But moms, you Should Know....
People tell
you that your breasts will get bigger and hurt when you are pregnant, and you
will pee more often. You will gain weight and have weird cravings, and you will
most definitely become more emotional. Sounds like a load of fun, huh? But what
are they not telling you about pregnancy?
You have
weird dreams. So many hormones and lack of actual sleep (you will not be able
to get comfortable enough to get real, deep sleep- even early on) will wreak
havoc on your dreams- but it isn’t always bad! You will have some really funny
dreams to talk about, so enjoy it!
You drool
more because pregnant women produce more saliva. In fact, they produce three-fourths
a quart a day! Why all the spit? Again- hormonal changes. You will drool when
you sleep, when you chew gum, and when you eat. Hey, it’s better than the other
thing that does happen closer to going into labor for some women- extreme
dehydration and dry mouth.
You get
veiny. As blood flow is increased, your body pumps nutrients to your baby
through your veins and that makes them stand out even more. For some women, the
size of veins never goes down, but for most it will. The best way to help
alleviate the appearance of these is to drink plenty of water and stay active.
You get
constipated and it can be extremely painful. All the changes to your body,
diet, and weight gain can really do a number on your body, and that includes
your digestive system. Pump yourself full of water and fiber to make sure this
doesn’t happen to you.
You will
have shooting pains in your cervix and if you have never experienced them
before, you may think something is terribly wrong or like you are in labor.
Short “zaps” of pain like this are normal, no matter how uncomfortable they
are. Prolonged pain, however, can be dangerous and you will need to seek a
doctor’s help and advice.