How Motherhood Changes You

by Bellus Family Helping New Parents Be Better Parents

Motherhood – Hormonal Changes:

These are the normal unanticipated, sudden fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy in a woman.

Estrogen level increases rapidly in the first trimester causing nauseated feeling; during the second trimester, it helps in the development of the milk ducts enlarging the breasts; and in the third trimester, it reaches the peak.

Extreme levels of progesterone result in the enlargement of the uterus. Progesterone is important in the transformation of the uterus from a teeny-tiny pear foam during the non-pregnant state to a uterus that can bear a whole baby.

Pregnancy also changes the posture of a woman. The breasts become large and the abdomen goes from being concave to convex which concludes that they may be at a greater risk of sprains and strains of the ankle and or knee, which is why they must take care of themselves all the time.

The concept of postpartum weight gain is also a very common hormonal issue many faces during their post-pregnancy period. This weight gain slows down the circulation of blood and body fluids in the lower limbs as a result of which pregnant women retain fluids which in turn leads to swelling on their face and limbs. Swelling, hence, begins lightly from the second trimester and continues onto the third.

Motherhood – Sensory Changes:

Pregnant women also go through significant changes in their five senses, during, before, and after their pregnancy period.

Vision: Not all of course, but a percentage of women experience a condition known as nearsightedness in which they can clearly see objects near them but objects far look blurry.

Taste: Women also experience changes in their taste buds during pregnancy. They prefer saltier and sweeter foods than non-pregnant women. Some also go through a condition known as Dysgeusia, a decrease in the ability to taste during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Smell: Pregnant women also experience changes in how their nostrils function, they become quite sensitive to strong odors around them which in turn leads them to have nauseated feelings.

Skin: A major drawback for many women is overcoming the ‘Mask’ of pregnancy, hyperpigmentation, stretch marks, freckles, and mole sorts of skin changes.

Hyperpigmentation is when certain parts of the pregnant women’s bodies are darkened like the areolas, genitals, scars, and the linea alba (line in the middle of the abdomen).

70% of pregnant women experience a skin change known as melasma or the prepartum ‘mask’ in which the face is darkened. This situation can be worsened by exposure to the sun and radiation. Although half of the female population uses UVA/ UVB sunscreen, it isn’t necessary. This situation resolves itself after pregnancy.

Stretch marks, scientifically Striae Gravidarum, are the most common skin change seen in women around the world during and after pregnancy. It is not a secret how pregnancy is a process of the woman’s belly stretching over time as the baby develops and by the stretching of the skin as a result of the hormonal changes on the skin’s elasticity. 90% of the women have been observed to experience this condition during the third trimester of pregnancy, mostly on breasts and abdomen. These marks are quite itchy, so it is advisable to use creams instead of scratching using nails which will cause other irritations. Some Stretch marks disappear postpartum while the marks of some, in some areas, remain and fade to the skin color.

PUPPP and Folliculitis: Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy and Folliculitis involve pustules and red rash bumps on the abdomen, legs, arms, and or back of the pregnant women. These are harmless but conditions like cholestasis and pemphigoid gestationis indicate problems with premature delivery and so should be taken immediate care of by visiting a dermatologist.

Motherhood – Circulatory changes:

Pregnant women are advised to exercise, yes, but they have to be very careful considering the fact that they produce more blood as a result of the rapid expansion of blood vessels, and so much stress on the heart and lungs.

A pregnant woman’s heart rate increase is considered very normal, specifically during the third trimester until giving birth. The heart rate is observed to increase up to 15 to 20% during this phase. It is even quite normal for the heartbeat to reach 90 to 100 beats per minute in the third trimester.

Hence, for this reason, iron and folic acid intake are advised to pregnant women.

The other changes apart from hormonal, sensory, and circulatory changes, women also go through phases of various accurately inexplicable body-aches, morning-sickness, constipation sort of uneasiness. All one has to do is take care of themselves really well by having a balanced diet and the right amount of sleep keeping in mind most of these changes are temporary until the little bundle of joy is born.javascript:nicTemp();