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| The Whole 9 Months
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My Pregnant Body
Find out if the changes you encounter are normal
By Louise Evans
Your milk ducts are beginning to form, so a soft lumpiness in your breasts is normal.
Three out of four pregnant women will have back aches. It’s caused by changes in body posture, muscle fatigue and hormones causing the relaxation of connective tissue in the body. Symptoms may begin before you’re showing and last throughout pregnancy.
Gums become more swollen and inflamed due to the changes in oestrogen and progesterone. They can bleed easily when you brush your teeth.
One in 10 expectant mums will bleed before 12 weeks. For the majority, it isn’t a signal something’s wrong. |
Your body goes through some pretty amazing changes during pregnancy. Some you’ll be expecting – stretch marks, bigger breasts or swollen ankles – but some may take you by surprise. How can you be sure, for example, that the dark line that suddenly appears under your belly button halfway through your pregnancy is normal? (It is, by the way.)
“It’s important to understand the changes your body’s going through,” says Pat Gould from the Royal College of Midwives in the UK. “But worry about every little thing and you’ll only put yourself under undue stress when you need to be in good shape to produce a healthy baby. If something is persistently troubling you, speak to your gynae, no matter how small you think it may be.”
We’ve compiled a handy guide of what you can expect to happen to your body and when you may need to seek extra advice for peace of mind.
YOUR BREASTS
IT’S NORMAL TO… experience tenderness and enlargement from the first trimester because of the increased levels of hormones progesterone and oestrogen. “Your milk ducts are beginning to form, so a soft lumpiness in your breasts is normal,” says Gould. “You may also start leaking colostrum (your baby’s first milk) from as early as 18 weeks and it’s a reassuring sign everything is going well. The skin on your nipple and areola may also darken, but again this is normal.”
GET CHECKED IF… your breasts are red and swollen, or if any lumps concern you. “It’s possible to develop mastitis ? when your milk ducts become blocked - so if your nipples are sore and red, tell your doctor,” Gould advises.
YOUR BACK
IT’S NORMAL TO… experience back pain. “Three out of four pregnant women will have back aches,” says Dr Anne Deans, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey, UK. “It’s caused by changes in body posture, muscle fatigue and hormones causing the relaxation of connective tissue in the body. Symptoms may begin before you’re showing and last throughout pregnancy.”
GET IT CHECKED IF… the pain is unbearable or persistent, in case you need further treatment.
YOUR HANDS
IT’S NORMAL TO… experience a tingling, like pins and needles, in the palm of your hand, the middle in particular. You may feel this most at night.
GET CHECKED IF… it’s constantly bothering you. But it isn’t serious. “This is carpel tunnel syndrome, where the middle of the three nerves in your hand becomes trapped due to swelling or weight gain,” Dr Deans notes. “It’s treated with a splint and usually disappears after the birth.”
YOUR HEAD
IT’S NORMAL TO… suffer more headaches than usual, especially in early pregnancy. “Any sickness and general feelings of being unwell can lead to low blood sugar, which, combined with a surge in hormones, can result in headaches,” Dr Deans explains.
GET CHECKED IF… the headaches are persistent, last for two or three days, or if you have any visual distortion or vomiting accompanied by sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet. “This could be a sign of pre-eclampsia, a serious form of high blood pressure in pregnancy, so see your gynae immediately,” cautions midwife Maureen Royds-Jones.
YOUR MOUTH
IT’S NORMAL TO… get sensitive gums. “Gums become more swollen and inflamed due to the changes in oestrogen and progesterone,” says Dr Deans. “They can bleed easily when you brush your teeth.”
GET CHECKED IF… you’re in pain. It could be an unrelated dental problem.
YOUR VAGINA
IT’S NORMAL TO… have more vaginal discharge. Some women also bleed. “One in 10 expectant mums will bleed before 12 weeks,” Dr Deans notes. “For the majority, it isn’t a signal something’s wrong.”
GET CHECKED IF… you start to bleed after 16 weeks. “If you’re known to have a low-lying placenta, it could be that,” says Royds-Jones. “Although some women bleed for no apparent reason, it’s best to investigate if you bleed in the later stage of pregnancy.”
If your discharge becomes unpleasant in smell or colour, it could be an infection, such as thrush. “This can happen because of the change of acidity in the vagina during pregnancy and is easily treatable,” reassures Gould.
YOUR BOTTOM
IT’S NORMAL TO… develop piles or suffer from constipation. “These are caused by the combination of hormones (which make your gut more sluggish), weight gain and the extra blood pumping round your body. Straining on the loo can make haemorrhoids worse,” Gould notes.
GET CHECKED IF… you’re in pain or bleeding. “It may just be a sign you need to rest more,” Gould says. “Staying hydrated with plenty of water and a
healthy diet will help to ease constipation.”
YOUR SKIN
IT’S NORMAL TO… develop dark patches of skin, which are called hyperpigmentation. “This is caused by higher levels of oestrogen, progesterone and melanocyte-stimulating hormone MSH, which produces more melanin,” Dr Deans explains. “So areas that were already darker, such as nipples, genital skin, armpits and inner thighs, tend to get even darker. Some women also develop a dark line from the belly button to their tummy - called a linea nigra - which again is completely normal.”
You can also expect stretch marks to form around your bump, breasts and bottom. “These are caused by your body’s rapid growth and the skin’s elastin and collagen becoming thinner and breaking. At first, the marks look reddish and purple, then fade to white,” adds Dr Deans.
Rashes are also usual in pregnancy. “The most common is polymorphic eruption of pregnancy,” she notes. “This is simply a red, itchy rash related to pregnancy hormones and easily treated with steroid creams.”
As your bump grows, your skin will feel drier and itchy. This is completely normal - just rub in extra moisturiser.
GET CHECKED IF… you’re vigorously itching on your palms and soles, especially at night, when there’s no apparent rash. “This may be an indicator of obstetric cholestasis (OC), a serious liver condition where bile chemicals are released into your blood instead of the gall bladder,” Dr Deans warns. “You’ll need a blood test to check your liver function.”
YOUR PELVIS
IT’S NORMAL TO… suffer groin pain as your uterus expands with your baby.
GET CHECKED IF… the pain is so unbearable you can’t move, particularly in later pregnancy. “This could be SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction), where the pelvic bone gets out of alignment and separates as your uterus grows,” explains Dr Deans. “Although it’s not curable during pregnancy, we usually give patients a corset to wear. Crutches can also help.”
YOUR ANKLES
IT’S NORMAL TO… suffer swelling in your feet or ankles. “This is so common but almost always goes away after delivery,” Dr Deans reassures. “Your growing uterus puts pressure on the veins in your legs, causing fluid to build up in your legs, ankles and feet, resulting in swelling.”
GET CHECKED IF… you’re in the final trimester and the swelling is persistent. “You may simply need a rest, but it could be a symptom of a number of conditions, including pre-eclampsia,” Gould notes. “Speak to your gynae and he’ll carry out further tests to rule those out.”
If you have any comments or practical suggestions, write to us at editor@family.sg
- Mother & Baby
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