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By Daniella Gray
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The twists and turns of pregnancy can really keep moms-to-be on their toes.
With a new surge of hormones in the body, some report unusual food cravings, swelling hands or feet, and even an increased sensitivity to the sun as a result. Another bizarre occurrence that women experience is a heightened sense of smell, something Ashlie Jones, from central Louisiana, captured on TikTok this week. She told Newsweek that she was "surprised" by the number of TikTok users who related to her experience.
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Using the audio to Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, Jones recalls the things she "lost her mind" about when she was pregnant, shedding some light on the raw and unfiltered reality of pregnancy.
In the TikTok clip, Jones is holding her baby. The text overlay reads she was convinced that she could smell the stagnant water in the pipes, making her want to move home.
The 29-year-old also shared in the caption that she "developed an aversion" to her leather couch, which was subsequently removed.
So, what's really behind changes in smell for pregnant women? Emiliana Hall, founder of The Mindful Birth Group and doula, told Newsweek that a heightened sense of smell, or hyperosmia, is primarily due to the increased levels of hormones, particularly estrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which are crucial for maintaining pregnancy.
"These hormonal changes can amplify the sensory receptors in the nasal passages, making everyday odors more intense and sometimes overwhelming.
"This heightened sensitivity can play an important role in protecting both the expectant mother and her developing baby by making her more aware of potential environmental hazards, such as spoiled food or harmful substances," Hall said.
Jones' candid documentation of these pregnancy struggles resonated with thousands of moms who commented on the video.
One wrote that Mexican food used to be her favorite cuisine, but when she was pregnant with her second baby, she could not go near a Mexican restaurant she regularly frequented. After she had given birth, she went back to the restaurant and the staff joked, "we thought you were dead."
Breadcrusts, hot dogs and even ice were off limits for moms-to-be, but it turns out it's not just food that women can't stand while pregnant.
One user posted the song "Meet Me at Our Spot" made her gag every time it came on, to which Jones replied, "I can't watch suits any more bc [because] that's what we binged while in my first trimester."
When it came to Jones smelling the stagnant water in the pipes, other moms commented that they had found other household scents triggering.
One commented that she had to scrub her kitchen to get rid of the "rancid" smell when she was pregnant, but no one else was affected by it.
Another swore that she could smell underneath her house, which "smelled like dirt."
"While this change can be challenging, especially when dealing with strong or unpleasant odors, it is a normal part of the pregnancy journey and typically subsides after childbirth," Hall added.
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