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[P318]Physical Changes During Pregnancy
by Laura Ng, Lau
The ugly truth is nine out of ten pregnant women suffer from some kind of physical discomfort, not to mention their fatigued and ungainly appearance - sluggish movement, flabby tummy, arms and legs, thicker waist, excess flab and more.

New mothers are already stressed by what they saw in mirrors. It could get worse if they are unable to regain pre-pregnancy looks and yet have to look after a crying baby. New mothers are prone to post-natal depression, especially if they are deprived of family support and they are still recovering from childbirth.

Fortunately, many physicians agree that most mothers, once they understand the physiology behind these physical changes, are able to handle them very well and adapt very quickly.

Sometimes, medication and counseling are necessary if doctors detect symptoms of disturbances for some mothers. Neglect is never the solution as it may lead to or aggravate post-natal depression.

Obstetricians and gynaecologists advise the following changes may occur during pregnancy. It definitely helps you to learn to accept these changes if you understand more about them.

"I'm tired all the time"

Giving birth saps a lot of your energy, so it is natural after childbirth you will feel weakness or dizziness. The recovery usually takes from two weeks to two months, depending on your physique. That's why in some countries like Singapore, mothers are allowed maternity leave up to 3 months, to recuperate.

The Chinese view this as loss of "qi", therefore you can replenish "qi" by consuming tonics and keeping warm with clothes and socks. Actually the preventive measure is to build up your blood store before and during pregnancy by consuming adequate iron, folic acid and multivitamins.

You may also feel aches in the back and lower pubic bone areas due to the strain on the ligaments and muscles. However, these are only temporary discomfort.

"My breasts become bigger"

If you find your breasts grow from B cup to C cup, don't be alarmed - your breasts are getting ready for breastfeeding. Furthermore, hormonal changes during the pregnancy cause more melanin to deposit into the skin cells at the nipples and areola, leading to darkening of nipple or areola skin tone.

Breastfeeding can cause your breasts to lose their sizes permanently, or become saggy and loose. If you are a heavy-breasted woman, you have to be mentally prepared for this.

"What are these marks on my body? "

They are called stretch marks which are formed as result of a split in your skin's supportive tissue to accommodate a growing baby. They are initially red and will turn darker. However, after pregnancy, they may turn silvery or blue.

The bad news is they are also permanent, though they may fade in intensity. So far, no medication or creams are effective in removing them, but some do help to speed up the fading effect.

"What is incontinence ?"

Incontinence means that you lose control of your bladder or bowel which can be embarrassing. This could be due to physical injury or trauma to the pelvic floor muscles.

The injury could be due to a complicated forceps delivery, prolonged labour or enlarged vaginal delivery of a large infant. In the case of difficult delivery, use of Caesarean could help to reduce pelvic floor trauma.

It is a symptom but not a disease itself, therefore it can be treated. Don't be afraid to seek medical help. If you delay treatment, you will run the risk of developing rashes, sores and skin and urinary tract infections.

Your social life will also be affected as you will try to avoid your family and friends for fear of embarrassment.

You should follow a well-balanced diet, and avoid food or drinks that may irritate their bladders, such as caffeine, alcohol, carbonated drinks and spicy foods.

Citrus fruits and juices must be cut down too. For diabetes patients, sugar intake must be reduced in your diet so as to control the glucose level.

Exercising and strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor, widely known as Kegel's exercise named after Arnold Kegel, M.D, helps to cure incontinence.

"Why are my veins so obvious now?"

You may notice more veins become more prominent in your legs during pregnancy. These veins, called varicose and spider veins, appear because the weight of your womb exerts more pressure on the major vein (inferior vena cava) on the right side of the body. This in turn increases the pressure in the leg veins.

Pregnancy also cause blood vessels walls to relax due to higher progesterone levels, thus magnifying the problem.

Some useful tips are

1.Wear support or compression stockings

2.Don't stand too long

3.Lift your legs on some cushions when resting

4.Lose some weight

5.Surgery such as sclerotherapy and vein stripping. However, be patient to see if the veins disappear after childbirth.

"My hair is falling out !"

It is actually normal due to hormonal changes and usually happen three months after delivery. During pregnancy, the hormone cause the hair follicles to delay the fallout of the hair.

After delivery, the hormone levels revert to normal and those hair that suppose to drop out previously, now happen all at the same time. And you thought you are losing out more hair than before.

If you are worried, you may just take some multivitamins.


Being pregnant is so common that a lot of people think that it is easy and enjoyable to undergo. In truth, however, women undergo a lot of changes emotionally and physically just to be able to bring a new child to life. If you are pregnant or planning to carry a child in the near future, you ought to be prepared to accept that your body will undergo huge transformations. Below are just some of the physical changes that most women experience during pregnancy and the tips on how to manage them:

Changes In Your Skin Type

Even before you see a bump in your stomach, you will already start to feel drastic changes in your skin. Due to the rise in the levels of estrogen, a pregnant woman's skin become either extremely dry and flaky or very oily. Moreover, certain products like hair dyes and cosmetics may easily cause irritation and redness in pregnant women.

If your problem is dry skin, you really do not have to worry. Just increase the number of times that you apply body lotion. If you don't use moisturizer for your face before you got pregnant, you better start buying and using one now to prevent further skin dryness and flakiness. It would be wise to use natural-based and organic products.

For those who suddenly become more prone to pimples and acne, there is nothing much you can do but look for a mild cleanser that can help dry out the skin blemishes. It is also advisable not to self medicate nor put on products that are filled with synthetic antibacterial properties. Before using any product that contains chemicals, you need to consult with your doctor first because such ingredients might be harmful to you and your baby.

Spider Veins And Skin Discoloration

Some experts believe that peaking estrogen levels are responsible for the appearance of spider veins on your face and other parts of the body. There is really not much you can do about these fine veins but to cover them with make up. More often than not, these thread-like veins will disappear few weeks or months after giving birth. However, be sure to seek the advice of your attending physician if your spider veins are causing you pain.

Hyper pigmentation of the skin is brought about by a melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which also climbs when you are expecting a baby. Women who naturally have dark hair are more prone to skin darkening on their neck, nape, armpits and other parts of the body than those with lighter colored hair. You do not have to worry, however, because the blotchiness will disappear when you are no longer pregnant.

Enlargement Of Breasts, Nose, Vagina And Ankles

Naturally, some parts of your body will be enlarged because of the weight gain. However, your breasts will start to feel engorged or full and tender to the touch because of the relaxation of smooth muscles found in the area and the engorgement of veins. This will also happen to your nose and vagina. Ankle swelling, on the other hand, is not a very good sign because it usually indicates that you are retaining too much water. To remedy your water retention problems, you need to decrease your salt intake. It would also be wise to consult your doctor to know what else is needed to be done about the swelling of your feet and ankles.

Appearance of Stretch Marks

Human skin is elastic and usually can withstand extreme stretching. Have you seen the eruption or tearing of the skin in morbidly obese individuals? The skin may be elastic, however, the flexing and stretching of the skin usually leaves marks, which are called stretch marks. These skin blemishes usually start to appear pinkish. Eventually, once you have given birth and have gone back to your normal size and weight, the color of the marks will start to be silvery and will become a bit lighter. If you don't want to have stretch marks, you need to find products that are designed to help minimize their appearance. However, be sure to get a doctor's approval first before drinking or applying anything. Strevaxl is one product that is known to help with stretch mark problems. Learn more about this product by visiting www.Strevaxl.com.

Article Source : Pg. 19

About Author
Both Laura Ng & Sharon Bell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Laura Ng has sinced written about articles on various topics from Food And Drink, Types of Cancer and Fitness. Laura Ng urges you to start eating healthy today! Buildup your health now will benefit you greatly in your pregnancy, whether now or later. She has more to offer at her website. Laura Ng's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.

Sharon Bell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Skin Care, Mens Health and Asthma. Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine
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