25 Things No One Tells You About Pregnancy

They say pregnancy is a life-changing experience. It is. It's not just the bump, cravings and nausea. There are so many things I never knew about, and each time something strange happens, I google the symptom to make sure I'm normal!

1. Your hearing improves. Sounds that never bothered you before (like the hum of a neighbour's air con) keep you awake at night.
2. Your sense of smell improves.
3. You get really good at throwing up, and the colour depends on what you've recently eaten (Cherries - red. Brownies - black. Peaches - white. If you haven't eaten anything, you get bile which is the most bitter and yucky thing ever).
4. Your feet get swollen if you sit or stand for too long. (growing uterus may compress a major vena cava vein, leading to decreased blood return from the lower limbs to the heart).
5. You need to pee more often.
6. A violent sneeze or cough could cause a leak!
7. You have to wear your seat belt below your abdomen.
8. The light brown bits of you (like moles) become darker.
9. Fine hairs start growing on your tummy. Some women get a darkened line running from the belly button to the pubic bone (linea nigra).
10. Your cup size gets an upgrade.
11. Your breasts get tender and more sensitive (a light brush with a towel can really hurt!)
12. You have a permanent cold (Rhinitis: due to hormonal changes and increased blood flow to the mucous membranes).
13. Swollen and sensitive gums (due to hormones and increased blood flow).
14. Your digestion slows down.
15. You have to consume lots of fruits and liquids to avoid constipation.
16. You get heartburn (also known as acid indigestion or acid reflux) - a burning sensation in your chest, which sometimes goes up your throat.
17. Hunger pangs come on suddenly and strongly. You wake up in the middle of the night, starving.
18. You get tired easily.
19. You get backaches.
20. You get occasional sharp pains around your bump as your ligaments and muscles begin to stretch to accommodate your growing uterus.
21. Headaches are more common.
22. You get vivid, crazy and disturbing dreams at night.
23. You're more weepy. You cry over tiny things, like bad dreams.
24. You get more forgetful and absent-minded.
    
    And the clincher:
    
    
25. Your husband gets pregnancy symptoms too! There's even a term for it - Couvade: a male who experiences symptoms of pregnancy like indigestion, nausea, headaches, cravings, vivid dreams, in sympathy for his wife.