pesky symptom.
Vaginal Discharge – It’s true your periods will go away during your pregnancy but that doesn’t mean you won’t have vaginal discharge, which actually increases over the course of your pregnancy. If it’s a nuisance for you, a panty liner can help. And if the discharge ever changes color or smell, tell your doctor or midwife about it as soon as possible.
Nasal Stiffness & Nose Bleeds – My nose is way up here and my uterus way down there…how could I have symptoms of a cold or allergy and a nose bleed? You may not immediately think about a symptom like this during pregnancy but it can be pretty common in fact. Natural remedies like a humidifier or snorting saltwater can alleviate the symptoms. If these things don’t help, speak with your midwife or doctor.
Pregnancy is a joyous time that should be celebrated. However, there will be some symptoms along the way that will make the experiencing a bit challenging too. With proper planning, a good diet and some exercise though, you can reduce the chances and effects of both commonly known and not so commonly known symptoms.
Just keep these 5 not so commonly known symptoms in mind when you find out you’re pregnant.
