10 Typical Body Changes During Pregnancy
shreeja pillai 
From the onset of the process to even after the child’s birth, a woman’s body goes through radical physical, emotional and hormonal changes.
Pregnancy is undoubtedly one of the biggest highs in a woman’s life and comes with its own share of challenges as well. If you are looking to plan on your pregnancy, then you must read through this article and keep yourself mentally prepared to face the situation. Once do that, you won’t be in such a surprise after you actually get pregnant! Ready to know what are the changes in the body during pregnancy? Then read on.
10 Common Body Changes During Pregnancy
Here are some commonly observed changes in body during pregnancy, that you can expect!
1. Sore Breasts:
The first sign of pregnancy is usually found on your breasts. They appear larger, tender or even painful, thanks to heightened sensitivity. Such sensitivity can sometimes make you edgy and uncomfortable. What’s more, they are not going to get smaller!
Get ready for bigger sized breasts, as you progress from one trimester to the next. This is because the hormones are preparing your body generate enough milk post child birth. So there is not much you can do about it! Be proud of your size and go shopping for bigger ones, not to mention the endorphins that shopping will provide to keep us happy.
2. Mood Swings:
are the most common physical changes during pregnancy. They are not new to women; we experience them whenever we have our cycles. But being pregnant is a big deal for our body, so consider these as pre-menstrual tension on steroids! With the flow of hormones, you will be on a seesaw ride with emotions.
Flooding your tear ducts because of a chipped nail to even crying buckets while watching Finding Nemo is actually normal; rest assured, being an emotional wreck is part of the job. Another feature of mood swings is the unreasonable craving, often for weird combinations of food! Indulge, but do make sure your cravings don’t harm your condition.
3. Morning Sickness:
As if being an emotional wreck was not enough, here comes the nauseating morning sickness. . Some even end up vomiting most of the time despite the remedies in place. It happens in the first trimester where one feels like there are on a three month long hangover! There is a rare upside to for some women who don’t get morning sickness at all. This is slightly unfair for the others who have to really suffer, but then it stops almost as suddenly so don’t worry about it.
4. Skin Conditions:
While it is a common notion that women glow during pregnancy, it is not true for all women. Due to the hormone rush, some expecting moms might have huge bouts of acne, rashes and pigmentation on their face. This can also be seen on the neck and breasts. These are baby flushes, so don’t panic and rush to the ER. Once the baby arrives mommy will get better skin.
Other impact on skin is the appearance of stretch marks. You will blow up to twice your size during pregnancy, so it is obvious that you may find stretch marks, mostly around the abdominal region. Use a Vitamin E rich body oil to keep them minimal.
5. Fluid Retention:
The body starts retaining more fluids during pregnancy, and may lead to swollen ankles, puffy face and swollen fingers. It gets worse during summers, which is why avoiding sodium (salt) and even sugar is a good starting point. Drink lots of water, because that helps you flush the salt out. Water retention requires the doctor’s attention so make sure you have proper follow ups with your physician.
6. Weight Gain:
Yes, pregnancy is a time when we gain the maximum weight to accommodate the baby. But it can be a big hit at your self-esteem. Add to that the crazy hormones and you end up feeling sad and depressed. A good and loving environment ensures that the fabled pregnancy glow comes from within.
When I say it’s not pretty, I mean the visible bulging veins on your legs and vulva due to the excess weight. Be careful about these and try to have them covered up to avoid feeling less attractive. Mothers must be in a good psychological plane at all times, as it ensures a healthy and happy mother and baby post partum.
7. Hyperactive Bladder:
Increased urination during pregnancy is very common. While the baby moves around in the womb the mothers feel the kick over their bladder. Sometimes you will not reach the loo on time! But you will make the trip at least 20 times in a day. Doing pelvic floor exercises is a good way to ensure that you don’t feel over worked. And yes, by all means drink loads of water since it is essential to urinate as you need its power to flush the toxins out of your body.
8. Bowel Movements:
Constipation is also one of the common body changes in pregnancy, especially if you are on iron supplements. The best way to avoid this is by taking iron rich foods and not supplements. Have fruits like banana, apples and veggies like spinach or any greens. They were all made by Mother Nature for our needs. Like they say, mothers always know best.
9. Acid Reflux/Indigestion:
Heartburn or acid reflux and indigestion can be painful during pregnancy. While the baby grows in the womb, it gets your organs squished up trying to make its space. This makes you uncomfortable after eating because of this forced restriction. The best solution is to eat smaller meals, frequently. One can also rely on home-brewed teas for relief.
10. Changes in Sex Life:
Hormonal changes can make you want either more or less of sex. Both the situations are possible, based on the state of hormones. So try and get a balance as much as possible and see what works out. This may be the most you can get uninterrupted before your child starts going to school!
Hope you will take these 10 common pregnancy body changes as part and parcel of pregnancy. Happy Pregnancy!
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