You should have a pretty clear picture by now of what changes you can expect in the development of your baby at various times. But what additional changes will occur in your own body during this time? You know of course, that your menstrual period will stop for nine months and resume after your baby is born. But what else can expect in terms of physical and emotional changes?

Changes in your breasts

One of the first areas of your body where you will notice a change is in your breasts. Because they are designed to produce milk, your breasts will change as they prepare for your baby’s birth. They will become larger, firmer, and more tender, and in the first months you may experience a tingling, prickly sensation near the nipples. Around the nipple is a pinkish area called the areola. This will become darker, and you will notice small “bumps” which are a normal part of the development of the glands that produce the milk. After four months, your breasts may start to exude some moisture, and in the last stages of your pregnancy, you may have to place absorbent material between your nipples and bra to absorb leakage. The moisture is caused by a fluid called “colostrums,” which is a forerunner of your milk supply. It may also be necessary to wash away any dried substance so that your nipples will not be itchy, sore or irritated. Wash nipples with warm water – no soap.

Do not be alarmed if you notice the veins on your breasts becoming larger. This is normal. The veins are simply working harder to convey a richer blood supply to your developing breasts.

Nausea

There are many hormonal changes taking place at this time and some, but by no means all, pregnant women complain of nausea during the first trimester of their pregnancies.

The nausea, commonly referred to as “morning sickness,” can occur at any time of the day, though it does seem to be more common in the morning, and usually ends by the end of third month. It may, however, return late in the pregnancy when there is increased pressure by the fetus on other abdominal organs, particularly the stomach.

There are a few simple steps you can take to relieve the nausea and increase your comfort. Eat small, simple, frequent meals. Avoid fried and greasy foods. Cabbage, cauliflower, and spinach which are hard to digest, should also be avoided. Do not avoid eating – this will make any nausea worse. If you have problems in the morning, try eating dry diet such as a few crackers or dry toast. Stay in the bed for fifteen or twenty minutes, and rise slowly. You should then be able to have a normal breakfast in half an hour. At other times during the day, simply lying down for a few minutes can help. Other women find that nausea can be prevented if they lie down for fifteen minutes after each meal. Acupressure, motion sickness bands and ginger have also been suggested as alternative treatments for nausea. Check with your healthcare professional before taking ginger or anti-nausea medication.

If you are less than six months pregnant, you can take a folic acid supplement rather than your multivitamin containing folic acid because folic acid alone is likely to upset your stomach and it is very important that you have sufficient folic acid early in your pregnancy.

Severe nausea and vomiting may lead to dehydration and weight loss and may require intravenous fluids. This extreme form of nausea and vomiting is known as hyperemesis gravidarum.

Call your clinician if:

• You cannot keep liquids down.
• You are urinating less frequently and/or in small amounts.
• Your urine is dark in color.
• You feel dizzy of faint when you stand
• You vomit blood
• You feel your heart pounding (palpitations)

Frequent urination

One difference you will notice in your habits is that you will want to urinate more often. This is because the uterus which holds your fetus is expanding and putting pressure on the bladder. This pressure feels similar to having a full bladder. Like nausea, this condition should clear up in a few weeks, but it may also come back at the end of pregnancy when a much larger fetus is being carried in the lower abdomen and again exerting pressure.

Despite this condition, it is important to keep drinking plenty of liquids. Clinicians recommend a minimum of two quarts of liquid a day. Remember that your growing fetus needs these liquids. You can however prevent walking up in the middle of the night to urinate by avoiding liquids a couple of hours before going to sleep.

Another common problem which may occur is urine leakage when you cough, laugh or sneeze. This is called stress urinary incontinence. As the uterus grows it puts pressure on the bladder. In addition, the relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles compounds the problem particularly during second and third trimesters. Kegel exercises will help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. If the urine leakage continues after delivery, continue with the Kegel exercises.

Your waistline expands

Your waistline will expand because of the dramatic changes taking place inside of you. By the start of the forth month, the fetus will have grown to more than six inches in length, and it may weigh five ounces. The fetus will also be enclosed in fluid within the uterus, and the wall of the elastic uterus will grow thicker to contain this extra load. These changes will cause your abdomen to distend, and you may notice stretch marks – pink horizontal lines – on your stomach. Some people may recommend rubbing lotion, cold cream, oil on these marks. But the truth is there is not much you can do. You are either born to get them or not. You can however control your overall body weight by following your clinician’s orders about diet.

Fetal movement

One of the most thrilling changes will occur about halfway through your pregnancy when you will probably feel a faint, gentle fluttering in your abdomen, referred to as a, “quickening.” This feeling may not return for several days, but gradually it will get stronger and stronger. In fact, towards the end of your pregnancy, you will be able at times to stand in front of a mirror and watch your fetus’ limbs poking at the walls of your abdomen.

Clinicians are aware that even embryos move, although women cannot feel them because their uteri are so well insulated. Eight weeks after conception, the embryo grows into a fetus. You can usually feel the fetus move by the 16th-20th week. By the end of the fifth month fetal movements become distinct and strong. What is the fetus doing? It is probably stretching or turning its arms and legs. Or it may be moving its head from side to side. Sometimes you may feel a frequent rhythmic pattern of movement occurring every few seconds. These movements are probably the fetus hiccupping. The hiccups may even continue after the baby is born. Feeling a fetus move for the first time is always a dramatic moment for a mother regardless of how many children she has had. It is especially surprising that the fetus can move around as much as it does in such a confined space. Remember, however, movement is not continuously felt, sometimes the fetus is asleep.

If you have not felt the fetus moving at all by twenty-two weeks, let your healthcare professional know. She may want to do an ultrasound. Sometimes the placenta is positioned on the front wall of the uterus and acts as a cushion, delaying the time when movement is first felt. If you have been feeling movement and notice the number of fetal movements has been reduced or you do not feel any movement for several hours, lie down on your left side and drink something sweet such as juice or soda. If you do not feel at least ten movements in the next two hours call your clinician. She may want to do a stress test to measure the fetal heart rate.

Contractions

Irregular contractions which can occur any time after the first trimester are called Braxton Hicks contractions after the doctor who first describes them. For some women, these contractions are like menstrual cramps, especially near the end of pregnancy. Because these contractions usually occur toward the end of pregnancy, they are sometimes the cause of what is called “false labor.” “False Labor” is caused by irregular contractions that occur without the dilation of the cervix. Mild menstrual-like cramps during the first mid-trimester are quite common.

Feelings and emotions

Your body will be undergoing some dramatic changes as it adapts to the needs of the fetus growing inside of you. There will also be changes in your hormones, and these changes can affect your feelings and emotions. You may experience periods of moodiness, but these shifts in emotions usually disappear by the fourth month; once hormone production levels off and comes into balance, your emotional well being will also come into balance.

Let’s take a typical example. One morning you may wake up with no nausea, feeling great and full of energy. You have plenty to do in the day ahead, and you are looking forward to it. Then suddenly, during breakfast, your mood darkens and you start to feel depressed. Out of nowhere, you start to cry. Then, a few minutes later, you take a shower, get dressed, and are feeling just as energetic as when you got up. These are the emotional changes that are caused by changes in your hormones, and these changes are normal.

there will also be a number of questions which you will have about the dramatic changes that will be occurring in your life. But if you look at each question logically it will be much easier to deal with this anxiety.

For example, you may worry about whether your baby will be born normal and healthy. The fact is that modern medicine has greatly reduced the role of having an abnormal child. When you start to worry about a malformed child, remember that modern medicine has put statistics on your side for having a healthy baby. Don’t let worry be a problem itself.

You may also be concerned about how a new human being will affect your relationship with your husband. Of course, there will be changes. Sexual activity is going to change somewhat in the next nine months. And as your pregnancy continues, you and your husband may become impatient for the pregnancy to end. But that is perfectly normal. And as adults, you can deal with this through tolerance, good will, common sense and open discussions.

Sometimes expectant parents have difficulty understanding their new roles. But the transition from being a “couple” to being “parents” does not mean that you will go from being a young active couple to old inactive parents, the activities which you enjoyed before need not change very much or at all. In fact, one effect that your pregnancy may well have is to deepen the relationship between you and your mate.

Your love for each other may strengthen the bond between you as you focus your love on the new baby. This new focus in on way has to diminish the love you shared before the baby.

Finally, you need to remember that childbirth is no longer shrouded in mystery. It is perfectly normal and natural function. There have been some myths that have grown about pregnancy, but they are mostly old wives tales. Many of them are silly. Let’s look at a few examples:

• If a pregnant woman attends a funeral, it will affect her baby.
• Going to the zoo and viewing ugly animals can mark your child.
• If you listen to good music while pregnant, your baby will have musical talent.

These myths are so silly that they are almost comical. There is no basis in fact. Birthmarks are coincidental and genetic and not caused by your baby looking at a baboon. There is no correlation between your thoughts and the fetus’ development. The fetus does not know whether you are at a funeral or a supermarket. When you start to become worried or hear myths such as these, remember that as a woman you were born to give birth to a new human being.

If your concerns and worries during your pregnancy interfere with your daily life notify your healthcare professional – help is available.