Your body experiences a real revolution during pregnancy. The endocrine, circulatory, nervous, osteoarticular systems must cope with a real task. So they work differently, and you see and feel these changes. Find out what changes await your body during pregnancy.
From the very first moments of conception, yourbodybegins to prepare itself for accepting a new life. First of all, the endocrine system changes the purpose of its work. Instead of controlling the monthly ovulation cycle, she focuses on creating the best possible conditions for the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterine wall, and then watches over the development of the fetus. endometrium to receive the embryo. Almost at the same time (the first 2-3 weeks of pregnancy) as estrogens, progesterone is activated, which allows the embryo to implant in the uterus. When this happens, the chorionic gonadotropin (HCG hormone) comes into play and supports the development of pregnancy. Sudden hormone activity affects your entire body, which is why it is already in 3-4 weeks. a week after conception, you may feel the effects of their effects.
Pregnant body: nausea and mood swings
Thanks to estrogens,breastschange and expand the milk ducts from the beginning of pregnancy, which is why the bust becomes more sensitive to touch and slightly swollen. In turn, progesterone relaxes smooth muscles, which is most often the cause of problems with the urinary system - you feel an increased pressure on the bladder - and the digestive system - progesterone is responsible for the lazy intestines and hence indigestion, flatulence, constipation. A sudden increase in the concentration of hormones in the blood activates the vomiting center. in the brain, which is why you get tired of nausea and vomiting, often accompanied by a sudden aversion to certain smells. Hormones also affect your psyche. On the one hand, you have more energy and you discover a great deal of tenderness, but on the other hand, you are often irritable and find it difficult to control your emotions. In addition, your body is now focusing all its strength on supporting your new life, so you need more rest and sleep than a month ago.
Pregnant body: accelerated metabolism
At the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, your body has already 100 percent acknowledged and accepted the fact that you are two, it beginsso take it easy. The uterus reaches the size of a good apple - it no longer fits into the pelvis, so it moves up a little. However, your stomach is still small, so it doesn't get in the way of your daily activities. You feel better because this is the time when morning sickness usually ends and you don't fall asleep right after bedtime. At the end of the third month of pregnancy, appetite, desire for entertainment and sex return. Your baby is growing fast and the effect is that you burn calories faster. Your metabolism can increase by up to 25%. - hence the attacks of almost wolf hunger. Accelerated metabolism forces you to drink at least 2.5 liters of fluids a day. And if you drink more, you have to use the toilet more. The amount of blood circulating in your body is also halved, which makes you still a bit too warm. Unfortunately, it doesn't end there. If there is more blood in the circulatory system, its circulation becomes slower as a result. The pressure of the constantly growing uterus will additionally hinder its proper flow. The blood will tend to stagnate in the blood vessels in the legs, which may cause them to swell.
Pregnant body: uterus like a big ball
The placenta grows, thanks to which oxygen and essential nutrients reach the fetus from the mother's body. The uterus keeps getting bigger as your baby grows and more amniotic fluid is added so that the fetus can drift freely in it. At the beginning of the fifth month, the uterus is about the size of a basketball. Its bottom (contrary to the name it is the highest part of it) approaches the navel. From around the 20th week of pregnancy, the bottom regularly moves upwards at a speed of about 1 cm per week. As the uterus grows, it puts pressure on the portal vein and the aorta, resulting in less blood supply to the heart and brain. So, from the middle of your pregnancy to the end of your pregnancy, you may feel dizzy or even lose your balance or feel faint. They usually occur when the position of the body changes rapidly. By slowly preparing for labor, your body loosens the tissues that make up the sacroiliac joints. He does this to make it easier for the baby to squeeze through the birth canal. In addition, your expanding abdomen means that you have to tilt your upper body back more and more to stay balanced. This leads to the deepening of the natural curves of the spine, especially in the lumbosacral region. An unpleasant consequence of this condition is persistent back pain.
Dark line on the belly
The closer you are to the delivery, the more clearly you can see the dark welt crossing it along the belly. The so-called a white line that is normally invisible.When you are pregnant, it gradually darkens into what is known as black line. Such a change serves no purpose and only shows that your body's pigmentation has also changed under the influence of progesterone. You can also attribute the hormonal revolution to persistent reddening of the hands, spots on the legs or a tiny red rash on the face and arms. The constantly growing uterus presses the veins in the abdominal cavity and thus hinders the outflow of blood from the pelvic organs. In addition, the uterus also puts pressure on the intestines, slowing them down, making them constipated. The effect of these changes may be the appearance of haemorrhoids - haemorrhoids. They do not endanger your or your baby's he alth, but are unpleasant and will tend to get bigger with each subsequent pregnancy.
Fuller breasts
Your breasts are preparing to feed. The increase in the amount of sex hormones in the body makes them swollen and sensitive to touch. The rim of the nipple becomes larger and darker, and the sweat glands on its surface are more visible - they look like small lumps. As the breasts enlarge, the skin stretches more and the mesh of the bust veins is clearly visible through it. In the 30th week of pregnancy, the bottom of the uterus is 10 cm above the navel. A large belly makes it more and more difficult to function normally and - what is worse - all ailments related to the enlargement of the uterus intensify. The abdomen may feel tight and hard from time to time. This is a sign that the uterus is getting ready for birth - it is practicing contractions that will push your baby into the world during labor. Such contractions are possible because the levels of the hormone oxytocin in the body increase. A growing baby pushes his stomach and takes up more and more space. The pressure of the large uterus (at the end of the 8th month of pregnancy, its bottom reaches approx. 12 cm above the navel) on the bladder next to it may prevent the bladder sphincters from working properly. So you can pass urine, especially when you sneeze or cough. Toward the end of your pregnancy, your breasts may already start producing milk, colostrum. It is a rare, yellowish discharge that is similar in composition to breast milk. It may flow out of the breast on its own, or it may appear when the nipples are pressed. This is a sign that your body is ready to feed your baby, because your body's concentration of prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation, is rising.
Child near the exit
The capacity of the uterus during pregnancy increases almost 500 times! At the end of pregnancy, it fills almost the entire abdomen, and its bottom reaches the ribs. In many women (especially those who give birth for the first time), 2-3 weeks before giving birth, the abdomen is lowered and protrudes more clearly. Thisthe effect of the child's movement - the child moves closer to "entering the world". Lowering your belly will make it easier for you to breathe, because the non-compressed diaphragm will allow you to take a deeper breath. Unfortunately, the greater pressure on the bladder requires even more frequent visits to the toilet. And pressure on the pelvic joints and the perineal area can cause difficulty in movement and stinging in the lower abdomen. Your baby is now ready to leave the belly. Only childbirth, the grand finale. And around 6 weeks after giving birth, your body should be back to normal.
"M jak mama" monthly