{"id":20474,"date":"2023-05-08T15:22:40","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T20:22:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=20474"},"modified":"2023-07-19T11:24:06","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T16:24:06","slug":"5-things-no-one-told-me-would-happen-when-i-got-pregnant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/advice\/5-things-no-one-told-me-would-happen-when-i-got-pregnant\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things No One Told Me Would Happen When I Got Pregnant"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every pregnancy is different. Whether you experience unpleasant symptoms or not, it\u2019s a fascinating experience that many people cherish. But if you\u2019ve never been pregnant before, you\u2019re probably in for a surprise \u2014 or a few.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I became pregnant for the first time in 2019, and I was so excited. I knew from my memories of my mother\u2019s pregnancy with my youngest sister that I\u2019d probably experience a lot of nausea. From my experience as a health teacher who developed a comprehensive sex education curriculum, I suspected that I\u2019d probably feel tired and have some food aversions. But I was woefully unprepared for what was to come.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My pregnancy wasn\u2019t burdensome or unpleasant, if you ask me. I fully enjoyed every kick, craving and appointment with my midwife between waddles to the bathroom (because let\u2019s be real, being pregnant is nine long months of rushing to pee). Even so, I wish I\u2019d known about the many changes and situations I was getting myself into.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Superhuman sense of smell<\/h2>\n

Many people have an increased sense of smell while pregnant. I knew it was a thing, but I had no idea how much my pregnancy would supercharge my sense of smell. I could literally smell the moment my husband turned on the stove or oven and it. was. awful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHeightened sense of smell is called hyperosmia,\u201d explained <\/span>Dr. Monte Swarup<\/span><\/a>, a board-certified ob-gyn in Chandler, Arizona. \u201cUnfortunately, there\u2019s no real way to prevent this when pregnant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Without a treatment, I resigned myself to avoiding odors whenever I could. I stopped cooking, didn\u2019t light candles and generally avoided anywhere that smelled, good or bad.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Out-of-control food aversions<\/h2>\n

Movies and other media often poke fun at pregnant women who get sick from certain foods. I didn\u2019t know that these <\/span>food aversions<\/span><\/a> would mean I couldn\u2019t stand the mere sight of certain foods. This symptom came on early in my pregnancy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a reason I felt this way. \u201cGetting sick at the sight of certain foods and smells is the result of hormones that cause food aversion,\u201d Swarup said. There\u2019s no treatment for it, so you have to do your best to avoid foods that trigger this response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before the nausea, superhuman smell and food aversions kicked in, the last meal I made was a nice big batch of fish tacos. The next day, I couldn\u2019t look at them without gagging \u2014 I didn\u2019t even need smell. Four years later, I still won\u2019t try to make them. The memories alone are keeping me off grilled fish tacos for the foreseeable future.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Aches and pains<\/h2>\n

Depending on your body, pregnancy can be a painful experience long before it\u2019s time to give birth. I was lucky: The only major pains I experienced were from my <\/span>round ligament<\/span><\/a>, which supports the uterus, starting at 18 weeks. Before pregnancy, I didn\u2019t even know I had a round ligament. Other people also experience sciatica and back pain during pregnancy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRound ligament pain, sciatica and back pain are all caused by your growing belly stretching your ligaments and putting weight on certain places,\u201d explained <\/span>Sunoz Soroosh<\/span><\/a>, a midwife in New York City. \u201cSeeing a chiropractor, acupuncturist or physical therapist can help, as well as warm baths, hot compresses and supportive belt bands or garments.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Swarup agrees, adding that stretching and yoga might also help. Over-the-counter acetaminophen can offer some relief too. I tried all of these at-home treatments and preferred warm baths and belly bands. I only resorted to acetaminophen if the pain interfered with sleeping, which wasn\u2019t often.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Nausea from my positive pregnancy test until birth<\/h2>\n

Have you ever wondered why nausea during pregnancy is called <\/span>morning sickness<\/span><\/a>? I sure did, once I realized my \u201cmorning sickness\u201d was really all-day sickness. From the moment I woke up to the moment I fell asleep, I was nauseous during my first trimester and into my second.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No one knows for sure why pregnant women get nausea during pregnancy, but both Soroosh and Swarup agree that it\u2019s related to hormones. Thankfully, there are many different ways you might help relieve some of the nausea, including:<\/span><\/p>\n