First, congratulations! Pregnancy is an exciting time in any woman’s life. While you’re learning all about this new phase and what the next nine months will hold, there are a few amazing things that you should know.
For instance, did you know that fathers can take paternity leave? While that’s interesting, what happens to your body is even more fascinating. Here are five things you can expect during your first pregnancy.
1. Nesting Instincts
One of the more unique changes you’ll go through is called the nesting instinct. All of a sudden, you’ll feel a strong desire to prepare your home like a mother bird would for her chicks. You might find yourself cleaning, decorating, washing walls and more out of nowhere.
Don’t be afraid to take some time off to foster these instincts. Employment law is very clear about what rights a pregnant woman has. So, put your foot down and enjoy this special time in your life.
2. Larger Shoes
You already know that maternity clothes are on the horizon, but did you know that you’ll need to buy larger shoes as well? Your body takes on extra fluid during pregnancy, causing various parts of you to swell. One of those happens to be your feet. Thankfully, you can always wear a comfy pair of slip-ons.
3. Hair and Nails
Aside from fluid, your body also goes through major hormonal changes. A spike in hormones can affect your hair and nails in surprising ways. First, your hair will grow at a faster rate and fall out less (which means less clogged drains).
Second, you might find hair growing in unwanted places. Your face and belly are prime targets, but managing these changes is easy. Your hair may also change color, become dry, or get oily. Don’t panic, everything returns to normal shortly after birth.
Finally, your nails are also affected. They might grow faster and become stronger as a result of your increased hormone levels. Other women find that theirs break or split more easily. You can avoid splits by skipping nail polish as well as any nail polish remover.
4. Change in Bra Size
This is a well-known change, but amazing nonetheless. Your breasts begin to grow during your first trimester due to an increase in estrogen and progesterone. While some women stop growing after the first trimester, others continue this unique spurt throughout their pregnancy.
At the same time, your bra size can change just from an expanding ribcage. Your lung capacity increases while you’re pregnant, allowing extra oxygen for the baby. The combination can mean buying multiple bras during the next nine months.
5. Changes to Your Skin
Skin changes are perhaps the most unique. You’ve probably heard that pregnancy makes your skin glow, but that isn’t all that happens. You might find brown or yellow spots on your face, a dark line down the middle of your stomach, or darkening of the skins around your more private areas.
All of these are perfectly natural. It’s your body’s reaction to increased blood flow for both your organs and the baby’s environment inside your uterus. You might also get acne bursts or heat rashes from time to time. That’s just from the hormones.
One thing you can look forward to is that pregnancy glow. It happens because your skin is stretching ever so slightly to accommodate the baby. While that doesn’t sound appealing, it actually makes you look more youthful.