Acne
“i never had pimples as a kid or an adult
— now all of a sudden I do,” says dawn, an
expectant mom in her second trimester.
Pregnancy does make certain women more
pimple-prone, since oil glands step up
production when you’re expecting. On the
other hand, if you had premenstrual
breakouts before becoming pregnant, the
extra estrogen may banish your blemishes.
Topical retinoids (like retin-a or
tazorac) which are prescribed to treat
acne aren’t recommended during pregnancy.
Bigger feet
no, they won’t grow to match your belly,
but your feet may gradually increase as
much as a full size during pregnancy.
Why? Hormonal changes can cause swelling
in the joints and loosen ligaments,
causing the foot to flatten. Shop for
shoes at day’s end, when feet are at their
largest, and treat yourself to a new pair
of athletic shoes or supportive sandals
such as birkenstocks. But if you
experience sudden swelling, report it to
your care provider.
Bleeding gums and nosebleeds
“progesterone release softens the tissues
of the mucous membranes,” preparing the
vagina and cervix for birth, says london,
ontario, public health nurse and prenatal
teacher deanna stirling. Hand in hand
with increased circulation, elevated
levels of this hormone may make you more
susceptible to nosebleeds and bleeding
gums. Using a humidifier and applying a
light layer of petroleum jelly to your
nostrils help ward off nosebleeds by
keeping mucous membranes moist. Since
oral infections can increase your risk of
premature delivery, protect your gums with
regular brushing, flossing and visits to
your dentist.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
do you have tingling or numbness in your
hands? The culprit may be swelling in the
carpal tunnel, a narrow nerve channel in
the wrist. Ask your caregiver about using
special splints to help keep the pathway
open.
Drooling
“some women will find they have increased
salivation, which can aggravate nausea,”
london, ontario, midwife kathi wilson
says. Try sucking a hard candy during
daytime, and cover your pillow with a
towel to soak up saliva.
Eye and vision changes
no kidding — pregnancy can even affect
your eyesight. An increase in fluid
volume can subtly alter the shape of the
eye, changing the way light is focused.
If you wear glasses or contact lenses,
this means your prescription may change,
at least until junior makes an appearance.
Contact wearers can suddenly find lenses
cause redness and irritation, and may
temporarily need to switch to specs.
However, sudden vision changes or
disturbances — such as flashes of light or
seeing stars — should be reported promptly
to your caregiver.
Hair changes
here’s a strange one. Some women find
normally kinky tresses straighten, or
straight hair starts to curl.
And thanks to increased hormonal activity,
“hair is less likely to fall out during
pregnancy and often seems fuller,”
explains stirling. Unfortunately, you’ll
likely lose the extra locks after your
baby arrives.
Itchy skin
as the skin on your belly stretches to new
dimensions, it may itch in protest. Some
women even develop an extremely irritating
rash called puppp (pruritic urticarial
papules and plaques of pregnancy — sounds
lovely, doesn’t it?), the cause of which
isn’t exactly understood. While
moisturizer may ease itchiness due to dry
skin, you may need a dermatologist to
prescribe medication for other conditions.
Rarely, itching can be a clue your liver
function isn’t up to par, so be sure to
inform your caregiver if the urge to
scratch disturbs your sleep or preoccupies
much of your day, advises wilson.
Joint and ligament pain
the same hormones that relax your
ligaments in preparation for stretching
the pelvic joints during birth can cause
discomfort before the baby arrives.
“sciatic pain (that travels down the leg)
and back pain can be related to the
relaxation of ligaments,” says wilson.
Good posture and supportive shoes may
bring relief, as can massage administered
by a therapist who specializes in treating
pregnant women.
A sharp or dull ache in either side of the
groin is another common complaint, due to
the stretching of the ligaments that
attach the uterus to the pelvis. If the
discomfort persists, check with your
caregiver.
Loud heartbeat
here’s another odd but fairly common
experience: “some women are more aware of
their heart beating because it moves
closer to the chest wall during
pregnancy,” explains wilson.
Migraine
if you suffered from migraines before
getting pregnant, hormonal changes may
actually decrease the frequency of
headaches. On the other hand, women whose
migraines are linked to their menstrual
cycle may experience more attacks.
Fatigue, tension, stress and hunger can
also aggravate head-aches, so try to get
enough rest and carry high-carb snacks for
emergencies. Contact your caregiver if
you suddenly develop headaches late in
pregnancy, which may warn of
complications.
Nails
the surge in circulation that occurs when
you’re expecting may increase the flow of
nutrients to the nails, making the tissue
stronger. The result: tougher,
faster-growing nails.
Pigment changes
tired of your hair colour? Pregnancy may
alter it without resorting to messy dyes.
“my hair is a deeper shade of brown, and I
sure like the colour!” reports kennan
silva of edmonton, who is pregnant with
her third child. (the effect isn’t always
so desirable — a red-headed acquaintance’s
once-matching eyebrows turned black!)
pigment production in the skin also
increases during pregnancy, producing the
linea nigra (the dark line connecting the
belly button to the pubic area), and
darkening the areolae around your nipples.
Some women also develop pregnancy mask,
which resembles an uneven facial tan.
Finally, the extra hormones produced
during pregnancy can increase your skin’s
sensitivity to sun, says wilson, so
slather on the sunscreen when you’re not
in the shade.
Shortness of breath
in the first trimester, hormonal changes
can leave you short of breath; in the
last, the growing baby pressing against
your ribs and diaphragm may leave less
room for you to take a really deep breath.
If, however, shortness of breath crops up
suddenly, or the feeling doesn’t subside
when you rest, contact your doctor, as it
can be a warning sign of pre-eclampsia.
Sinus and nasal congestion
mucous membrane changes can also cause
cold-like symptoms — such as stuffiness,
coughs due to post-nasal drip and sinus
headaches. Your doctor or midwife may be
able to suggest over-the-counter remedies
that safely alleviate some of these
symptoms.
Skin tags and spots
the same physiological changes that make
your hair grow so luxuriantly can also
cause less welcome growth. Skin tags are
little balls of skin that appear under the
arms or on the neck, and angiomas are red
spots that sometimes linger after birth.
Check with your doctor about any growths
that rapidly increase in size, change
colour or begin to bleed.
Taste
some women complain of an oddly “metallic”
taste in their mouths during pregnancy.
Others find they dislike foods they
previously enjoyed and vice versa.
Vaginal discharge
as your body gears up for delivery, glands
in the cervix start to work overtime,
notes stirling, so an increase in vaginal
discharge is usually normal. However,
contact your caregiver if it’s accompanied
by other symptoms, such as foul odour,
itchiness or burning, since these signal
an infection. If you’re prone to yeast
infections, a change in vaginal ph can
pave the way for these micro-organisms.
Vulvar varicosities
it’s not so much the what as the where
that women find surprising about these
relatives of hemorrhoids. Varicose veins
on the vulva are very common during
pregnancy, due to the laxness of blood
vessel walls, increased circulation and
the pressure of the baby restricting the
return of blood from the area.
Varicosities feel worse when you stand
still, so walk when you can, and lie down
or put your feet up frequently to keep
blood from pooling in your perineum. A
baggie of ice chips can also ease aching,
and some women swear by wearing bicycle
shorts or support hose.
Zzzzz’s
pregnant women, especially in the first
trimester have been known to drift off
mid-conversation. Your body is working
hard to grow your baby, so get into the
habit of grabbing 40 winks when you can.
Later, when you reach the last few weeks
of pregnancy, you may find it hard to get
comfortable enough to get a full night’s
sleep. Lots of pillows help. Try lying
on your side with one between your legs
and another under your belly.
I thought this was so
interesting..Enjoy!
Shannon
*this was taken from
h
ttp://www.Todaysparent.Com/pregnancybirth/
pregnancy/article.Jsp;jsessionid=acicelnhl
ihb?Content=1070088 check this site
out*
