Not every woman will look like that gorgeous model in that
magazine. Similarly, not every pregnant woman will still
look beautiful and svelte than before. Fact.
The ugly truth is nine out of ten pregnant women suffer
from some kind of physical discomfort, not to mention their
fatigued and ungainly appearance - sluggish movement,
flabby tummy, arms and legs, thicker waist, excess flab and
more.
New mothers are already stressed by what they saw in
mirrors. It could get worse if they are unable to regain
pre-pregnancy looks and yet have to look after a crying
baby. Coupled with lack of family support and exhaustion,
new mothers could easily fall prey to post-natal depression.
Fortunately, many physicians agree that most mothers, once
they understand the physiology behind these physical
changes, are able to handle them very well and adapt very
quickly.
Sometimes, medication and counseling are necessary if
doctors detect symptoms of disturbances for some mothers.
Neglect is never the solution as it may lead to or
aggravate post-natal depression.
According to obstetricians and gynecologists, if you are
pregnant, you would likely to experience the following
physical changes. It definitely helps you to learn to
accept these changes if you understand more about them.
"I'm tired all the time"
Giving birth saps a lot of your energy, so it is natural
after childbirth you will feel weakness or dizziness. The
recovery usually takes from two weeks to two months,
depending on your physique. That's why in some countries
like Singapore, mothers are allowed maternity leave up to 3
months, to recuperate.
The Chinese view this as loss of "qi", therefore you can
replenish "qi" by consuming tonics and keeping warm with
clothes and socks. Actually the preventive measure is to
build up your blood store before and during pregnancy by
consuming adequate iron, folic acid and multivitamins.
You may also feel aches in the back and lower pubic bone
areas due to the strain on the ligaments and muscles.
However, these are only temporary discomfort.
"My breasts become bigger"
If you find your breasts grow from B cup to C cup, don't be
alarmed - your breasts are getting ready for breastfeeding.
Furthermore, hormonal changes during the pregnancy cause
more melanin to deposit into the skin cells at the nipples
and areola, leading to darkening of nipple or areola skin
tone.
After breastfeeding, your breasts may not be able to regain
to their old sizes and worse still, they may become saggy
and loose. This may not be good news to you, especially if
you are already a heavy-breasted woman.
"What are these marks on my body? "
They are called stretch marks which are formed as result of
a split in your skin's supportive tissue to accommodate a
growing baby. They are initially red and will turn darker.
However, after pregnancy, they may turn silvery or blue.
The bad news is they are also permanent, though they may
fade in intensity. So far, no medication or creams are
effective in removing them, but some do help to speed up
the fading effect.
"What is incontinence ?"
Incontinence means that you lose control of your bladder or
bowel which can be embarrassing. This could be due to
physical injury or trauma to the pelvic floor muscles.
The likely causes of injury are a difficult forceps
delivery, prolonged labour, or vaginal delivery of a large
baby. In the case of difficult delivery, use of Caesarean
could help to reduce pelvic floor trauma.
It is a symptom but not a disease itself, therefore it can
be treated. Don't be afraid to seek medical help. If you
delay treatment, you will run the risk of developing
rashes, sores and skin and urinary tract infections.
Your social life will also be affected as you will try to
avoid your family and friends for fear of embarrassment.
You should follow a well-balanced diet, and avoid food or
drinks that may irritate their bladders, such as caffeine,
alcohol, carbonated drinks and spicy foods.
Citrus fruits and juices must be cut down too. For diabetes
patients, sugar intake must be reduced in your diet so as
to control the glucose level.
Exercising and strengthening the muscles of the pelvic
floor, widely known as Kegel's exercise named after Arnold
Kegel, M.D, helps to cure incontinence.
"Why are my veins so obvious now?"
You may notice more veins become more prominent in your
legs during pregnancy. These veins, called varicose and
spider veins, appear because the weight of your womb exerts
more pressure on the major vein (inferior vena cava) on the
right side of the body. This in turn increases the pressure
in the leg veins.
Increased progesterone levels during pregnancy also cause
the blood vessel walls to relax, thereby worsening the
problem.
Some useful tips are
1.Wear support or compression stockings
2.Don't stand too long
3.Lift your legs on some cushions when resting
4.Lose some weight
5.Surgery such as sclerotherapy and vein stripping.
However, be patient to see if the veins disappear after
childbirth.
"My hair is falling out !"
It is actually normal due to hormonal changes and usually
happen three months after delivery. During pregnancy, the
hormone cause the hair follicles to delay the fallout of
the hair.
After delivery, the hormone levels revert to normal and
those hair that suppose to drop out previously, now happen
all at the same time. That's why you get the impression you
are losing more hair than normal.
If you are worried, you may just take some multivitamins.
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Laura Ng is passionate in providing quality nutritional
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