The body changes you should expect during pregnancy
Sure, one of the most obvious body changes during a pregnancy is your growing belly, but that’s not the only change your body undergoes. Your body is going to go through tons of changes, both ones that are physically noticeable and ones that aren’t—even some that only the woman carrying the baby will truly understand.
It’s always important to be prepared. Knowledge and preparation will lead to a safer, more confident pregnancy, labor, and birth experience. Here are four changes to note that you may experience throughout the course of your pregnancy:
Breast changes
Hormonal changes during pregnancy cause increased blood flow and changes in the breast tissue, which may make the breasts feel swollen, sore, tingly, and unusually sensitive to touch. Noticeable changes in breast tenderness and sensitivity can become evident as early as four weeks into pregnancy. Luckily, tenderness usually subsides by the culmination of the first trimester.
Furthermore, the size of a woman’s bra may change several times throughout gestation! This is completely normal—as you get further along, the breasts start preparing for breastfeeding. Each breast may increase in size and start leaking colostrum, an early form of the milk later used to nourish the baby.
Frequency of urination
If you’ve ever been pregnant before, you definitely have experienced this one. During pregnancy, blood volume increases and puts pressure your kidneys, meaning that you will need to urinate more often. As the baby grows, the weight on your bladder intensifies the pressure. Be prepared to get used to searching for the restroom in any place you enter—and don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Have no fear, though. The increased urge to urinate usually reduces in the second trimester, comes back during the third trimester, and resolves six weeks after childbirth.
Oral health
Pregnant woman require extra calcium for the growing baby, and if you’re not taking in enough calcium through your diet, it’s going to be taken from bones and teeth. In addition, many women experience bleeding gums as a result of hormone changes. Bleeding gums are common and can lead to infections (which are harder for pregnant women to fight off due to a weakened immune system) so it’s crucial to stay on top of your oral health. That means that you will have an increased need to keep up with flossing, brushing, and seeing your dentist for regular checkups.
Growing feet
As random as it sounds, many women report growing feet during pregnancy. This may be caused by the increases in growth hormones that are produced throughout the three trimesters. But aside from actual foot growth, you may also experience swelling in the feet and ankles. This is completely normal and most likely is a result of extra fluids pooling at the bottom of the body.
Being pregnant can definitely challenge you with the many aches and pains, gaining of weight, shortness of breath, heartburn, gas, constipation and more that it comes with. But as I and all mothers will tell you, it will all be worth it in the end.
It’s a miracle of life to grow a baby in your belly, and some discomfort is a small price to pay for the bundle of joy that will soon be in your arms. In the meantime, you can decrease the anxiety you’re feeling concerning the many body-change questions that are reeling in your head by getting educated! At Moms on Top, I offer a number of childbirth education courses to fit every expectant mother’s schedule! Browse my website today to discover how much there is to learn, then sign up for a childbirth education course that fits your needs!
