Sure, some moms-to-be exude a certain pregnant loveliness—until they fart in an elevator or snore like a foghorn in the night. The fact is, a lot of nasty stuff happens with your body when you're pregnant — weird symptoms your friends may be embarrassed to tell you about or your doctor may gloss over because they're not big health concerns, says Trish Booth, author of Pregnancy Q&A: Authoritative and Reassuring Answers to the Questions on Your Mind.

1. Weird-Pregnancy-Symptoms
Sure, some moms-to-be exude a certain pregnant loveliness—until they fart in an
elevator or snore like a foghorn in the night. The fact is, a lot of nasty stuff
happens with your body when you're pregnant — weird symptoms your friends
may be embarrassed to tell you about or your doctor may gloss over because
they're not big health concerns, says Trish Booth, author of Pregnancy Q&A:
Authoritative and Reassuring Answers to the Questions on Your Mind.
"Pregnant women have questions about what's happening, yet they're just told,
'Oh, that's normal.' But when you've got excessive gas or find strange things on
your skin, the last thing you feel is normal," Booth says.
Let us give you the straight dish.
"What just came out of me?!"

2. Symptoms: Sticky white or pale yellow discharge can appear constantly during
pregnancy, leaving you in frequent need of new undies. Talk to your doctor if it
develops a foul odor, itches, burns or becomes greenish-yellow, very thick or
watery; you may have an infection.
Cause: Increased hormones and vaginal blood flow.
How to deal: Wear a lightweight sanitary pad and use personal wipes for quick
cleansing. Don't douche or use vaginal deodorants; they can be irritating.
"I leak when I laugh."

3. Symptoms: You laugh, you sneeze — you leak.
Cause: Well, let's see. You're instructed to drink something like 64 ounces of
liquid a day and you've got an extra 10 or so pounds of baby and uterus sitting on
your bladder. It seems pretty obvious.
How to deal: Give yourself permission to pee—a lot. The more you hold in, the
more there is to leak. Use mini-pads (or thin maxis), and keep a spare pair of
underwear with you. Finally, try Super Kegels to improvemuscle tone: Empty your
bladder, tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold (like you're holding your pee).
When the muscles begin to naturally release, squeeze and tighten again until you
feel a tingling sensation. Hold and count to 20. Do about five Super Kegels a day,
but not all at once.
"I'm so gassy!"

4. Symptoms: Bloating and sometimes painful cramping in your belly, and the urge
to break wind often.
Cause: The intestines are sluggish during pregnancy, thanks to all that
progesterone circulating in your body.
How to deal: Theoretically, treating constipation should minimize your gas and
bloating, too. It's not always that simple, however. Watch your intake of the usual
suspects, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, onions
and carbonated beverages. If the problem persists or gets worse, talk to your
health care provider.
"I'm stuffed up, but I'm not sick."

5. Symptoms: You may feel like you have a perpetual cold, and blowing your nose
gets downright gross.
Cause: Your increased hormones and blood production cause mucous
membranes to swell, dry and bleed.
How to deal: Use saline nose drops, drink plenty of liquids, and run a humidifier.
If you have a nosebleed, don't tilt your head back. Keep your head straight and
pinch the nostrils closed until the bleeding stops, which usually takes about five
minutes. Put ice over the bridge of your nose and pinch it again, if necessary. If
the bleeding persists, call your doctor.
"I sound like a chain saw at night."
Symptoms: You know how your grandfather sounds at night? Double the decibel
level.
Cause: Blame those swollen mucous membranes again. Your congested nose
forces you to breathe through your mouth and snore.
How to deal: Use saline nose drops before you go to sleep and during the night, if
necessary. Sleep on your side and invest in a body pillow to keep you from rolling
over. Run a humidifier and prop yourself up on some extra pillows, which will
relieve nighttime heartburn as well.