How Your Body Changes During Pregnancy

Your body changes in many different ways during pregnancy. First, you may not feel the changes too much. Some women do not feel different at all during the first months. At some point, however, everything begins to change.

No two pregnancies are exactly alike. Every woman experiences her own pregnancy in a unique way. All women have different symptoms. For example, some women vomit most of the time, while others do not feel nauseous at all.

However, hormonal and physical changes always occur . These changes are necessary to keep the fetus alive and get the body ready for breastfeeding.

It is important to know everything that is happening to understand your own pregnancy.

The mildest changes take place during the first trimester

First, fertilization takes place. After six days, the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus. This later leads to the first sign of pregnancy – that you do not get your period as usual. Apart from this, many women do not notice any changes during the first month.

Things change in the second and third month. Your breasts begin to grow and may become slightly darker. Nausea and increased vaginal discharge are symptoms that women often confuse with PMS.

If you look closely, you can see that the uterus has begun to grow.

In the first phase, some women notice specific emotional changes. Stress, anxiety and sudden mood swings can affect some to varying degrees. This is why women may confuse this with symptoms of their period.

Second trimester: The changes become more noticeable

From the third to the sixth month, many women do not notice any major weight gain. In general, most people put on about four or five kilos, although this depends on their diet and lifestyle. The feeling of intense cravings and cravings for certain foods will contribute to this weight gain.

Many women experience pregnancy melasma, which are small pigment spots on the skin. You can also see a dark stripe on the abdomen. Sometimes the woman also starts producing colostrum early, which is one of the ways your body changes to prepare for taking care of the baby.

Colostrum is a yellow substance that the mammary glands release before the breast milk arrives. Another thing you can feel during this time is convulsions, also called Braxton Hicks contractions. These are usually painless and occur very sporadically.

Last trimester and weeks before birth

Although many women feel the first movements of the uterus at the end of the second trimester, they become more common and more frequent during the third trimester. During the last weeks, the baby is very large and active. Therefore, the baby’s kicks can actually hurt.

Although it may seem like you are gaining a lot of weight , most women put on about five to six pounds during this time. Many women become more nervous, usually because they know they are about to give birth.

It is also normal to see stretch marks in the skin of the abdomen, hips and breasts. This is because your skin is more stretched than ever before.

In addition, the increased size of the uterus can cause circulatory problems. It can lead to fluid retention and swelling in the legs.

How your body changes during pregnancy: Hormones

From the moment sperm comes in contact with the egg, the hormonal changes begin. In early pregnancy, women experience a sharp increase in estrogen.

In fact, hormonal changes occur every minute. The placenta begins to produce human chorionic gonadotropin ( hCG ). At the tenth week, placental lactogen begins to be produced. This is an important hormonal substance for the development of the fetus.

However, many of the bodily changes that women experience during pregnancy are caused by estrogen. It is very important to prepare the mammary glands. Your body adjusts during pregnancy to keep the fetus safe.

Psychological changes during pregnancy

Your body changes during pregnancy, and so do your thoughts. In the beginning, you may experience similar mood swings as during your period. Hormonal changes also make you feel different.

What most mothers worry about from the third to the sixth month is to protect the baby. In fact, certain forms of cravings for specific foods may have a psychological origin. In addition, social impact can also be a factor.

During the last three months, you may experience a greater need to prepare your home and life for the baby’s arrival. Many mothers can become obsessed with cleaning and tidying up the home until the baby arrives. The important thing is to prepare yourself knowing that everything will be different.