Here’s our guide to all the odd little (and not so little) bodily changes you might encounter.
Of course, you knew there would be a bump. And it’s at about this point in pregnancy that it might be starting to show.
But you’re starting to realise that your swelling uterus is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to weird changes to your body during pregnancy. So, here’s our guide to all the odd little (and not so little) changes you might encounter. But don’t panic - most of them are temporary!
Pregnancy hair is a thing. Chances are, it’s thick, glossy, growing fast, generally acting more like it’s vying for a leading role in a shampoo advert than ever before. It’s all about the hormones, of course. But don’t get too attracted to your lustrous mane - nature plays a cruel trick after you’ve actually given birth, and commonly causes hair loss in the postpartum period or when you stop breastfeeding. Similarly, your nails will likely be growing fast and strong during pregnancy - although some people’s actually do the opposite and can split and tear more. Either way, no drama - again, this is temporary. Pregnancy vitamins can help (you can get some that tick the folic acid box too).
You might assume any boob growth is down to milk - and while this does play a part in the third trimester, there are other reasons why your bra size might change during various stages of pregnancy too.
The surge of oestrogen and progesterone can cause breast growth early in pregnancy (in fact, some women notice it before they’ve even got that BFP - “big fat positive” if you haven’t swotted up on weird pregnancy acronyms yet). Plus, later on, your ribcage can expand due to your lung capacity increasing, which might mean you go up a back size or two.
It’s always worth going for a bra fitting to make sure you’re keeping yourself as comfortable as possible, and, if you’re planning to breastfeed, start thinking about nursing bras (although it might be a while into the postpartum period that your boobs settle into a consistent size, so we wouldn’t get too carried away with the lingerie-shopping just yet).
More stuff to buy? It’s no joke - your feet can go up a size (or more!) in pregnancy due to pesky old fluid retention. And some - whisper it - never go back to their old size! We say, find some comfy and supportive trainers to get you through the next few months and then, er, find your feet when the baby comes. You’ll probably be in slippers for the first few weeks anyway…
SO much can happen to your skin during pregnancy - while some expectant mums appear to glow (thanks to increased blood flow and oil gland secretion), others feel like 50 shades of grey (or green) if they’re nauseous and exhausted.
And it doesn’t stop there. There’s chloasma, aka the “mask of pregnancy”, when some women develop brown or yellow patches on their faces. There’s linea nigra, a dark line on the abdomen, which tends to be more prominent in people with darker skin tones. Hyperpigmentation is also a possibility, along with hormonal acne, heat rash, stretch marks… so much joy, right?
If any of these changes are causing discomfort or worrying you, it’s worth a chat with your midwife or GP. Otherwise, we promise most of them will magically disappear by the time you have a baby in your arms…
