Bit of fun - unexpected pregnancy symptoms?

[CatRash]

Let's face it - there's the pregnancy symptoms which everyone knows (and asks you about) like morning sickness, swollen feet, cravings, stretch marks etc.

But what pregnancy symptoms / side effects have surprised you??

For me I'd say...

Skin tags - wtf are they all about? I must have had about 5 new ones since getting pregnant - two of which are on my neck and although tiny I feel them daily when moisturising.

Snoring - my DH reliably informs me that I snore (loudly) most nights. He's too scared nice to wake me up or prod me though but has acquired a variety of nicknames for me like Mrs Snorey-Head! Sometimes I even get the odd snore while awake which is embarrassing

Dribbling - I dribble a lot more in my sleep that I ever used to...maybe this is because of the snoring though?? I am basically really gross to sleep next too!

So what's your surprising symptoms?

Oh god, so many skin tags! It's disgusting 😭 also brown spots on my boobs and a constant blocked nose.

My curly hair grew straight too (noticed it after stopped breastfeeding) and when I had my girls, my leg hair virtually stopped growing! Was great!

Grew the same with DS but my nails were fabulous!

I got the skin tags too - mostly around my eyes. They haven't gone, three years later, but have been joined by new ones, thanks to DS2

I groan in my sleep in pregnancy - I think it's down to super tiredness.

I got thick black hair on my thighs in both pregnancies, which is delightful, but does go afterwards.

Oh and random sneezing.

Bits of my teeth falling out! My dentist says it's not a pregnancy thing, but I've gone from having perfect teeth to crumbly crappy ones!

To the pp who mentioned darker patches of skin on your face- this is called Melasma and is known as the 'mask of pregnancy' the cause isn't known but it's pigmentation which if exposed to sunlight can become
Permanent so if you do have this, put high factor on daily which will maximise the chances of it fading after you've given birth. I used to work for a skin care company I'm not a doctor or anything but we did used to cover this in our product range so am aware of it x

Tipped uterus that was pressing on my bladder in such a way that if my bladder got too full I couldn't actually go for a wee. The first time it happened I ended up in a&e, in agony. It happened a few times after that and I had to take warm baths and basically wee in the bath . I always tried to go every hour or so to prevent it so long journeys were a bit of a stress. It lasted a couple of months until my bump was big enough to lift up off my bladder. Definitely the weirdest symptom, though restless legs was also unpleasant.

Mine was weird - I had exzema flares on my areola. Had to wear breast pads from early on as the skin was weepy and horrible and would soak through my bra and top. Even using prescribed creams it would only clear for a day or so at a time. Baby popped out and skin cleared almost overnight and stayed clear.

I lost my sense of smell first time but couldn't cook meat as I felt sick. Even though I couldn't smell it cooking.

I couldn't eat chicken. It was bizarre. It was almost like it stopped existing as a food option (never popped up as a food to suggest or to order etc) and if I tried to eat it I couldn't chew or swallow it. Just boaked and had to spit it out.

I had a skin tag that was being rubbed by my underwear & bleeding. That was super fun!

Diarrhoea - my stomach just seems to be so over sensitive but I can't figure out any triggers.

I feel funny when I get out of lifts, like a vertigo type feeling. I've only ever had it when going up about 10 floors before but now I can get it going up just one floor.

AGnu are you taking a multivitamin with iron in it? That gives me diarrhoea - Pregnacare is awful for this

Yes to pregnancy farts. And also vaginal discharge/cervical mucus that means I have to change my underwear often. Feels like I've wet myself a lot even though I haven't. Unless I've sneezed. Also my belly grew hairy but I've been assured this will fall out after 😅 I keep getting a skin tag on my left areola, just beneath the nipple, but I can actually pluck it off. It took a lot of deep breaths and counting down before I managed it the first time but it was painless and I just repluck when I need to

Nope peace, no vitamins. I've heard awful things about them so just opting for trying to eat healthily!

Some of these are so funny...but so true!!! There's absolutely no glamour in pregnancy is there???

Yes to the nipple skin tags too!!

And peeing yourself when sneezing/coughing/laughing/puking!!! I was under the impression this was something which happened post birth - how wrong was I?!? I've had two colds with chest infections in the third trimester....

I had to change my pants a lot more than a fully grown adult should have to. And invest in some TenaLady!!

Also I haven't had a solid poo in weeks - when it's vaguely solid I feel like celebrating. Also my body has decided 4am I a good time to have a turd....

Cat, that's better than constipation. Trust me on that!

Ok so here's a weird one. Anyone getting sore EARS?! I mean the external part, when sleeping on them at night. I guess for some reason (probably be because I'm wedged in place with a dozen pillows), I don't turn as much at night. I keep waking up with loads of pain in the outside of my ear from where I've been laying on it. Minor issue but quite uncomfortable when I first wake up.

Yeah brushing my teeth was an ordeal, as it made me heave.

Have also noticed my underarms are very dark skinned also made the mistake of getting the mirror out for a shave down there and that's also very dark and looks bigger somehow like the whole of my vaginal area has doubled in size

Oh god the pregnancy farts...!!

A random one for me - I sleep walked for the first time ever the other week. Terrified my fiance!!

On the plus side...my hair is super thick and hardly needs washed and i can get away with shaving my legs about once a week at the moment...leg hair growth is slow...its lovely!

Giant nipples! I already knew there would be boob changes but no one told me how massive your actual nipples get! And mine were quite small and neat beforehand so it's really noticeable to me!

DH told me to buy new clothes cos he thinks I'm gonna starts wearing holes in my tops soon!

I've had a really itchy arm pit this pregnancy- apparently it can be a thing!

And yes to snoring, dribbling - so very attractive

Yes, the farting.

My armpit and leg hair barely grow at all but I'm pretty sure my pubic hair is having a party (can't see anymore!)

I run way warmer than usual. I usually carry a cardigan everywhere in the summer, just in case, and now remembering one isn't even on my radar.

The shortness of breath isn't really unusual but I am surprised by how real it is.

The instantly giant breasts were a surprise, but I've more or less adjusted to them now - my stomach growing has brought them back into proportion! But now when I lie on my side, I feel like they're going to suffocate me. I promise to be more grateful for my small breasts if they ever return.

The random shooting pains up my bum ... Always pleasant!

I get puppy broody. Sounds totally mad but true!
We have 1 dog (obtained during my last pregnancy) and a few days before my BFP I started frantically searching for puppies online my only 'symptom' so far!

My others from my last pregnancy involve craving cardboard.. yes, to eat(!?)

The instantly massive breasts were unexpected here too, I knew they would get bigger at some point but I didn't expect it to happen in the first couple of weeks!

Other unexpected ones included:

Constantly popping ears
Dripping nose
Being freezing for the whole of the first trimester.
Fainting at 15 weeks for the first time ever!
Hormones! (Obviously I expected these, bit not the full on level of crazy I actually experienced!)
Insanely dry mouth over night - first trimester only though!