We all know and have experienced the more common signs of pregnancy, like missed periods, swelling, food cravings, and nausea, to name a few.
Yet, some of us experience strange signs of pregnancy like me. I knew I was pregnant with my last baby because my partner at the time put his arm around my waist in bed. I’m a side sleeper, and it was so uncomfortable for me that I couldn’t sleep. I took a pregnancy test the next day.
20 signs of pregnancy that aren’t in the baby books
So, you’ve started trying to conceive but haven’t tested yet. How do you know if you’re up the duff? Here are 20 of the most unusual signs of pregnancy we’ve heard about.
1. Heightened sense of smell – almost superhuman. Smelling things from far away is a fun little quirk some pregnant people experience. It’s fun if you love the smell, but not so much if you don’t.
2. Pica. I used to think only animals experienced this, but the urge to eat things not usually considered food, like chalk, paper, grass, dirt, paint, etc., is an eating disorder some people develop during pregnancy. It might happen if a pregnant body is running low on minerals and nutrients like zinc and iron.
3. Aversion to certain scents and tastes. Love your daily cup of coffee but suddenly can’t stand it? Thanks, little foetus. This is one of the unusual signs of pregnancy! Some pregnant people find themselves suddenly unable to stomach foods they once loved.
4. Ptyalism, aka excessive drooling (and not the kind associated with watching a Chris Hemsworth movie!). Some pregnant people experience heightened production of saliva. Often an early pregnancy sign, it won’t cause any harm to your baby.
5. Vivid dreams. Lots of pregnant people experience very detailed, bizarre, or out-of-this-world dreams. Unusual dreams during pregnancy are how minds react to all the emotions, changes, memories, and new brain buzz that come with pregnancy.
6. Bleeding gums. Pregnancy wreaks havoc on our bodies. And our teeth and gums often suffer from it. Maintain dental check-ups to maintain good oral health.
7. Fluctuating libido. Hormone changes in a pregnant body can cause our libido to increase or decrease. It might not happen with every pregnancy or at all. Imagine increased libido and weird pregnancy dreams… that’s enough to increase my saliva!
8. Metallic taste in your mouth. For some pregnant people, it tastes like they’ve had a bowl of coins for lunch. This is known as dysgeusia and is common in the first trimester.
9. Changes in hair colour and texture. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can affect your hair’s natural shade, lightening or darkening its texture, making it drier, oilier, thicker, or thinner. Hair should return to normal by six months after birth.
10. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). More prevalent in the third trimester, RLS is categorised by the urgent need to move your legs. It feels like a tingly, jittery sensation in the legs. Reducing caffeine and exercising daily can help reduce this.
11. Nosebleeds. Increased blood flow during pregnancy can make one prone to nosebleeds. Saline spray and humidifiers can sometimes help alleviate this. If bleeding continues for more than 15 minutes, seek medical assistance.
12. Burning boobs. Breasts often change with pregnancy in size and shape, but some pregnant people report their breasts feel itchy and tender and like they’re burning. Using a cold compress in a well-fitted bra can help with this.
13. Extra gas. Progesterone relaxes the muscles in your body, which means you might experience more farting, burping and intestinal bloating.
14. Going up a shoe size. Not just from feet swelling. Ligaments loosen during pregnancy, and some pregnant people might find they’ve gone up a shoe size, which might stay that way even after giving birth.
15. Heartburn. Once thought to indicate the amount of hair a baby will have, acid reflux is actually caused by pregnancy placing pressure on the digestive system. Food or fluid in your stomach turns to acid and rises up if you’re lying flat. Avoiding late-night snacks should help with this.
16. Lightning crotch. Ever feel like you’ve been stabbed in the crotch out of nowhere? This sudden, deep, sharp pain in the vagina is a normal part of late pregnancy and a sign your body is getting ready, your baby is changing position and that you’re getting closer to giving birth.
17. Everything makes you cry. Or so it seems. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can affect emotions. Most of the time, it’s part and parcel of pregnancy and goes away on its own. But for pregnant people with a history or family history of mental illness, it can lead to pre-natal depression. Checking in with your doctor is always a good idea.
18. Fainting. Hormones that increase heart rate and blood supply to facilitate a growing baby also relax the blood vessels, which means some pregnant people might experience dizziness and fainting in the first trimester. This was how I found out I was pregnant with my first. I fainted at my boyfriend’s dying father’s hospital bedside.
19. Feeling hot. That tricky increased blood supply again. You are also likely to sweat more. Loose, breathable clothing might help with this since you can’t feasibly live in your freezer.
20. Geographic tongue. Does your tongue look like a world map with patches and spots? A growing foetus takes a lot of essential nutrients and vitamins from the person carrying it, which can result in a ‘geographic tongue’. Usually, it goes away on its own, but you may find that strong toothpaste or spicy foods irritate it.
Pregnancy is rewarding but taxing on the body and mind. You might experience all, some, or none of these symptoms (lucky you!).
It’s a good rule of thumb to speak with your doctor or midwife if you’re worried about any symptoms you are experiencing.
