6 Embarrassing Pregnancy Symptoms

4. The Cheeseburger Crotch continued...

"My friend Grace and I named it that because it looks like you’re stuffing a cheeseburger in your panties," jokes Quarty.

Macaulay says once again pregnancy hormones and baby's increasing weight are to blame. Thankfully, there are things you can do.

She says wearing panty liners and changing them often will help keep your "v-zone" clean and dry, which in turn can dramatically cut down on odors, itching, and general discomfort. 

"I don't recommend using an intimate deodorant or other scented products. Many women get vulvar burning and itching, which could cause other problems," says Macaulay.

Also remember that pregnancy hormones boost the olfactory sense, so Macaulay says don't be surprised if no one smells the body odors you insist are just horrific.

"What smells really, really bad to a pregnant woman may not even be noticeable to someone else," says Macaulay.

As to your "cheeseburger crotch," experts say it's a result of increased fluids and blood, which cause swelling in this area -- and it's normal. That said, Riley cautions that if your swollen vulva is also bright red or blue/purple in color you might have vulvar varicosities -- or varicose veins in the vulvar region. If so, staying off your feet as much as possible is important, as well as wearing an elastic under-belly support belt sold in many pregnancy lingerie departments. Make sure to discuss it with your doctor.

5. The Pregnancy Memory Bank Is Overdrawn

You pick up the phone to call a client -- and can't remember whom you're calling. You walk into the grocery store determined to pick up ... what?  You can't remember. These are just two examples of "mommy brain," the absentminded forgetfulness that seems to plague most pregnant women, usually beginning in the second trimester.

While many lay the blame on all those raging pregnancy hormones, Macaulay says it's more likely mom's raging schedule is responsible for the foggy thinking.

"When you are trying to manage all your normal obligations on top of all your pregnancy symptoms, and your worries about the baby, yourself, your future, and maybe the color of the nursery, your mind just spazzes out from time to time," says Macaulay.

And while Riley admits it can be embarrassing, she says you can keep things under control by realizing you can't do everything at once. "Just recognizing that it's normal -- and that nothing is wrong -- removes some of the stress, which in turn can help your memory," she says.

6. World Federation of Pregnant Wrestlers

Whoever coined the term "never mess with a pregnant woman" knew what they were talking about. Indeed, Quarty says, pregnancy hormones can turn even the most timid woman into a force to be reckoned with! 

"Not only can road rage take on a new intensity, but getting into an argument seems like a desirable challenge, especially to win at all costs, no matter who the opponent is," says Quarty.

Riley says pregnancy hormones can increase not only anger and aggressiveness, but also melancholia, causing some women to feel weepy over the slightest emotional event. 

That said, she also cautions that reactions should be transitory -- and if they're not, something else might be going on.

Says Riley: "If you get to the point where you're always angry, or sullen, or crying for a good part of the day -- and you can't talk yourself out of it -- then you should speak to your doctor. Sometimes pregnancy brings out certain emotional problems, and it may be more than just hormones at work."

Colette Bouchez is the author of Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy: Health, Beauty and Lifestyle Advice for the Modern Mother-to-Be and editorial director of PamperingMom.com.