5 Changes Your Body Goes Through During Pregnancy

Your body is a superpower—it’s creating life! Is there anything else more powerful? As you prepare for this beautiful journey into motherhood, your body experiences so many changes. For the next nine months, you will be filled with emotions, fun, and some unexpected adventures. As a Philadelphia maternity and newborn photographer, I have this conversation with many of my clients. Often, during the newborn session, we can look back and we often share stories of our changes. Here are 5 Changes Your body experiences during pregnancy that no one tells you about. But remember, each change is a step closer to meeting your little one, making this journey into motherhood truly beautiful.

5 Changes Your Body Goes Through During Pregnancy

Acne

Hormones during pregnancy can cause changes in your skin. Let’s thank the extra hormones in our body that cause our oil glands to secrete more oil and cause breakouts. One way to help this is to maintain a cleansing routine. Remember—acne medication is not recommended for pregnant women.

The Mask of Pregnancy

No one ever told me I would get dark spots on my face, but it’s very common for pregnant women. These dark spots, also referred to as melasma and chloasma, are often in the shape of a mask, hence the term ‘Mask of Pregnancy ‘. They appear on your forehead and cheeks as a result of increased pigmentation, a gift from our extra beautiful hormones. My dermatologist always recommended that I wear extra sunscreen when I was outside to prevent these spots from getting darker.

Your Hair Changes

Along with changes to our skin, our hair is also affected by our increase in hormones. Many women experience an excess of hair growth. With the changes in estrogen, the extra growth in body hair can be seen after the second trimester and towards the end of the pregnancy. But don’t worry—soon after birth, you start to shed the extra hair.

Feet change

Your feet may swell during pregnancy, especially for those longer days and summer heat days. But did you know your feet will grow in length and wider? This is because as the ligaments in your pelvic area relax to prepare for your childbirth, so do the ligaments in your feet, causing your feet to widen and grow longer. Some women say they grew a half or a whole size bigger. After birth, many women can return to their regular shoe size; for others, their feet stay that size. Refrain from squeezing into your old shoes, and treat yourself to a new pair.

Vison Changes

Along with all the other body changes, you may experience changes in your vision. These changes, although they may seem unsettling, are temporary and will return to normal after birth or once you finish breastfeeding. So, rest assured, your vision will be back to its usual self soon. The hormonal fluctuations experienced during pregnancy can cause many unexpected changes in your body, including your eyes and vision. Some of the changes in your vision include blurry vision, dry eyes, puffy eyelids, flashing lights, floaters, or spots. Most of these changes are temporary and will return to normal once you give birth or even after breastfeeding. Knowing which vision changes are regular for an expecting mother and which could indicate a problem that requires medical attention is essential. So always talk to your doctor. Your health and safety are our top priority.

Body Changes during Pregnancy

With all the beautiful changes our body experiences during pregnancy, we can expect some not-so-fun. From small changes to more noticeable ones like hair growth. It’s all part of the adventure and your journey into motherhood. These 5 changes your body goes through during pregnancy are just some of the changes you will experience. Remember, these are just temporary, and the journey can still be an amazing one.

If your pregnat, now is a good time to explore your ideas for your maternity and newborn portraits. There are so many options for both we can do. I would love to hear all your ideas. Let’s connect here: Diana Smyth Photography