10 Things they DON'T tell you about being pregnant:
"Being pregnant was the best time of my life" is something I've heard many people say. And I'll admit I'll probably start echoing those sentiments as I leave the first trimester and enter the second one. HOWEVER, I would say that most women, when they first become pregnant, wonder what crazy drug those other women were put on to make them think pregnancy was such a wonderful thing. Right now, it is getting to be a great thing. All of my annoying symptoms are going away as I prepare to leave the first trimester and enter the second one (also referred to as the honeymoon stage).
But let me say, there were many things that I discovered come with being pregnant that nobody ever told me about. So, there are the small things I will share that I was never told about being pregnant. I am also even keeping out some details which are TMI, so there are even things I'm still keeping secret about being pregnant.
Anyway, without further ado, here are the things I discovered that nobody tells you.
1.) Your nose is more sensitive because of increased blood flow and you may find yourself congested and even having nosebleeds. Yes, this has happened to me. I won't complain to much about the constant semi-stuffy nose because it has kept my ultra-sensitivity to smells down a little. But when my nose is cleared out, I can smell almost everything.
2.) You start producing more saliva. So you often find yourself waking up in a puddle of drool. I feel like I am constantly swallowing my saliva. Yes, it's gross.
3.) Your body is working overtime and you may wake up drenched in sweat in the middle of the night. So, yes, there have been nights when I have woken up in drool and sweat. Yes, nice, right? But, on the bright side, I haven't woken up in a night sweat since the weather started dropping. WOOHOO!
4.) You feel like you could take a nap anytime and anywhere (this is for the beginning of the first trimester).
5.) You may become forgetful. I went through this so-called "baby brain" stage for awhile. I honestly think it was because my mind and body were very busy.
6.) You get very bloated and gassy. There are so many fluids and such high blood flow that they can build up. Here is a picture of my stomach today at 12+1. I look pregnant indeed, but sadly most of it is not the baby. Usually it doesn't look this obvious, but this is me in non-maternity clothes.
7.) An increase of progesterone causes bad constipation. However, there are thankfully treatments for that which help a lot.
8.) If you get sick, you can't just go into the medicine drawer and take something. The main thing that is safe to take is tylenol. There are a few things that your doctor will prescribe that are okay. But being pregnant has had me turning to holistic medicine to keep myself and little one safe and healthy.
9.) You need to drink TWICE as much water as is required for you to drink when you are not pregnant. Plus, as your uterus grows in the first trimester, you find yourself having to go to the bathroom A LOT. So, it makes drinking water seem like a real pain. The good side of this is that is that you actually don't have to go as much later on closer to the second trimester. It is supposed to come back when baby gets big in the third trimester. However, right now I don't have to go like I used to.
10.) Dreams become very vivid. I have never had such vivid dreams as I have had since I became pregnant. I have often woken up confused.
Anyway, those are things that I didn't know about being pregnant. And I do wish somebody would have told me. But on the bright side, I've been finding many of them come and go. Plus I'm sure that once the baby gets here, I will probably have forgotten about most of them.
