Krista Lauren

Hi! Tonight I can’t sleep because… I am congested.

Who knew congestion would plague me throughout pregnancy? I had no idea this was a thing. It actually may have been the first pregnancy symptom I had. Before I even knew I was pregnant I thought I was sick, then I thought that my seasonal allergies had come back with a vengeance.

Turns out, it’s just my body deciding that it would be really smart to stuff me up while I grow a baby. I like to ask ChatGPT questions when I cannot sleep at night now. Sometimes they are related to what I’m going through, other times it’s completely random like asking why trans fat is so bad for you or whether or not people with POTS could drink ocean water and be ok (we cannot).

Here are some possible reasons for congestion during pregnancy, courtesy of ChatGPT:

Enhanced Immune Response: Increased blood flow and swelling of mucous membranes might help enhance the immune response in the nasal passages, providing an extra layer of defense against pathogens. This is crucial during pregnancy when the immune system is modulated to protect both the mother and the developing fetus.

Hormonal Regulation: The hormonal changes that cause congestion are part of the broader physiological adjustments that prepare the body for pregnancy and childbirth. These hormones support various bodily functions, including maintaining the uterine lining and supporting fetal development, and the side effect of nasal congestion might be an unavoidable byproduct.

Increased Fluid Volume: Pregnancy requires an increase in blood and fluid volume to support the growing fetus. This overall increase in fluids can lead to congestion as the body retains more water and blood circulates more extensively, including to the nasal passages.

Protection Mechanism: Nasal congestion could be an adaptive mechanism to filter and trap more particles, pollutants, and pathogens in the nasal passages, preventing them from reaching the lungs and potentially affecting the fetus.

It’s always interesting to learn why things are the way they are. Speaking of which, do you know why a heart emoji looks the way it does? My ultrasound tech said the other day that it’s two human hearts put together. After some late night Googling I do not know that this is really the case, but it’s a cute idea to think about.

Anyway, Baby says hi and is kicking around a lot. I had one day a little over a week ago with low fetal movement, so was told to come get checked out (everything is fine! I have an anterior placenta which means I may sometimes not feel Baby as much). I’ve actually felt a LOT of kicking the past few weeks, and now I am always so happy to feel it because it’s nice reassurance.

It’s 4:22, so I should try my best to sleep again. I’m so tired but will probably have trouble for some strange reason. It is what it is! It’s not so bad.