Are You Concerned About How Pregnancy Can Change Your Body? What You Can Do

Pregnancy is one of the most joyous times that a couple can share. The sheer anticipation of meeting your new-born can bring you closer together, and is a feeling that cannot be replicated.

With that said, let’s not pretend that pregnancy is gentle walk in the park. As a mother, you are carrying a new life, and that can change your body in a number of ways. This transformation is necessary for your baby to grow and develop into a healthy infant, but there are some things you can do to rectify these changes.

Let’s discuss some of the ways your body will change throughout your pregnancy, and how this may change your experience.

Common Changes To Your Body During Pregnancy

There are some minor changes that can happen to your body during your nine-month pregnancy, and these tend to be the most common.

One such change is dry skin. As a mum-to be, you are now drinking to hydrate two people. Alongside the hormone changes, your fluid levels are likely to be lower than normal because some of the water you drink is being used up by the growing baby. This can cause your skin to dry out quickly and become uncomfortable. Unlike some changes, you can fix this with ease by drinking more water. If your skin issues persist, you may want to look into moisturising lotions and balms.

Another pregnancy change that is common but most mums do not expect is nasal congestion. When pregnant, your body will increase the blood flow to your nasal membranes. In short, this change can leave you feeling congested like you have a cold. You may need to wrap up for a few days, or consult your doctor about what medication you can take to relive these symptoms.

The most common occurrence for expecting mums is stretch marks. Every woman goes into pregnancy with the knowledge that their stomach is going to become larger, which can lead to small line-marks forming on the skin. Fortunately, there are tons of remedies for this issue. The prime reason for stretch marks is that your body is growing quickly when it is at its weakest. Therefore, you may want to try skin strengthening solutions during your pregnancy, or consider other remedies that work after the fact. Either way, you are in no short supply of fixes for pregnancy stretch marks.

Changes You May Also Not Expect

The items listed above are often cited as the most common pregnancy changes, which means you are more likely to be prepared. However, there are some more changes that you may want to keep in the back of your mind.

Loosened teeth are another result of the additional hormones rushing around your body. Don’t worry mums, your teeth will not immediately fall out. Expect them to feel loose in your mouth for a while, and remember that your teeth will return to normal once the baby is born. Try to pay extra attention to your dental care and you shall be fine.

You may anticipate that your body is going to be sore for a while. Most new mums are aware that their feet will ache due to the extra life that they are carrying. However, these aches can unfortunately occur anywhere on the body. It is nothing to worry about, but soreness around your breasts is common, and back ache is an ever-present issue. The best cure for these ailments is looking after yourself. Remember, pregnancy is a time where your body is in demand 24/7. If things get too much, take a load off. There is no better cure for pregnancy aches than rest.

Just when you thought the rush of hormones in your blood could not affect your body further, there is another common side effect of pregnancy you should be made aware of. Pregnancy nosebleeds are a perfectly normal part of the process, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t an irritant. You can treat these like a regular nosebleed. Pinch the top of your nose for fifteen minutes to reduce the flow but do not tilt your head back. This common misconception has floated around for a while but experts now claim that tilting your head back during a nosebleed can cause it to clot in the wrong place. Try not to panic when these bleeds happen, but do help from a medical professional if you are concerned about their frequency.

Long Term Changes

All of the changes listed so far have been rather mild and easily treatable. Unfortunately, there are some changes to your body that will persist after you have given birth. These are nothing too serious, but you may need to pay attention more to how your body reacts.

One minor yet permanent pregnancy change is that your shoe size will grow. Your feet are instrumental in the carrying of your baby. As such, the extra weight will flatten your foots arch, stretching out the ligament and making them a half a size bigger. Again, this is nothing to worry about as you may not even notice, but know that this is a perfectly natural part of the pregnancy process.

Another part of your body that is often ignored during pregnancy are your breasts. Your breasts need to grow in order to prepare your body for breastfeeding. As a result, the size of your breasts will not revert back to their normal size until the breastfeeding process is complete. Since this is such a long term change, the reverting back can cause the tissue to sag. If you are concerned about this change, there are surgical options in place. These measures do come with their own list of side effects; therefore, it is important to look into what options are available if you have concerns post-surgery.

Conclusion

Pregnancy is a wild ride of ups and downs. Every woman is different, and the changes we have listed may not affect you. However, it is important to learn about the growth and change process of your body during this time. Remember, not every change is permanent, and you can find a solution to anything you may expect.