8 bizarre pregnancy symptoms nobody talks about

You’ve psyched yourself up for the morning sickness, the food cravings and the overwhelming tiredness but did you know there are a myriad more changes your body will go through during your pregnancy?

To avoid panicking over every little bodily quirk, we’ve compiled a list of the most common – and some of the less common – pregnancy side effects you could encounter over the coming months.

The good news is the most common symptoms are at worst a tad unglamorous (rashes and varicous veins, anyone?) and at best, a sign that your pregnancy is ticking along nicely.

1. Clumsiness

This would definitely not be the time to appear on Strictly Come Dancing as grace and dexterity go out of the window for a number of reasons. For one, you are walking around carrying a heavy weight, which not only affects your gait it also shifts your centre of gravity.

In addition, your joints loosen up thanks to the pregnancy hormone, progesterone, so you’re likely to feel like you’re all fingers and thumbs.

You can’t prevent this happening but you can be extra careful. Avoid steep stairs, slippery surfaces and carrying heavy breakables!

2. Brown skin patches

Skin pigmentation (chloasma) is a very common side effect of pregnancy so if you find any darker patches around your nose, upper lip, cheekbones or forehead, don’t be alarmed. You may find any areas that were already pigmented such as freckles or your nipples also become darker during pregnancy.

As with so many pregnancy symptoms, this is triggered by hormonal changes – in this case, producing an increase in the production of melanin.

Wearing a high-factor SPF sun-cream will help to minimise the pigmentation but most patches usually fade a few months after childbirth.

3. Brown belly ‘seam’

You may be disconcerted to discover a prominent brown line running from your pubis to your bellybutton. Strange as this ‘seam’ might appear, it’s completely normal and very common.

Everyone has a line that runs down the belly, called the linea alba, but because it’s the same colour as the rest of the skin it’s unlikely you will have noticed.

In the same way that increased production of melanin can cause pigmentation patches, this seam can also darken during pregnancy. But don’t worry, it eventually fades back to normal colour.

4. Shortness of breath

Around three-quarters of pregnant women experience breathlessness at some point during their pregnancy - particularly women expecting twins or who have gained a lot of weight during the pregnancy.

To cope with your body’s increased demand for oxygen, progesterone is released, which stimulates the respiratory centre in your brain. Although it may feel as though it is a sign your body isn’t coping, it’s quite the opposite.

Towards the end of the pregnancy your growing bump will also start pushing into your lungs so expect to feel even more breathless in the third trimester.

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5. Varicose veins

Sadly, lumpy blue veins are not the preserve of old ladies in nylon tights with as many as 40 per cent of pregnant women experiencing varicose veins. Your body can carry up to 50 per cent more blood during pregnancy to transport nutrients to the placenta, increasing the pressure on your circulatory system.

The resulting varicose veins can feel tender and sore and leave your legs feeling heavy and achy. Some unlucky women also get them on the vulva and labia and inside the vagina. But the good news is they are likely to return to normal a few months after the baby’s arrival.

Avoid standing – and sitting – for long periods, don’t cross your legs while sitting on a chair and if possible, wear maternity support tights. It is also recommended that you sleep on your right side as this eases pressure on the inferior vena cava (the major artery that pumps blood to the heart). If the veins become hard and red, see your doctor as this could be a sign of a clot (thrombophlebitis).

6. Dribbling

Mother Nature really knows how to kick a woman when she’s down. On top of the bloating, the heavy breathing, the blotchy skin and the varicose veins, you can also expect to wake up with a pillow full of drool in the morning as those pesky pregnancy hormones can cause excessive saliva production, too.

It is not known exactly why this happens though evidence suggests that it could be linked to heartburn and also morning sickness, whereby we swallow less frequently when we feel nauseous. Note to self: Do not fall asleep on the train.

7. Groin pain

This is a good sign that your body is doing everything it can to prepare you for the birth. But that doesn’t make it any less painful. This ‘saddle sore’ feeling is otherwise known as round-ligament pain.

In addition to this lower ligament pain, some women also suffer from stomach ligament and muscle pain as the uterus starts vying for space where once there were other important organs. Ouch!

Any kind of abdominal pain is enough to have your mind racing but don’t worry as this is perfectly normal. If the pain is severe or continues, contact your doctor.

8. Itchy skin

Itchy skin is a very common occurrence during pregnancy – particularly around your belly and boobs as your skin stretches to accommodate their increasing size.

An increase in oestrogen can also cause the soles of the feet and palms to itch and if you suffer from eczema this can often worsen during pregnancy.

One in 100 pregnant women also suffer from polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP) Yes, it sounds disastrous and waking up to it can be pretty alarming but don’t panic – it’s a completely harmless condition. Taking the form of a red lumpy rash containing itchy hives, it usually starts on the belly but can spread up to the breasts and over the back of the thighs and bum.

Wearing loose cotton clothing and having tepid baths can help but it will usually disappear of its own accord. In more extreme cases, the doctor can prescribe steroid cream.

Have you ever experienced any of the above pregnancy symptoms? Tell us over on Twitter now.