Vaginal discharge during pregnancy is just one of the least pleasant side effects of being pregnant. And, it’s one of the least talked about – probably because so many women are embarrassed about it, that they don’t want to mention it to their physicians or talk to their friends about this often ‘sticky’ situation.

The reality is, that excess discharge and moisture from the vaginal area is completely normal during pregnancy. With your hormone levels on the rise – fluid levels and blood volume constantly increasing throughout pregnancy and your uterus and cervix changing to facilitate your readiness for delivery, your vaginal discharge will naturally secrete more mucous than normal.

The discharge is normally clear and runny, and can have a white or yellow tinge to it.  Many women have so much discharge during late pregnancy that they have to wear a pad or panti-liner in order to control it. The good news is that this normal pregnancy discharge is not accompanied by itching or burning or a foul smell as is present when you have a yeast or vaginal infection. If you DO notice any of these symptoms – or have any abdominal pain, and the discharge becomes extremely bloody or greenish in color, you should contact your physician so that you can be treated. Keep in mind that it is extremely important that you do not go to your local drug store and try to self treat your ‘condition’ with over the counter medications.  Some of these medications can be harmful to your unborn baby and should not be utilized while pregnant.

The closer you get to your due date, the more vaginal discharge you will have. In the third trimester especially, it is normal to begin losing your mucous plug which can cause the discharge to be thicker than usual. The mucous plug is defined as a ‘jelly like’ substance that plugs the cervix and therefore the birth canal, during pregnancy. The loss of the mucous plug can occur swiftly all at once, or it may cause a continuous increased mucous discharge for a few weeks.  It may even begin to have a pinkish color (although not extremely bloody) which indicates that you are getting closer to delivery

For the most part, an increase in discharge during pregnancy is simply annoying and doesn’t signify that you are having any serious problems with the pregnancy. Listen to your intuition and if you notice any sudden and very drastic changes, it is best to get in touch with your health-care provider. Additionally, if you have any bloody discharge, you should contact a health professional.

During pregnancy, you will have many side effects and symptoms or worries that may seem embarrassing to talk about with others. The reality is that each and every woman experiences different things, and that most of the changes occur as your body prepares for labor and delivery. Pregnancy is definitely not a time where you should feel shy or embarrassed about what is going on with your body.

Written by Stef, Mother of 4 @Mom-Spirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Here you are pregnant, will be soon be caring for a newborn infant who will keep you awake all night long and you cannot even remember where you left your car keys or to pay a bill on time. Your brain feels like mush, you are forgetful, a bit emotional, and seem to have a much harder time remembering simple things and getting through your day than ever before. Is this early Alzheimer’s or pregnancy brain?

So, here’s the scoop. The reality is that on a completely medical and physiological level the capacity of your brain remains unchanged during pregnancy. You are still smart as a whip, and sharp as a tack. So what is up with all this forgetfulness, then? According to experts from The Australian National University, the problem is surging hormone levels during pregnancy.

When you are pregnant your body has 15 to 40 times more estrogen and progesterone than normal, which affect all kinds of neurotransmitters in the brain. Not only that, but increases in oxytocin that prepare you for labor and delivery also affect your brain’s ability to function normally. Add some lack of sleep, the generalized worries of pregnancy and childbirth, and increased stress levels (and more stress hormones) and it is only natural and normal for you to feel like a complete idiot suffering from the inability to remember anything.

Another factor is that your focus – or your priorities – change. Chances are you are spending more and more time thinking about your baby and the changes that you will be making in your life. This too, is natural and is the first transition in a long line of changes that occur once you become a parent. Since you are more focused on all things baby, it is only natural to lose retention of some of the other less important aspects of your life.

The good news, however, is that once you have the baby and hormones level off, you will feel better. The bad news, of course, is that parenting in and of itself can turn the brain of any man or woman to mush – and you are looking at many years of changed focus, worry, lack of sleep, and stress that will certainly at times incapacitate your ability to think clearly. Welcome to parenthood!

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.