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Changes in Pregnant Mothers During Pregnancy

Changes in Pregnant Mothers During Pregnancy: 3 Common Changes

 Pregnancy is a special, emotional and ever-changing journey. The mother’s body undergoes many changes during this process to prepare for the baby’s birth. These changes are not only physical but also affect the mind and emotions. In this article, expectant mothers will understand more about the changes and the necessary nutrition for postpartum mothers.

Physical Changes During Pregnancy:

The mother's body will undergo significant changes. These changes range from internal organ systems to external appearance. Specifically:

  • Changes in the mammary glands:

The nipples become more sensitive than usual during pregnancy. In preparation for milk production, the breasts gradually increase in size. The Montgomery's tubercles also enlarge, softening the skin and areola. The mammary glands may begin to secrete milk in the last months of pregnancy.

  • Skeletal changes:

As the fetus grows, the sacrococcygeal joints and pubic symphysis also relax and soften. This allows the pelvis to easily change size, allowing it to expand with the growth of the fetus and making it ready for vaginal birth.

  • Skin changes:

One of the changes that occur during pregnancy is changes in the skin. Melasma can appear on the mother's face. It usually occurs in areas such as the abdomen, chest, thighs and buttocks. In areas such as the neck, chest, groin, the skin is dark and dark.

  • Changes in the circulatory system: 

Increased blood volume in pregnant women to meet the nutritional and oxygen needs of mother and fetus. At that time, the heart will have to work harder, so pregnant women have difficulty controlling rapid heartbeat.

As the fetus grows, the uterus compresses the inferior vena cava, causing hypotension when lying down, constipation, hemorrhoids, etc. Venous congestion can lead to leg swelling. Increased clotting factors can increase the risk of venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.

  • Respiratory system changes:

As the pregnancy progresses, the fetus grows larger and pushes the diaphragm upward. This makes the mother feel short of breath, breathing quickly and shallowly. This symptom is more common in cases of pregnancy or multiple pregnancies.

  • Changes in the digestive system:

Pregnant women with morning sickness in the early months of pregnancy may have difficulty eating, feel nauseous or vomit a lot, become sensitive to certain smells and have changes in taste. Usually, these symptoms will gradually disappear by the middle of pregnancy, but there are also women who have morning sickness throughout their pregnancy.

Pregnant women often have abdominal pain and diarrhea in early pregnancy. Pregnant women can become constipated when taking supplements or hormonal changes, the fetus compresses the colon. Some pregnant women also have severe constipation leading to hemorrhoids.

  • Changes in the urinary system: 

The volume of the mother's uterus will increase, leading to urinary incontinence and increased urination. Nocturia is a common problem for pregnant mothers in the last months of pregnancy.

When the uterus compresses the ureter, the urinary reservoir can cause myositis, myositis and retrograde infection.

  • Changes in genitalia:

What changes will the uterus have during pregnancy? The part that changes the most in the female reproductive system is the body of the uterus. The weight of the uterus can be 20 times larger than when not pregnant. As the fetus grows, the uterus will have a shape corresponding to the lying position of the fetus such as a horizontal plane, an egg shape, a heart shape, etc. The normal cervix will be sealed with thick and opaque mucus to prevent infection. When the pregnant woman goes into labor, the cervix will gradually open to prepare for vaginal birth.

  • Hormonal changes:

Pregnant women also experience many hormonal changes. High levels of HCG can cause nausea or vomiting. In preparation for milk production by the mammary glands, prolactin levels also increase. In order for the fetus to metabolize water and salt, prolactin is present in dark water.

Progesterone relaxes the uterine muscles and controls uterine contractions. Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux are that progesterone slows intestinal motility, slows digestion, and reduces sphincter muscle tone.

  • Whole body changes: 

Swelling of the feet, increased body weight and enlargement of organs are the most noticeable changes in the body during pregnancy. Fluid retention, an increase in blood volume that thins the blood, also occurs in pregnant women.

  • Acne:

Pregnant women often suffer from acne during pregnancy, especially acne due to hormonal disorders. Accordingly, increased hormone levels cause pregnant women's skin to produce sebum, the skin's natural oil, leading to acne and enlarged pores.

Acne can appear in any pregnant woman, even those who have little or no acne, or pregnant women who often have acne during their menstrual period will be more likely to have acne during pregnancy. However, pregnant women do not need to worry because acne usually appears in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

During this period, hormones will return to balance and acne will naturally disappear. Pregnant women can use prescription drugs and should consult a doctor before using them. In addition, pregnant women should use natural skin care methods that are safe and suitable for their facilities.

  • Weight gain:

When pregnant, you will definitely gain weight, which makes many pregnant mothers "crisis" because the weight jumps too quickly or the body becomes heavier than before. Therefore, mothers should follow the doctor's instructions to gain weight slowly and avoid stretching the skin due to stretching too quickly or making the mother unable to adapt to the changes in the body.

Therefore, based on the trimester, changes to determine ideal weight:

  • First trimester (first 3 months) : From 0.4kg/month, equivalent to 1.2kg/3 months.
  • Second trimester (middle 3 months) : From 0.45kg/week, equivalent to 5kg/3 months.
  • Third trimester (last 3 months): From 0.5kg/week, equivalent to 6kg/3 months.

Therefore, pregnant women need to gain 12 kg during the 9 months/40 weeks of pregnancy. In addition, the amount of weight gain for each pregnant woman will be different based on their body and condition.

Emotional and Mental Changes:

Pregnant women are often “controlled” by their emotions by internal substances. Pregnant women often have unstable moods and feel uncomfortable due to changes in hormone levels, making it difficult for people around them to understand. Some of the mental and emotional changes of pregnant women include:

  • If a pregnant woman has had depression, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or bipolar disorder before pregnancy, symptoms will often become more severe.
  • All pregnant women worry. It can be about the development of the fetus, about giving birth, about family finances, about raising children in the future, and countless other issues.
  • In addition, pregnant women often feel conflicted. A pregnant woman may feel overwhelmed with happiness at one time, but there are also times when she feels light. There are things that make a pregnant woman confused, but there are also things that make her feel guilty.
  • Every pregnant woman is criticized and judged. She becomes sensitive, vulnerable, tearful and emotional.
  • Pregnant mothers believe in folk beliefs. Pregnant mothers should do everything they can to feel most comfortable if they feel more secure about abstaining to avoid bad things.

How Does Your Lifestyle Change During Pregnancy?

  • Frequent urination:

When a mother is pregnant from the first trimester, she will urinate more due to hormonal changes and the growing size of the uterus puts pressure on the bladder and reduces urine capacity.

That's why frequent urination is a normal sign in pregnant women. However, if pregnant women have frequent urination with burning sensation, it can be a sign of urinary tract infection, so you should call your doctor immediately for treatment.

  • Morning sickness, bloating, nausea:

The most common symptoms of pregnancy are nausea and morning sickness. Accordingly, high levels of progesterone will be released, causing the digestive muscles to relax, more easily understood as falling into a state of "rest". This causes food in the stomach to be pushed up into the esophagus, causing a feeling of nausea.

Additionally, progesterone slows down digestion, causing pregnant women to feel bloated and gassy due to undigested food.

In the early stages of pregnancy, pregnant women often experience nausea and morning sickness, but some mothers continue to have morning sickness until the 16th or 18th week. The mother has turned into severe morning sickness, lacking vitamins and minerals. It is necessary to visit the doctor and comment on the mother's diet.

  • Taste changes:

When pregnant mothers have to change their appetite during pregnancy, this is not only confusing for mothers but also makes husbands more headache when they do not know how to "please" their wives. Hormonal changes (hCG) during pregnancy can be the cause of changes in pregnant mothers. This can make mothers both crave and lose their appetite in a short time.

The mother's ability to secrete stomach acid and the mother's ability to digest will reduce the hormone gonadotropin secreted during pregnancy. As a result, pregnant women easily crave sour foods but have a loss of appetite. In addition, pregnant women's sensitivity to smelling strong-smelling foods, such as fish sauce, coffee, etc.

  • Constipation:

There are many causes of constipation during pregnancy, including:

  • Increased progesterone levels cause the intestines to go into a “resting” state, slowing down their activity and slowing down digestion.
  • Due to the growing uterus compressing the nerves.
  • The fetus grows large and shrinks the space of the digestive tract.
  • Pregnant women with little exercise or lack of water.
  • Supplementing too much iron, calcium and other substances is beneficial for the fetus.
  • If left untreated, constipation can cause hemorrhoids in pregnant women, or threaten the lives of both mother and child by causing miscarriage, premature birth, fetal malnutrition, etc.

What is the Postpartum Nutrition Regimen for Pregnant Mothers?

Breastfeeding mothers need more energy and nutrients than when they were pregnant because they lose more energy and nutrients due to blood loss during labor, colostrum production, and milk production immediately after birth.

Energy requirements: 

The energy needs of breastfeeding mothers are about 500 kcal/day more than those of non-pregnant women. In addition, the energy needs of pregnant mothers during breastfeeding also depend on their physical activity and weight gain during pregnancy. Specifically:

  • Women before and during pregnancy need good nutrition because they gain 10–12 kg. It is necessary to ensure energy needs of 2,260 kcal/day for light workers and 2,550 kcal/day for average workers.
  • Women who do not have a good diet before and during pregnancy and gain less than 10 kg need to eat more and a variety of foods to ensure the baby's energy needs.

Nutritional requirements:

  • Protein: Breastfeeding women need 79g per day in the first 6 months after giving birth. Need to provide 73g of total protein per day in the next 6 months. Protein should use more than 30% of animal protein. Foods such as fish, meat, eggs, milk, beans and other foods should be prioritized for postpartum mothers.
  • Fats: Breastfeeding mothers need 20–30% of their dietary energy from fat. Fats such as EPD, DHA, n3 and n6 are found in fish oil, some fatty fish and some vegetable oils and are important for the development of the baby's brain and vision.
  • Vitamins and minerals: Breastfeeding mothers should get the necessary amount of minerals and vitamins. Pregnant mothers should eat at least 400g of fruits and vegetables every day and provide enough fiber to avoid constipation.
  • Water: Breastfeeding mothers should drink about 2 to 2.5 liters of water per day to produce enough milk for their babies.

Postpartum mothers also need to note:

  • Get enough sleep and rest properly.
  • Exercise gently when possible.
  • Avoid stress and keep your mind relaxed.

Conclude:

Pregnancy is a memorable stage in every woman’s life. Knowing the changes that occur in both the body and emotions will help the mother-to-be better prepared for this journey. Postpartum nutrition is also important for health recovery and breastfeeding. Remember that every pregnancy journey is special, caring and loving the mother and baby will make this stage even more special.


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