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6 physical changes during pregnancy

Not every woman will look like that gorgeous model in that magazine. Similarly, not every pregnant woman will still look beautiful and svelte than before. Fact.

The ugly truth is nine out of ten pregnant women suffer from some kind of physical discomfort, not to mention their fatigued and ungainly appearance - sluggish movement, flabby tummy, arms and legs, thicker waist, excess flab and more.

New mothers are already stressed by what they saw in mirrors. It could get worse if they are unable to regain pre-pregnancy looks and yet have to look after a crying baby. Coupled with lack of family support and exhaustion, new mothers could easily fall prey to post-natal depression.

Fortunately, many physicians agree that most mothers, once they understand the physiology behind these physical changes, are able to handle them very well and adapt very quickly.

Sometimes, medication and counseling are necessary if doctors detect symptoms of disturbances for some mothers. Neglect is never the solution as it may lead to or aggravate post-natal depression.

According to obstetricians and gynecologists, if you are pregnant, you would likely to experience the following physical changes. It definitely helps you to learn to accept these changes if you understand more about them.

"I'm tired all the time"

Giving birth saps a lot of your energy, so it is natural after childbirth you will feel weakness or dizziness. The recovery usually takes from two weeks to two months, depending on your physique. That's why in some countries like Singapore, mothers are allowed maternity leave up to 3 months, to recuperate.

The Chinese view this as loss of "qi", therefore you can replenish "qi" by consuming tonics and keeping warm with clothes and socks. Actually the preventive measure is to build up your blood store before and during pregnancy by consuming adequate iron, folic acid and multivitamins.

You may also feel aches in the back and lower pubic bone areas due to the strain on the ligaments and muscles. However, these are only temporary discomfort.

"My breasts become bigger"

If you find your breasts grow from B cup to C cup, don't be alarmed - your breasts are getting ready for breastfeeding. Furthermore, hormonal changes during the pregnancy cause more melanin to deposit into the skin cells at the nipples and areola, leading to darkening of nipple or areola skin tone.

After breastfeeding, your breasts may not be able to regain to their old sizes and worse still, they may become saggy and loose. This may not be good news to you, especially if you are already a heavy-breasted woman.

"What are these marks on my body? "

They are called stretch marks which are formed as result of a split in your skin's supportive tissue to accommodate a growing baby.

They are initially red and will turn darker. However, after pregnancy, they may turn silvery or blue. The bad news is they are also permanent, though they may fade in intensity.

So far, no medication or creams are effective in removing them, but some do help to speed up the fading effect.

"What is incontinence ?"

Incontinence means that you lose control of your bladder or bowel which can be embarrassing. This could be due to physical injury or trauma to the pelvic floor muscles.

The likely causes of injury are a difficult forceps delivery, prolonged labour, or vaginal delivery of a large baby. In the case of difficult delivery, use of Caesarean could help to reduce pelvic floor trauma.

It is a symptom but not a disease itself, therefore it can be treated.

Don't be afraid to seek medical help. If you delay treatment, you will run the risk of developing rashes, sores and skin and urinary tract infections. Your social life will also be affected as you will try to avoid your family and friends for fear of embarrassment.

You should follow a well-balanced diet, and avoid food or drinks that may irritate their bladders, such as caffeine, alcohol, carbonated drinks and spicy foods.

Citrus fruits and juices must be cut down too. For diabetes patients, sugar intake must be reduced in your diet so as to control the glucose level.

Exercising and strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor, widely known as Kegel's exercise named after Arnold Kegel, M.D, helps to cure incontinence.

"Why are my veins so obvious now?"

You may notice more veins become more prominent in your legs during pregnancy. These veins, called varicose and spider veins, appear because the weight of your womb exerts more pressure on the major vein (inferior vena cava) on the right side of the body. This in turn increases the pressure in the leg veins.

Increased progesterone levels during pregnancy also cause the blood vessel walls to relax, thereby worsening the problem.

Some useful tips are

• Wear support or compression stockings
• Don't stand too long
• Lift your legs on some cushions when resting
• Lose some weight
• Surgery such as sclerotherapy and vein stripping. However, be patient to see if the veins disappear after childbirth.

"My hair is falling out !"

It is actually normal due to hormonal changes and usually happen three months after delivery. During pregnancy, the hormone cause the hair follicles to delay the fallout of the hair.

After delivery, the hormone levels revert to normal and those hair that suppose to drop out previously, now happen all at the same time. That's why you get the impression you are losing more hair than normal. If you are worried, you may just take some multivitamins.

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