The female body and its ability to change and adapt throughout pregnancy, delivery and postpartum is amazing. You literally GREW AN ENTIRE HUMAN. Pat yourself on the freaking back for that! Below are some of the "MVPs" of your pregnancy.
Amniotic Sac:
Your baby starts out as a ball of cells that multiplies over and over again. This forms a sac around itself, the amniotic sac (bag of water), which consists of 2 layers of thin but tough transparent membranes.
- Inner layer holds baby and amniotic fluids
- Outer layer protection that connects sac to placenta via umbilical cord
- Amniotic Fluid a clear, pale colored fluid that cushions baby and helps with systemic regulations
Umbilical Cord:
Acts as a lifeline between baby and the placenta, supplying nutrients, oxygen, filtration system and many other vital functions.
- Two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein covered by Wharton's Jelly to prevent cord compression.
Placenta:
An amazing TEMPORARY organ that your body literally creates. It plays a crucial role in pregnancy to sustain and support the baby throughout pregnancy. It acts as your baby's lungs and kidneys!
The placenta attaches to the uterine wall and is connected to baby via the umbilical cord. Oxygen, hormones and nutrients flow from the placenta to the baby and waste is transferred back from baby to the placenta.
Cervix:
This is the opening of the uterus. During pregnancy, the cervix is generally firm, thick and posterior. Here are some common terms you may hear in regards to the cervix:
- Dilation - how open the cervix is, measured in centimeters
- Effacement - how thin/thick the cervix is, measured in percentages with 100% being as thing as paper
Now that we've discussed the wonderful changes that occur inside your body to help baby grow, let's take a look at what you might see and feel.
Breast Changes
During pregnancy you may notice your breast are tender and getting larger. The nipple and areola enlarge and become darker in color. As they prepare for milk production, you may notice the blood vessels of the breasts can be seen. Sometimes Colostrum will leak from your breasts during pregnancy. Do not be concerned if your breasts do not leak. It does not mean that you will be unable to produce milk. Some women have milk leak from their breasts and some women do not.
Ways to help with comfort of growing breasts include:
- Wearing a supportive bra that does not compress, bind or rub. (You may need to buy a larger bra around the second or third trimester)
- You might want to wear a nursing bra at night if your breasts are large
Skin Changes
You may notice a dark line running down your abdomen. This is called a Linea Nigra. It is due to hormonal changes that affect the skin pigmentation. Some women have darkness around their nose or face. This is known as Chloasma. Both of these will fade during postpartum as the hormone levels get back to normal. These do not cause any permanent scarring or damage to your skin. Stretch marks can be found on the breasts, thighs, buttocks, upper arms and abdomen.
Sciatica
The enlarging uterus and your growing baby put pressure on your nerves. This can cause discomfort off and on during pregnancy. The sensation feels like tingling, numbness and or pain affecting the buttocks, hips and thighs which usually occurs on one side. Sometimes a simple change in position or stretching can help alleviate the pain or going to a chiropractor to get adjusted. Talk with your healthcare provider about ways to alleviate this pain.
Round Ligament Pain
You may be out for a walk and suddenly you feel a sharp pain in one or both sides of your abdomen or groin. The pain can be constant or intermittent, sharp or aching. This is referred to as round ligament pain. The round ligaments attach to the sides of the uterus and groin area. As the uterus grows, these ligaments stretch like a rubber band. Any sudden movement can cause them to stretch or spasm which causes the pain. Resting and applying low heat can help take away the pain. A pregnancy belt is a great way to prevent this pain from occurring.
Frequent Urination
As your uterus and baby grow, they place a lot of pressure on the bladder. What may have been a problem in the beginning of your pregnancy, comes back during the last trimester. Every time you cough, sneeze or laugh too hard you may pass a small amount of urine. Strengthening your pelvic floor during, as well as after your pregnancy help get rid of the embarrassing leakage. We teach proper core and pelvic floor function in our Prehab program! There is so much that you can do to combat pelvic floor dysfunctions, like leaking even if it's a small amount, during pregnancy through our "core basics" protocols within the app.