A baby developing within the womb of a woman is truly a miracle. During this 40 week long journey, the mother goes through a number of changes – emotionally as well as physically. All the emotion changes like mood swings are triggered by hormonal changes. In most cases, the physical changes often leave the mother-to-be depressed as her body structure becomes rather lopsided due to increased weight, a bigger waistline and heavier breasts. In some cases, the hips also tend to become heavier and the limbs swell up as a result of water retention.
However, one must realize that how your body changes during pregnancy is essential not only for the benefit of the developing bundle of joy but also for the well being of the mother-to-be. The most important point to keep in mind is that the reward at the end of it all is very precious and makes all these changes seem insignificant. Also read more on belly growth during pregnancy.
The most obvious changes among all the changes that accompany the miracle of new life are abdominal changes during pregnancy. The manner in which the belly changes through a pregnancy makes hiding a pregnancy extremely difficult. This is true mainly during the last trimester – the period during which the mother-to-be and the developing child put on the most weight of the entire pregnancy term. Belly changes in early pregnancy are normally seen in the upper part of the tummy region of the body. During the initial months of pregnancy, as the baby grows, the lower ribs and the diaphragm of the expectant mother spread out to accommodate the expanding uterus and growing baby. As a result of this, the lungs do not get a chance to expand completely and this does cause shortness of breath. As the pregnancy progresses, continued stomach changes during pregnancy are seen because the uterus grows to almost five times its original size through the term. The pelvic floor muscles as well as the ligaments that hold the uterus in place often get strained leading to abdominal pain during pregnancy. This pain usually subsides on its own. As the end of the term draws near, the abdomen falls low as the baby prepares to exit the uterus. This causes a strain on the bladder. The belly button also changes during pregnancy. As the skin stretches as a result of the expanding tummy, the belly button tends to become flat and firm. In some cases, the belly button actually resembles a button as it becomes rounded and sticks out. The area tends to become itchy and some may experience mild pain caused by the stretching of the skin.
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