What are some surprising things you didn't know about pregnancy, but now you do know?
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That you can get a pregnancy version of carpal tunnel syndrome that disappears right after you give birth (or mine did at least). Or that you can get a shooting pain in your leg when the baby moves the wrong way that can literally make you drop or have to sit down.
I also never knew until I was pregnant that you aren't supposed to sleep on your back. Or that cramps early on are normal.
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That you can feel the baby hiccup
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That your bras won't fit. And when you buy new bras, buy ones that fit around your rib cage at the tightest hook because your rib cage gets bigger!
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That it's normal to have braxton hicks at like... 20 weeks.
I thought I knew what to expect since I'm a doula, but it turns out I was only trained in late pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. I actually didn't know that much about early pregnancy.
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That your body produces more blood in part to compensate for what you'll lose in birth! Also this I'd more birth-related but it was news to me that you had to give birth to your placenta too.
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You can get hot flashes during pregnancy. She really does kick my cervix. Numb legs are normal.
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So many things!
- That your nose can get stuffy and you can have cold-like symptoms throughout early pregnancy
- Round ligament pain - had no idea what that was
- That your body just aches, constantly, all the time -
@mandb36: I completely forgot about pregnancy carpal tunnel syndrome while pregnant but I always had pain in my hand! I kept thinking I was sleeping on it (hand under pillow).
I learned that nose bleeds are common because the blood vessels in your nose expand while pregnant. So weird!
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Everything @mungbean said!
Re: Carpal Tunnel - I already have it and it flares up bad somedays/nights during pregnancy and I can't take meds for it!
Somethings I definitely didn't know about or expect:
- SO much discharge down there! (TMI maybe, and maybe that's why I never heard of it!)
- That the skin on your nipples can get all bumpy and weird looking! -
I didn't know that a lot of your weight gain is blood and you leave the hospital still looking 5 months pregnant.
I also didn't know there would be changes to the nipples and that if you are breastfeeding, your boobs can get clogged ducts and get rock hard.
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Your gums can bleed!
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I didn't know that your milk takes 2-5 days to come in after the baby is born, SO many things about breastfeeding in general, that many belly buttons "pop" (mine didn't), that I'd feel so many hiccups, that it's common for the hair around your face to fall out 4 months postpartum (called the "4 month fallout"), that often your water has to be broken for you and doesn't just happen on its own, that morning sickness can last all day and way past the first trimester, that you can't sleep on your back, that you can walk around dilated at the end for quite a while, lots more I can't think of right now. Basically, you learn a lot pregnant, and even more parenting
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That losing your mucus plug and bloody show is messy and gag-inducing.
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that you can feel like AF is on its way, but you're actually pregnant! sooooooooo.....much...discharge! lol i honestly had no idea about that! that baby brain is an actual thing! i know there's more...but it's too early to think haha
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Your feet can swell so much even flip flops won't fit (make sure you have ones with elastic straps so you don't have to go barefoot). Your hips will hurt so badly and the only way to get any relief is to lean over an exercise ball and have DH push on them (like he's trying to hold your hips together).
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I agree with a few already posted:
- Extra fluids also means extra mucus in your sinuses!
- Extra fluids also means extra discharge, gross! -
leg cramps!! i never even read up on why, but i use to get woken up with them. -=(
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That "aches and pains" can include feeling like your pubic bone is cracking in half
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That your feet can grow! I refused to wear heels while I was pregnant for fear of this, and luckily I'm still the same size.
And that everyone will touch your belly and give you advice.
A pregnant lady means inappropriate health questions will be asked by all:
"How much weight have you gained?"
"Are you delivering vaginally?"
"Are you getting an epidural?"
"You sure there is only one in there?"
"Are you getting your son circumcised?"
"Are you breastfeeding?"
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