Pregnancy is a beautiful time, but it definitely comes with some unexpected (and not always pleasant!) surprises. Here are some of the symptoms you might experience but don’t be put off, it’s all worth it in the end.
Food cravings and aversions
Food cravings are one of the most common pregnancy symptoms people speak about, however, aversions can be just as strong. In the first trimester it’s not uncommon to have aversions to foods that were even once your absolute favourites. There are a few theories on why this happens, the first is that aversions to things like meat protect pregnant women and their unborn babies due to the bacteria they can harbour. But this is mostly disproven as many aversions include healthy things too like vegetables. The most likely cause is that hormonal changes affect your sense of smell making things seem more pungent and off putting. Many of these aversions will resolve in the second trimester and your appetite often returns too.
Digestive issues
Pregnancy causes all kinds of digestive issues. Heartburn is common due to hormonal changes relaxing the sphincter in the oesophagus which can allow stomach acid to seep back up. Heartburn is also linked to your baby’s hair growth in the womb too- a strange but proven fact! Constipation leading to hemorrhoids is another not so nice symptom that’s common in pregnancy, avoid this by eating enough fibre and keeping hydrated, and use an OTC treatment like xylocaine ointment if you do get hemorrhoids.
Lightheadedness
Light headedness is most common in the second trimester, which is the trimester which is otherwise reasonably symptom free. Dizziness is caused because your growing uterus puts pressure on blood vessels, and a drop in blood pressure also naturally happens around this time too. Avoid standing up too quickly, if you start feeling faint be sure to sit down and have a drink of water. Your energy might be back in the second trimester, but don’t feel as though you’re completely capable of doing everything you did before, your body is still under a lot of stress.
Tiredness
Tiredness in pregnancy is something that’s to be expected. Your body is going through massive changes, you’re growing another human and carrying around extra weight. Tiredness and fatigue is most common in the first and third trimesters but it’s something that you’ll likely need to deal with throughout. However, if you start suffering with extreme tiredness it can be a sign that something isn’t quite right, most likely your iron levels are low. This can be confirmed with a quick blood test and corrected with iron tablets.
Skin changes
Some women find their skin is at its best in pregnancy, whereas some never get that pregnancy ‘glow’. Issues like dry skin, acne and any pre existing conditions like eczema might flare up in pregnancy- again, blame hormones.
