When you’re trying to get pregnant just about everything can seem like a symptom. Sometimes it’s wishful thinking and other times it’s actually your body changing to make way for a new life.
I know I had to wait a long time to finally get my bundle of joy. After using every resource YourFertilityFriend has to offer, taking your basal body temperature religiously every morning and adjusting your lifestyle to prime yourself for pregnancy, it’s like a miracle when it finally arrives.
There are many things I wish I knew before becoming a mother. That includes the first few months of motherhood when your body begins to transform. Sometimes in ways, you wouldn’t expect.
I don’t want other new moms to get blindsided during one of the most joyful times in life, so I’m filling your ladies in on what to expect. Below are 10 of the body changes that can happen soon after conception.
Smells That Don’t Smell the Same
An unexpected change that can hit you out of nowhere is smell changes. Things that once smelled great can suddenly turn your stomach. It’s a side effect of pregnancy that can make morning sickness much worse. Be careful around strong smells since you never know how you’ll react.
Blood Volume Increases
During pregnancy, you produce 50% more blood. You may not realize the blood is increasing, but you’ll probably see the effects. Two commonly known pregnancy changes, oedema and higher temperature, are a result of the increased blood.
Hair Grows Lusciously Thick
One of the pleasant changes that come with pregnancy is a thicker head of hair. All the extra blood flow and pregnancy hormones help your hair grow faster. Your hair will also fall out less. Enjoy it now because once you give birth you’ll start to shed all that extra hair.
Bulging Veins
One of the not so great side effects of having more blood flowing through your system is bulging veins. You’ll notice the veins in your legs and feet getting larger and more noticeable. The dreaded varicose veins are also a result of the baby putting pressure on the vena cava. It’s a major vein connected to the veins in the legs.
Sex Drive on Overdrive
You’d think after getting pregnant your sex drive would calm down since there’s already a bun in the oven. However, after the first trimester, you may find that you’re more interested in hitting the sheets with your significant other. At this point estrogen and progesterone decrease, which helps fatigue subside so you have the energy for nooky. Higher blood flow also increases arousal.
Your Organs Shift Around
You may be wondering how a baby is going to fit inside your body. The answer is your organs are going to shift. That’s right, your organs (mainly the bladder, intestines, stomach, and liver) will move up as the baby grows.
Frequent Toots and Poots
With so much pressure on your stomach that squeezed up against other organs toots and poots going to happen. It’s something that is going to slip out from time to time, and unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about it.
Your Feet Will Get Bigger
All the added weight of carrying around a baby for months can do a number on your feet. In addition to swollen ankles, you may notice that your shoes don’t fit the same. It’s not your imagination. The ligaments can get strained and the pregnancy hormone relaxin relaxes the ligaments making feet lengthen up to a full size.
Melasma Mask of Pregnancy
The dreaded “mask of pregnancy” happens to a lot of women. It’s a condition called melasma that causes brown spots to form on the skin. It should go away within a year of giving birth but could be permanent.
All of these changes are common during pregnancy, but keep in mind every woman is different. You may not experience all of them or they could be fairly mild. The best advice I can give is try to relax and enjoy the ride!
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