10 Ways Pregnancy Will Leave a Mark on Your Body Forever
The delivery of your first child can be a very rewarding experience. Now you have the long nights, crying, and changing diapers to look forward to.
But that’s not the only thing: pregnancy can physically alter your body in ways you’ve never realized before. If you’re currently pregnant or want to have your first baby, here are some things to look forward to so you know how to properly prepare.
#1. Your Shoe Size
When you’re pregnant, you’ll experience water retention in your feet that will make them swell. This can be unbearably painful and difficult to walk around. But even after you’ve delivered, you may find that your shoe size is still higher than what you’re used to.
For most women, their shoe size will return to normal, but for others, their feet may never shrink again. This is not only due to weight gain causing your arches to flatten out, but increased production of relaxin is also to blame. It causes the ligaments and bones in the body to loosen up, causing the connections of the bones in the feet to be “not as rigid” as they used to be.
#2. Increased Weight
This is the first thing most people notice when you’re pregnant. It’s normal to put on weight since you also have to supply your baby with extra nutrition.
It’s a post-delivery weight that many mothers start to worry about. They want to be able to move around and keep up with their children when they’re starting to walk. And toddlers don’t wait for anyone!
If you’re wanting to lose those extra pounds, then you should start by contacting momsintofitness.com so that you can start a regimen going.
#3. Bladder Issues
Because you had a baby inside you squishing all your organs together, your bladder isn’t as strong as it used to be. Don’t be embarrassed if you have a little incontinence after you’ve delivered; this is normal for all new mothers. However, if it continues for longer than you feel comfortable, you should definitely see a doctor. Practice Kegels to strengthen the muscles around your bladder to reduce your chances of an accident. If you’re extremely concerned about your postpartum incontinence, then you should definitely see a doctor.
#4. Breast Size Changing
When you’re pregnant, your breasts are going to start producing milk. The fat tissue starts to swell in preparation for breastfeeding. This can lead to someone women having to buy new bras altogether.
After breastfeeding is over, however, then the fat tissue starts to shrivel up, leading to much smaller breasts.
#5. Sagging Breasts
Because of the loss of fat tissue, the ligaments and elastin in the breasts can’t recover. This can lead to breasts that droop and will never perk up again. However, the upside to this is that breastfeeding doesn’t make this worse. In fact, women who smoke or have severe weight gain during pregnancy are more likely to have sagging breasts than those who breastfeed. Who knew?
#6. Bones and Teeth are Affected
When a baby is developing inside you, they’re basically building their skeleton from the calcium in your body. That’s why many pregnant mothers will start showing signs of osteoporosis as well as losing teeth. In fact, the more children a mother had, the mother likely she was to lose teeth.
Other dental problems caused by pregnancy include enlarged and bleeding gums and worn enamel from morning sickness. There are hormonal changes, however, that will go away with time. But it’s important that you take care of your teeth while you’re pregnant to ensure their health too.
#7. Vaginal Changes
Even before birth, your vagina is going to experience some changes, such as increased discharge and some bleeding. But after delivery, your vagina will go through even more changes. For most women, it will contract down to its original size; others may have permanently wider vaginas. This is all dependent on the size of the baby, genetic factors, and the type of delivery.
#8. Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are a natural occurrence when the skin reached the limits of elasticity. These can increase during pregnancy because of the massive change your body is going through. After pregnancy, these can get lighter but you can help the process along by using vitamin-E lotion on your stretch marks to help smooth them out and make them less pronounced in the future.
The most pronounced area will be your belly, and these stretch marks can be a little difficult to look at. Pay your skin some extra love and attention, and they will lighten up over time. Consider changing your diet too to decrease the appearance of stretch marks.
#9. Lower Risk of Breast Cancer
Although you may lose some elasticity in the skin of your breasts, there is one good note: breastfeeding reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. For every twelve months of nursing, a woman’s breast cancer rate goes down by about 4%. That’s a small peace of mind for you while your breasts are aching in the middle of the night.
#10. Extra Hair Growth
Many women may notice their hair grows faster or denser when they’re pregnant, but many may not be sure if this is an old wife’s tale or the truth.
The honest answer is that it’s all down to hormones and each person’s body. Increased hormone levels can result in less hair being shed during pregnancy. Postpartum, these hormone levels drop back to normal, resulting in hair loss that can be quite shocking for some women. It’s temporary, however, and your hair will be back to normal in about a year or so.
Being pregnancy and the delivery of your first child can be both a wonderful and harrowing experience. Dealing with all of these sudden changes in your life can make you forget that you have to take care of yourself as well. Pay attention to your body’s needs and ensure that your health is sound by doing regular checkups with your doctor. Your body will thank you for it.
