You impatiently wait a few moments before reading that exciting word, PREGNANT, on the test.  Your heart races.  Images of walking a carriage on a nice spring day start to play in your mind.  You tell your husband and you’re both thrilled to be starting your family.  But, wait.  Not so fast.  There are nine months to get through before baby arrives.  Your journey between now and then will be long and winding and filled with a ton of surprises.  What kind of surprises you ask?  Well, these are the things that surprised me when I was pregnant!

 

 

 

• Morning Sickness is not confined to the morning hours.  I was sick from dinner until the wee hours of the morning and completely devoid of heartburn and nausea during the day.  Some women are sick 24/7 and others don’t get sick at all.  It’s all individual.
• Your areolas turn into a mood ring.  As the pregnancy progresses, hormones cause a darkening of not only your nipples but your nether areas, stomach and face as well. While chloasma, the brown spots appearing on the skin, cannot be prevented, after child birth it usually fades over time.
• It’s okay to not love being pregnant.  Movies portray pregnant women as thrilled to be in the condition they are, happy and completely content.  However, not every woman wakes up every day loving the journey she’s on.  While we may fall head over heels the moment we see the positive sign on the stick, the changes that occur in our bodies can make us feel out of control and sometimes, depressed.  If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, such as uncommon sleep patterns, loss of appetite, inability to stop eating, exaggerated and uncontrollable mood swings, talk to your doctor immediately.
• It might be 40 degrees outside, but to you it’s 80. Because your blood flow increases to support your body as well as your baby’s, increased sweating is common during pregnancy.  Feeling excessively warm is not out of the ordinary for most pregnant women so dress in layers so that you can remove clothing if you become hot.  Also, having a cold bottle of water handy at all times can help keep the body cool. 
• The glow everyone talks about… might be acne. While some women are relishing the radiance that their pregnancy has given them, others are battling acne the way they did in high school.  Because pregnancy hormones increase oil production, sebaceous glands can become clogged causing cystic acne to occur.  While pregnancy acne cannot be avoided there are ways to help combat it.  Wash your face religiously in the morning and before bed with a mild, detergent-free cleanser.  Make sure your moisturizers are oil-free. Do not squeeze or pop your pimples no matter how tempting it might be.  Before using any pimple creams, talk to your doctor first.  Some ingredients in zit zappers, over the counter and prescription, are not safe for pregnant women to use.

No matter the symptoms you are experiencing, try to enjoy every moment.  Whether you’re jolly and in love with the amazing feat your body is accomplishing or cursing every second, this is the most amazing experience you will ever have.  Even if you’re frustrated, bloated and completely uncomfortable during your pregnancy, the moment the baby arrives safely in your arms, you’ll experience pure joy.