The gross side of pregnancy

 While pregnancy can be truly lovely, and many women get the pregnancy glow about them, there is an uglier side to pregnancy. When your body is undergoing so many changes in so quick a time, some pretty gross stuff can happen, and many women just aren't sure how to deal with it. The fact is, while it is natural for you to fart more, leak pee if you sneeze, and have a lot of discharge, as well as several other gross things, it does not make it any more comfortable or fun. Let's look at some of the facts about the grosser side of pregnancy, and get some tips for dealing with them.

When you are pregnant you have an increase in hormones and in vaginal blood flow. While this is natural, and a very good thing for the baby, for you it often means a sticky white or pale yellow discharge constantly getting on your underwear. Many times it makes you feel yucky and dirty during the day, and like you need a new pair of underwear. It can also make you nervous about things like intimacy with your spouse, since it is really gross. The best way to handle this not so lovely aspect of being pregnant is to simply wear a panty liner and change it frequently. If your discharge is really heavy, you will want to consider using a personal wipe to cleanse the area each time you use the bathroom. Avoid douches and vaginal deodorants as they can be irritating. If the problem worsens, or gets smelly, or itchy, or burns, then chances are you have developed an infection, and it would be wise to speak with your doctor about it so that they can help you treat it.

Increased discharge is not the only embarrassing and gross problem with pregnancy, another problem that far too many women face is that of incontinence, or in other words, leaking pee, especially when they sneeze, puke, yell, or laugh.

Incontinence is a pretty normal pregnancy problem, and it makes sense as to why, as you are supposed to be taking in additional fluids, plus there is a lot more pressure on your pelvic floor and bladder because you have a baby, amniotic fluid, and more resting on it. So, it makes sense that if you add any more pressure, by sneezing, laughing, etc. that you are going to leak. However, no matter how much sense it makes, it does not make it any less frustrating or gross. So, what can you do about it? Well, your doctor would recommend you do Kegels and Super Kegels to strengthen the pelvic floor. These are a series of exercises where you tighten the pelvic floor muscles, which will feel much like trying to stop pee flow, and you hold. You do sets of these, and by doing so you strengthen the muscles that hold your urine in. However, in the meantime, you can also try things like using the bathroom more frequently so that your bladder is empty and you do not have as much in it to leak out. You can also wear a thin maxi pad if your problem is severe, that way you are not having to change clothes often.

 The uterus puts pressure on the body, and this can result in an accumulation of blood in the veins. This often means that your blood vessels are enlarged, look really ugly. For many pregnant women this is most common in the legs, and in the anus (hemorrhoids). Neither of which is a pleasant place for this. Of course, to deal with this you have to make sure you are not standing for extended periods of time, that you prop your legs up when sitting, and for hemorrhoids, consider Sitz baths.

Another problem that many pregnant women face is that they snore loudly, which is not only irritating for them, but also their bed partner. Once again the increase in hormones is the cause of this problem. The increased hormones and blood production cause your mucous membranes to swell. Swollen mucous membranes means that you are forced to breathe through your mouth, rather than your nose, which inevitably leads to loud snoring. If you want to avoid this problem use saline nose drops before going to bed. You will also want to try sleeping on your side and using a body pillow to ensure you stay on your side. If your problem is really severe, consider using a humidifier and sleep slightly propped up.

The same swollen mucous membranes can also make you feel like you are constantly stuffed up and congested. Again, use saline nose drops, run a humidifier, and make sure that you plenty of liquid throughout the day.

Nosebleeds are another common problem that comes with pregnancy, and once again you can thank those dry, swollen mucous membranes. Try everything mentioned above for this problem, but also, if you have a bleeding nose, pinch the nostrils closed until the bleeding stops, then ice the bridge of your nose.

Increased hormones can also mean other embarrassing and gross problems like causing you to have increase saliva production which leads to drooling, gums that bleed when you brush, and even little tumors or nodules on your gums. All of these go away when you are not pregnant, but are annoying when you are.

Sweating more is also common in pregnancy. When you are pregnant your metabolism goes into overdrive and you get extra blood going through your body all of the time heating your skin. This means your body really heats up faster, and as a natural response you sweat to cool. However, for a pregnant women this just adds gross inconvenience to existing discomfort. To make this discomfort less, make sure you dress in clothing that does not trap moisture in, but is breathable. You may also want to dress in layers so that you can remove or add depending on your comfort level.

Sometimes the problems that are gross during pregnancy involve real changes to your body. For example, for many women, getting pregnant means that their nipples get darker and much larger, others find that they get skin tags, varicose veins, spider veins, a dark line on their stomach etc.

 When it comes to your nipples, there is a high likelihood they will increase in size, and darken. They may also get bumps on them that excrete fluid. This can mean feeling like your breasts are far less attractive. Again, much of this is caused by the hormones being so different, but also it can be a natural way to help your baby find the breast and nipple better for nursing. The bumps are glands, and they often excrete fluid because it is your body's way of making sure that as the skin stretches it has enough elasticity to do so. So, what can you do? Really, almost nothing. You will be pleased to note that your nipples should shrink after you are done nursing, but they will probably always be slightly darker. If you want them to stay as light as possible, avoid exposure to the sun (even fake rays like tanning beds).

As for the problems with the skin, these are generally caused by an increase in melanin production and blood production. Most of the skin problems will go away, or at least fade. Usually your spider veins will fade after you give birth, but may not disappear altogether. If you want to have the best chance of them disappearing, be sure to wear sunblock, and avoid direct exposure of them to the sun.

If you get skin tags, you will likely have to see a dermatologist to have them removed. A skin tag is little extra bits of skin that hang off your body, usually for a pregnant woman this will occur around the breasts, armpits, and neck.

Last, but certainly not least, one of the most common, and often most embarrassing, or disgusting problems many women face in pregnancy is the need to fart, and the inability to control when they let one loose. When you are pregnant you produce a large amount of the hormone called progesterone. While this is great for your skin, and many other parts of your body, it can make your intestines slower. Add that to the fact that there is just less room in your body cavity to house the intestine, baby, and other organs, etc. means that you will often be constipated, bloated, and gassy. The fact is that no matter what you do you will have more gas then you regularly do simply because the intestine is going to move slower and be more crowded, but you can help the problem some by avoiding foods that cause gas like broccoli, cabbage, corn, onions, and carbonated beverages. You also need to do everything in your power to avoid constipation. If the problem is really bad, or you just can't handle the embarrassment, consider asking your doctor for some help.

So as you can see, there is a gross side to pregnancy, but even all of the weird and yucky stuff your body does is worth it for that sweet little infant.