Pregnancy is one of the few experiences that sounds at once beautiful and alarming. On the one hand, the awe-inspiring physical changes may reinforce how magical it is to be pregnant. But there are also many times when pregnancy isn't exactly a picnic. Sure, it can be great, but most women don't feel like they're straight out of "glowy pregnant lady" central casting for all nine months. The more open everyone is about how frustrating pregnancy can be, the better off we'll all be. Here, eight pregnancy pains that may be annoying, but are nothing to worry about.

1. Lightning crotch

This barrel of fun is exactly what it sounds like: a sharp, stabbing pain that feels like your baby is punching you in the vagina, Idries Abdur-Rahman, M.D., a board-certified ob/gyn, tells SELF. "The majority of nerves in the uterus are actually right by the cervix," he explains. "Regardless of the baby's position, if something's pressing on your cervix, it can stimulate those nerves."

Interestingly enough, some of this out-of-nowhere pain might be due to varicose veins that pop up in your labia and vagina during pregnancy, Peter Ahlering, M.D., an ob/gyn at the Missouri Center for Reproductive Medicine, tells SELF. "There's increasing pressure from the enlarging uterus, so the blood from everything below it doesn't make its way effectively upward as it typically does. That pressure changes cause dilation of those veins," he explains. Your veins usually have valves that stop blood from flowing backwards, but because of all that pregnancy-induced pressure in the area, they might not work as well as usual. Hence, varicose veins that can cause tingly pain in your nether regions.

To ease lightning crotch, you can try wearing maternity compression pantyhose, some of which go all the way up to your belly button. "They hold everything in and help prevent blood from pooling in the lower extremities and vagina," says Aherling. And the discomfort is usually short-lived: Varicose veins in the vaginal area usually go away once you give birth, or at least get much smaller.

2. Round ligament pain

Your round ligaments, which stretch from your hip bones to your pelvic bone, help support your uterus during pregnancy. "They get stretched as the uterus enlarges, so people can feel a pulling sensation, usually around the hip bones," says Aherling. You may also feel a bit of a pulling sensation in your labia, depending on how far-reaching the pain is. Consider a pregnancy support belt, says Aherling. "They're like [pregnancy] Spanx—girdles that in essence try to hold the uterus up and in. They can relieve some discomfort," he explains.

Applying heat to the sore areas can also help—just be sure to keep things from getting too hot. "You don't want to overheat, especially early in your pregnancy," says Abdur-Rahman. Getting too hot early on during pregnancy, when many of your baby's crucial systems are developing, may be connected with developmental issues like spina bifida, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Abdur-Rahman recommends taking a warm bath or using a heating pad on the lowest setting (if it has a temperature gauge, keep it within the lower one-third). Also, ligament pain often changes depending on your position, so you might find it may help to stand if you're sitting, do the reverse, or move around in general.

3. Accommodation pain

As in, your uterus is accommodating a baby that will stretch it out to rival a watermelon. You'll likely experience some pain or cramping as it stretches, but unlike ligament pain, accommodation pain is usually a dull, throbbing sensation or cramping that doesn't ease when you change positions.

The pain might freak you out, but don't worry! Random cramping is completely normal during pregnancy. But if you're experiencing cramps at regular intervals or ones accompanied by spotting or strange discharge, Abdur-Rahman recommends seeing a doctor.

4. Leg pain

You've got a lot of extra blood in your system during pregnancy, and sometimes too much of it ends up in your lower limbs. "Your lymphatic system [which helps with circulation] and venous [vein-related] system are working uphill against your enlarging uterus," says Aherling. "Because of that, you can experience swelling and pressure in your lower extremities." In addition to those maternity compression stockings, when you're able to, lie down and put your feet up so they're above your heart. That makes it easier for blood to circulate. Also, maybe request a foot massage from a sympathetic loved one who knows you deserve it?

5. Lower back pain

"Along with temporary changes in your spinal curvature, weight shifts can cause muscle spasms and soreness in your lower back," says Ahlering. You've got a few options here: applying heat, trying one of the aforementioned support belts, and sitting down whenever possible to relieve some of the tension on your back. But you may just have to power through it, especially as you become more pregnant. "You can only do so much when you’re working against that counterweight," says Aherling.

6. Braxton Hicks contractions

These are the cause of all those "I'm going to have a baby! Wait, just kidding" false alarms in movies. Braxton Hicks contractions are like your body putting you through a dress rehearsal for labor. "The uterus is big muscle that contracts throughout pregnancy," says Abdur-Rahman. The closer you get to labor, the more painful, regulated, and stronger those contractions will be, he explains. If it's your first baby, it's normal to think a few intense cramps mean it's go-time. But if the cramps aren't regular and you're not nearing full-term, chances are they're Braxton Hicks.

"With Braxton Hicks, you'll often get one cramp here, one cramp there," says Abdur-Rahman. Sometimes they feel like the baby is balling up, other times they're closer to a menstrual cramp. Pro tip: Your uterus can become more active when you're dehydrated, so stay on top of your water intake to reduce the likelihood that these will take you by surprise. (But remember that even if you're well-hydrated, you might experience them.)

7. Gas pain

Your digestive system can go haywire during pregnancy. "Progesterone, [a pregnancy hormone], relaxes smooth muscles like your intestines," says Abdur-Rahman. That means food doesn't pass through your system as quickly as usual. The result: heartburn, feeling surprisingly full even though you're pregnant, and stool just sitting in your body instead of making a graceful exit. Plus, a lot of prenatal vitamins have iron, and your growing uterus makes it harder for your bowels to move things along, both of which can also stop you up.

You also naturally swallow some air when you talk and eat, which can lead to gas-related discomfort. "Usually you would pass [a lot of that air], but it can build up, then make you burp all the time," says Abdur-Rahman. "You can try drinking more water, eating more fiber, using stool softeners, or drinking prune juice."

8. Breast pain

Tender breasts can hint at your bun in the oven in the first place, and they can also reinforce your pregnancy by being way too sensitive sometimes. This is due to hormones like oxytocin, progesterone, and prolactin, which help your breasts prepare to swell with milk, says Abdur-Rahman, who says a warm bath and pain reliever may help.

So, when should you see a doctor?

As you can see above, there are plenty of weird pregnancy feelings that are nothing to worry about. "You can't have this major distortion to your anatomy in such a short period of time and not experience something," says Ahlering. With that said, there are a few things to look out for. If some new, painful change comes on very quickly, very severely, and presents with other symptoms like vaginal bleeding or fever, you should definitely reach out to your doctor, he advises. But you can also call your doctor up even if you're 99 percent sure you're feeling something on this list, but a small part of you wonders whether it's more serious. "If you're ever in doubt, talk to your doctor," says Abdur-Rahman. "That's what we're here for."