Share this with your friends!

The Not So Beautiful Side of Pregnancy. Gross things no one talks about.

Pregnancy. A time when you are supposed to feel like a gorgeous, human making, glowing goddess, Right? Well, yes, at times you will. But at other times you may feel not so stunning. While pregnancy can be beautiful and breath taking, it can also be gross. The thing is, no one really talks about the gross stuff. Sure, morning sickness is well known. But there is a whole lot more to it than just that. So let’s get is out in the open and talk about the not so beautiful side to pregnancy.

Bloating and gas

During pregnancy, a pleasant little hormone called Progesterone is on the rise. You are going to here about this hormone ALOT in this post. Progesterone loosens up the gastrointestinal muscles leading to lots of gas. And it may, er, smell worse than usual. Prepare yourself. And maybe your husband.

Acne

A hormone called androgens is to blame here. It is responsible for making your skin a bit more oily in the first and second trimester which can lead to acne. You can try out all natural remedies such as Apple Cider Vinegar. I have been using this since I first found out I was expecting and have been pretty surprised by it’s effectiveness. I mixed 2 parts ACV with 1 part water. I added it to a small spray bottle and use nightly. Simply spray a small amount on cotton ball and apply to face. The smell vanishes in just a few minutes!

Hair. (as in body hair, not the kind on your head)

This is one of those bitter sweet parts of pregnancy. While your locks may have never looked more luscious, you are also sprouting hair in other places that you may have never seen before (hello there, chin whisker).

Constipation

Progesterone, so nice to see you again. We warned you. He’s back again to loosen up those much needed digestive tract muscles, leading to a bowl movement back up. There are foods you can eat to help move things along as well as some gentle, non- stimulating stool softeners. Check with your doctor to see what the best avenue is to get things going again.

Hemorrhoids

Doesn’t the word itself just make your cringe a little. Yeah, me too. For some women, this may not occur until after labor and delivery, but for some, they can come earlier due to constipation and your expanding uterus. Luckily, they will ease up after baby is here, but may have small flare ups for some time. Lucky us! I would suggest pre-ordering some witch hazel soaked pads to have at home after delivery. They will help reduce the inflammation in the hemorrhoids and make them less painful.  You can find them on Amazon here. If you are planning on making your own post-delivery “padsicles”, you can use the witch hazel from that recipe too!

Bleeding Gums

One morning, you are going to spit into the sink after a brush and it’s going to look like you may have just finished a boxing match. And lost. But your bleeding gums are not something to be concerned about. Much like #7.

Nose bleeds

Again with the bleeding. Your increased blood supply can cause your expanded ( and more delicate) blood vessels in your nose to rupture more easily. While it can be scary, it’s usually not cause for concern and can be stopped by just pinching the nose for 20-30 seconds. Reach out to your doctor if they nose bleeds occur frequently or last for longer than a few minutes.

Heart Burn

Get the Tums ready. Heart burn during pregnancy sucks. The same hormone that is relaxing your digestive tract is also causing your muscles in your esophagus to relax, meaning they aren’t controlling the acid as well. A glass of milk always helps.

Skin Tags

You’re body is working overtime to grow all these wonderful little body parts for baby, and in the mean time it might grow a little extra skin for you too. Skin tags are likely to pop up in high friction areas. They are harmless and unless they are really bothersome, can be left. It they drive you bonkers, see your dermatologist about having them removed.

Sweat

So much sweat. Again, your body is working like a machine set to overdrive to make that baby. This may lead to sweaty pits. And sweaty boobs. And face. And anywhere else that may seem unpleasant.

Alright mama’s, it’s time to chime in! I want to know what items you think are missing from this list. What gross things happened to you during pregnancy that you weren’t expecting?


Check out more pregnancy reads:

Swaddles n' Bottles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This program does not effect the price a customer pays for products. To read more on affiliate links, please view our privacy and disclosure page.