Last updated on October 15th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
People love to tell pregnant women horror stories. While some things people should just keep to themselves, others are helpful for women who like to emotionally prepare for when something weird happens to their bodies. And let’s be honest; it’s pregnancy, so weird things happen all the time. I was prepared for some pregnancy symptoms, but I wasn’t mentally or emotionally prepared for these:
1. Scalp Acne
With my twin pregnancy and all the hormones raging through my body, it wasn’t a surprise that I had more acne. I just didn’t expect it on my scalp. My head was covered with ready-to-burst zits.
Thankfully, I had hair to cover it from the public and my own eyes, but knowing and feeling that they were there was enough to make me an emotional mess. Once I had the babies, the scalp acne thankfully went away, and now I have a zit-free head like everyone else.
2. Freakish Swelling
The swelling. So much swelling. Everyone knows women’s feet and ankles can swell during pregnancy, but I had no idea how much mine could swell.
The tops of my feet popped up over my shoes like raw dough. I could either wear my dirty flip-flops everywhere, which I did, or one pair of flats that would fit my sausage feet, which I saved for special occasions.
But I believed that I would only have to endure it until I delivered my twin girls. I saw posts about how you should paint your toenails before delivery because then you’d have beautiful skinny feet and ankles right after.
Lies. My swelling only got worse. It was so bad that I couldn’t even bend my legs anymore. To sit on the toilet, I had to let myself drop, hoping I aimed it right, sitting with straight legs.
My skin was so tight that there was no give. I was a heavy and painful solid mass of liquid. With the help of my massage-therapist sister, she was able to push the fluid into the right spots where my body could get rid of most of it.
My babies are almost two now, and my ankles are still permanently swollen, and I’ve learned that it’s normal and something I just have to accept and live with. Although, I’m still holding onto heels that I can’t wear anymore because of the swelling. That was the hardest blow for me.
3. Toenails Falling Off
Extreme swelling is bad enough, but when it causes your toenails to fall off, that’s something else entirely. Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?
I had a toenail fall off during pregnancy and one fall off post-pregnancy. Honestly, I felt like body parts were just dropping off left and right. However, the good news is that the toenails falling off didn’t hurt. One day there were just hanging to the side, and fresh toenails grew in their places. Thank heaven!
4. Dental Crowns Popping Off
In the same vein as the swelling and toenails, the same thing happens to dental crowns. I didn’t even know that women’s gums swell during pregnancy until I went to the dentist for a routine cleaning.
I was given some pregnancy-safe mouthwash to help ease the discomfort, but once I popped my twins out, a few of my crowns popped out, too. They just couldn’t take the pressure anymore. But it was an easy fix, even if it felt like a living nightmare to have teeth momentarily rolling around in my mouth.
If you experience any of these things, just know that you’re not alone. Pregnancy can cause strange things, but don’t ever be afraid to talk to your doctor about what you’re experiencing. They can help you solve the problems or put your mind at ease. And don’t we all need a little more ease in our pregnancies? Good luck, mama. You’ve got this!
Charlene Jimenez is a mother of 2-year-old twin girls, an adjunct writing professor for two colleges, and a freelance writer. When she’s not writing, she’s reading about it, thinking about it, talking about it, and waiting to write again. And when she’s not doing any of that, she’s trying to squeeze in a nap, because, gosh, darn it, she’s happily exhausted.
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