Pregnancy And Baby Care Articles Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

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1. The Nose Knows: It may seem a bit farfetched but when you are pregnant, even your nose may get affected. Many women complain of nasal congestion or an increase in nose bleeds during pregnancy. Hormonal changes may cause the nasal passages to dry up or cause the mucous membranes to swell and bleed and result in these odd symptoms.
   
   
   
2. Sleepless Beauty: Yes, you may be glowing and your hair may be shinier and thicker than ever but with these perks of pregnancy come some downers as well. Though fatigue is a common symptom of pregnancy, sleeplessness or insomnia is an unusual side effect as well. This inability to sleep deeply or fall asleep easily may be due to an increase in the frequency of urination at night or because of too many naps during the day.
3. Excuse Me: Embarrassing symptoms of pregnancy include belching and passing wind due to an excess amount of gas produced. As hormone levels increase and muscles of the body relax in preparation for childbirth, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract tends to go out of whack. Certain foods and a growing belly may cause gastrointestinal distress as well.
4. More Tummy Troubles: Another troublesome effect of pregnancy on the digestive system is constipation. Hormones cause the functioning of the intestines to slow down and this results in sluggishness and irregularity of bowel movements. Eating a high-fiber diet and drinking lots of water may help prevent constipation.
5. Excessive Discharge: For many women, one of the perks of being pregnant is not having a period for nine whole months. Unfortunately, just when you thought of packing away those sanitary pads, your changing body foils your plans once again. When you are pregnant, there is often an excess of vaginal discharge produced, caused by the excess of hormones and an increase in the blood flow to the vagina. Often you may need a panty liner or a light sanitary pad to keep you feeling fresh and dry. Unless the discharge is accompanied by a foul odor or a change in color, this is nothing to worry about and is totally normal.
6. Dream a Little Dream: Women report having very vivid and weird dreams during pregnancy. Why this happens is still not known though many experts believe it could be caused by an increase of hormones. Some dreams may be baby related but a majority of them are totally unrelated to the pregnancy.
7. Itchy and Scratchy: As your belly grows and the skin tightens, it is normal to feel itchy and scratchy around the abdomen. If the itching is intense and spreads to your arms and legs, it may be due to a skin condition known as PUPP or Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plagues. These are red itchy patches of skin that disappear only after delivery. If the itching is accompanied by symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, it may be a sign of jaundice and will require immediate medical treatment.
8. Take Your Breath Away: Feeling short of breath can begin as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. As your ribcage moves upwards and outwards to make more place for your growing baby, you may experience breathlessness. Changes in progesterone levels also affect the body's sensitivity to carbon dioxide and maximizes the absorption of oxygen. This may lead to spells of dizziness and shortness of breath.
9. All Thumbs: It may seem like a one woman slapstick act at times what with the amount of times you trip, fall, and drop things during your pregnancy. Water retention, loose joints, relaxed muscles, and a change in the center of gravity as your belly increases in size all cause clumsiness during pregnancy.
10. Problem Skin: You may have thought you said goodbye to problem skin with the end of your teenage years but guess what? Pregnancy brings with it a whole bundle of goodies for your skin as well. While some women may glow and sport a flawless complexion throughout the nine months, most women complain of weird skin conditions such as dark skin patches over your face and body, spider veins on your legs and chest, and skin tags on your armpits and neck. An excess of melanin produced causes dark patches. Spider veins and skin tags are the result of hormonal imbalances, an increase in blood circulation, and friction of the skin.

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