The rule book doesn’t always have the answers when it comes to questions and concerns about your pregnancy. As you probably have heard countless times before, every (pregnant) woman undergoes her own unique experience. Some endure an unpleasant amount of morning sickness while others feel perfectly fine. Many have that much talked about beautiful glow, while just as many appear pale and peaked. There are countless, unexplainable things that happen to you and your changing body that doesn’t come up on a search engine, so we’ve compiled a list of 10 surprising pregnancy symptoms that you might not be prepared for.

You grow a beard

Okay, not a full-blown Santa Clause white beard, but waking up with patches of facial hair is a common side effect of pregnancy. Typically occurring sometime during the second trimester, this is usually due to increasing secretions of male hormones. But really, experts truly do not know the root cause.

Your nose gets bigger

Sprouting chin hairs aren’t the only unwanted cosmetic defect. Another not-so-glamourous happening is the enlargement of your snout. Rhinitis of pregnancy, or widening of the nose, is caused by fluid retention from high estrogen levels causing your nose to be itchy, stuffed up and swollen.

Your eyesight worsens

You already have a goatee and a distinct schnoz. Now you can’t see? Unfortunately, the changes in hormones, metabolism, fluid retention and blood circulation during pregnancy all contribute to blurred vision. This can cause subtle changes in the shape and thickness of the cornea, so if you need to go eyeglass shopping, it should probably wait until after delivery.

Your social life immediately suffers

They say having a baby changes everything. Which is certainly true! But that life begins the minute you find out you are pregnant. Whether your pre-pregnancy self enjoyed endless parties or once-in-awhile outings, life outside of the office and the home is drastically different, and very emotional.

You may become jealous of non-pregnant people

While congratulations on your growing baby bump make you all warm inside, that giddy feeling can quickly wear off once you realize the complimenter isn’t carrying an extra 25 pounds. As your belly gets bigger, your clothes get smaller and your confidence shrivels. Obviously you knew your body would change, but many women don’t prepare themselves for the dramatic shift in emotions.

You long for things you normally wouldn’t long for

We always want what we can’t have. This is magnified during pregnancy. Upon sightings of friends skydiving or snorkeling, we automatically feel the urge to do something equally adventurous, even though we’re afraid of heights and/or sharks. We call it pregnancy FOMO.

Your voice becomes deeper

The changes in progesterone and estrogen during pregnancy can cause swelling in your vocal chords, causing you to sound different when you speak (or sing!). This could last a short amount of time or the entirety of your pregnancy, and can range from a raspy sound to a whole octave lower than your regular voice.

Your heart races all the time

Your heart is pumping so much extra blood throughout your body that it has trouble catching its regular speed. A pregnant woman’s heartbeat can increase 10-15 times per minute, beginning in the first trimester and happening all the way up until you give birth. This leaves you with a constant anxious feeling which isn’t fun.

Your baby’s movements will freak you out

You start feeling baby kicks around 18-21 weeks gestation, which is the weirdest, most amazing feeling ever. During your third trimester, you will really start feeling and seeing that baby roll around, sometimes being able to distinguish their hands, feet and bottom. Strangely resembling an alien from the outside, (even though we don’t know what an alien looks like) what you’re feeling inside is more surreal than you can imagine.

You may become resentful of your husband/partner

As you get further into your pregnancy, you become increasingly irritable at life’s everyday annoyances. Your mood swings are in a hyper hysteric state, and are most likely taken out on your spouse. Although you probably don’t mean to hurt their feelings, it’s easy to get mad at them because they cannot literally understand what you’re going through emotionally, mentally and physically.

You may relate to some, all or none of these mentions through your pregnancy journey, but no matter what crazy thing happens to you, we’re making a safe bet that someone else has gone through the exact experience and survived it. And you will too. What surprising pregnancy symptoms are you enduring?

[bctt tweet=”Your nose gets bigger in pregnancy” username=”ecocentricmom”]