If you are expecting your first child, then you are likely feeling so many changes in your body that you just don't know which ones are normal and which are signs that something is wrong. Thankfully, so many women share pregnancy stories with each other that you likely know that morning sickness, bloating, and constipation are normal when expecting a child and not a cause for concern. However, if you are experiencing the following two problems, you may not realize that they are normal and you have no need to panic.

1. Blurred Vision

If you suddenly noticed that your usual 20/20 vision seems to have turned into blurred vision, whether or not you normally wear contacts or glasses, then you may be feeling panicked and worried something is wrong with your eyes. However, you can relax, because this is actually very normal during pregnancy!

Thankfully, your blurred vision is not permanent, but it may linger for a few months after you deliver your child. Your blurred vision is likely due to simple water retention; when your feet, legs, ankles, and other parts of your body swell from water retention, your eyeballs do as well. This changes the curve of the natural lens of your eye, and this slight curve distorts your vision. 

What can you do in the meantime to see more clearly? If the blurry vision is not interrupting your everyday life, then there is no harm in simply living with it until it goes away naturally. However, if you cannot see clearly enough to perform your everyday tasks, then you should alert your OBGYN about your vision changes immediately. He or she may want to run a couple of tests to make sure you are not experiencing hypertension or gestational diabetes. 

Even if your vision problem is mild, report it to your OBGYN during your next scheduled visit, as you should all body changes during pregnancy. 

2. A Stuffy Nose

If you have been perpetually stuffed up since you first became pregnant or later on in your pregnancy, then your first instinct may be that you have a cold that simply won't go away or even a new allergy. You may also worry that a cold may affect the baby's health in some way. 

This is another relatively common problem during pregnancy, and it is called rhinitis of pregnancy. This occurs due to your body's increased estrogen levels that can lead to your nasal passages becoming swollen and causes your body to produce more mucus. This combination of symptoms can seem a lot like a cold, but it is caused by no virus and won't affect your baby in any way. 

If you are expecting your first child, then you may be experiencing so many strange symptoms that you just aren't sure which are caused by simple pregnancy hormones and which are cause for alarm. While the above two strange pregnancy body changes are common and usually no cause for alarm, always report all body changes to your OBGYN during your regular visits. If they notice one or two that are unusual, they can help ensure they are corrected so you and your baby both stay in great health. 

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