There's no doubt that pregnancy comes with a plethora of transformations, both during and after the birth. Your body will go through plenty of changes, but you will see certain changes come and go throughout the pregnancy, and new changes manifest themselves even after the birth. Many of these changes will be uncomfortable, and may seem strange, but most bodily changes you experience during pregnancy are harmless. Read ahead to learn about some of the changes you can expect during your pregnancy and how to prepare for them as they come.
THE FIRST TRIMESTER
Within the first three months, or the first trimester, there are indications that your body is pregnant. Common changes you can expect to experience during the first trimester include nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, breast sensitivity, increased breast size, and frequent urination. It's important to note that while these changes are common, they won't necessarily apply to every pregnant woman. These are common changes that you could experience during any point of your pregnancy, they are just most commonly experienced within the first trimester.
THE SECOND TRIMESTER
Medical professionals state that although nausea and vomiting become less usual during the second trimester, other bodily changes arise. The second trimester is undoubtedly the beginning phase where women can expect to see a more prominent belly. During the second trimester, as a scientific result of the strain of carrying the baby, women can expect to combat bodily aches more frequently, especially those of the back. More visual changes due to increased hormones tend to also appear, like stretch marks, darkened areolas, unevenness in skin tone, itchiness, and swelling of your face, ankles, and feet.
THE THIRD TRIMESTER
During the last trimester of pregnancy, women can expect to experience more discomfort than earlier trimesters. Common changes experienced during the third trimester, again as a result of the bodily strain of carrying a baby, include hemorrhoids, heartburn, diarrhea or constipation, shortness of breath, insomnia, feeling the baby lowering in your belly, and finally, contractions. While these contractions may be braxton hicks contractions , which indicate false labor, they may also be real contractions, so monitoring them is essential.
AFTER PREGNANCY
There's no denying the wide array of changes experienced during pregnancy, but what about after? After pregnancy, women tend to maintain a bloated belly for about two months post birth. Therefore, it's important not to worry excessively about getting your pre-baby figure back, because just as it took time for your pregnant belly to be visible, it will also take time for your belly to minimize. Other common and often temporary changes include increased feet size, mild hair loss, reduced breast size (unless you're breastfeeding), and increased vaginal pain and discharge. Once you stop breastfeeding, you might notice that your breasts are smaller, however the skin may be saggy. Many women opt for a breast lift after pregnancy to help their chest re-gain it's former shape. Don't worry about the hair loss—while you were pregnant you weren't losing as much hair, so now your hormones are just making up for it.
Clearly, pregnancy comes with an abundance of bodily changes. While some of them may seem overwhelming at times, your little bundle of joy undoubtedly makes them more bearable. You'll experience changes in your mood since you will be exhausted and you won't be experiencing the pregnancy hormones anymore. After childbirth, many women have difficulties getting comfortable with this new body and strive to regain their former confidence by doing everything possible to restore their body to what it was before. Remember that your body will never truly be as it was before you gave birth, but you can restore your skin, muscles and energy to get close to how you felt before. As you gain muscle strength, regain healthy skin, and build up your energy, your confidence will start to shine, and you'll feel comfortable in your new body.