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Body changes in pregnancy

Advice on the body changes you may experience during pregnancy, with information on diet, weight, hormones and health problems.


Discuss body changes in pregnancy on our forums, right now! Or, post a comment below.

Enormous physical, hormonal and emotional changes take place during pregnancy over a relatively short period of time. The body has to adapt to carrying up to 20lb of baby, waters and placenta, which can impose physical strain on all the organs and tissues. Most of this weight will be carried infront causing your centre of gravity to change.

Aches and pains are common during pregnancy, as the body changes shape to accommodate the increasing size and weight of the uterus. This involves considerable changes to posture.

If the mother has existing back problems, or strains in her body from past accidents or trauma, it may be more difficult for her to accommodate these changes, and she may suffer more discomfort as a result.

The ligaments of the whole body soften during pregnancy due to the action of hormones. This allows the bones of the pelvis to separate slightly during the delivery to facilitate the passage of the baby?s head through the pelvis. Unfortunately this softening affects the whole body and makes it more vulnerable to strain during the pregnancy.

Postural changes may cause backache, neckache, headaches, aching legs and undue fatigue. Postural changes through the lower ribs and spine can impede the action of the diaphragm and make breathing difficult.

Tension within the pelvis or diaphragm area can increase resistance to the return of venous blood to the heart from the lower half of the body. This can cause or aggravate varicose veins in the legs, and haemorrhoids.

As the baby grows and takes up more space within the abdomen there is less space to move about, and your baby will find a preferred position. The mother?s posture has to adapt to accommodate the position of the baby, and if this conflicts with her own postural needs it may cause undue aches and pains. This is the reason that one pregnancy may be much more uncomfortable to carry than another.

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I'm 17 weeks pregnant and started to show quite early, i had a little bump by 10 weeks (but i'm a size 8 so usually shows early) and my 'big' noticabe bump was around from 14 weeks. With my first baby, i didn't have a noticable bump until 20 weeks. I started feeling flutters at 16 weeks and they have got a tad stronger this weeks - so exciting! Everyone is different though :-)
added by harveyandbump [Thu 28th Aug 2008 @ 17:20:56]
I started feeling what I think was the baby moving last week (I am 14 weeks and 5 days). Just felt like a little fluttering on the left side of my abdomen while I was lying in bed. Thought that this was unlikely because it's so early but my mum reckons it happened at about the same time with her and so did my pal. Think that anything up to 20 weeks or so is perfectly normal.
added by ElFidela [Mon 4th Aug 2008 @ 09:07:19]
hiya im nine weeks pregnant now!! i had alot of problems at the start of my pregnancy the hospital thought it wasnt in the right place!! scary but had the all clear now my boobs are really sore too i had a good couple of weeks of sickness but havnt had anything for the last week now!! ive felt really dizzy though and im soooooooo shattered all the time and hungry!! i also feel like im showing already but no one else can see it!!
good luck to everyone else
added by Kaleah [Mon 4th Aug 2008 @ 09:06:57]
when will i be able to feel my baby moving?? i am 12 weeks
added by lottie1990 [Tue 27th May 2008 @ 08:37:59]
hi im 19 weeks pregnant. i started showing at about 8 weeks, but as im a small size 8 this was to be expected i guess. my boobs are massive and the morning sickness has stopped. i felt my baby move three weeks ago for the first time and this reasurred me so much. good luck to evr1. x
added by natalie8712 [Mon 25th Feb 2008 @ 08:38:36]
i am 10 weeks pregnant and still feeling sick all day long! my breasts are massive and sore and i'm starving hungry all the time! i have put weight on all over but have no sign of a bump yet! i'm a curvy size 14, and my stomach isn't very toned - will my bump manage to peep through my fat tum at this early stage?
added by kcutajar [Fri 15th Feb 2008 @ 09:22:04]
as a first time expectant, it's good to hear/see that all the questions I always 'toss and turn' about at night, is what everyone else out there is asking themselves. I am 13 weeks and there is no sign of any pregnancy, that I even question whether I am indeed expecting or it's in the mind. is it because of my petite body?? I haven't seen my baby yet, though I have a week to go, perharps this will answer all my questions. You all have just put my mind at ease. Tnx
added by Tato [Mon 21st Jan 2008 @ 15:29:09]
im worried too about my lack of symptoms etc. im 11 weeks and im not showing at all. i have a little belly but suspiciously always seems to appear after ive eaten! ive had no morning sickness either- dont know whether thats good or bad..
for everyone on here, by what week did you start to show. i.e you looked in the mirror and could see a little bump?

added by ladymystikal [Mon 17th Dec 2007 @ 12:56:31]
i am 8 weeks pregnant with our first baby and have already put on weight!!! I am wanting to go the gym but am worried if i will hurt our baby! I feel hungry all the time but eat lots of fruit and vegetables and pasta. Im also very tired all the time, breasts are killing me!!!!! and are massive!! i also get morning sickness that last all day!!!!! Plus im from Australia and over here working and miss home terribly!!!!!!!!!!!
added by Danielle9 [Wed 5th Dec 2007 @ 15:31:43]
I am almost 18 weeks pregnant now. I am a little concrened that when I weigh myself I do not appear to have put any weight on, although I am beginning to show a little. Can anyone tell me is this normal ? Please advise.
added by t3brmgirlie [Wed 21st Nov 2007 @ 10:18:18]
is it normal not to get nausea in pregnancy as 6 weeks and not had any yet!!!
added by kelli [Thu 12th Jul 2007 @ 12:45:14]
It is my first baby and went to the doctor last week he confirmed im 7weeks .already my breasts are painfaul and has enlarged.pains in my abdomen and sometimes have nausea..This is my first pregnancy i dont know what to expect.i read magazines and reseach on the internet.to gain little knowledge about growing baby.
added by IRO [Tue 19th Jun 2007 @ 08:43:13]
I have 2months to go and still have no strech marks! Is there something wrong with me or are they comming soon?
added by tinkypooh [Tue 22nd May 2007 @ 16:30:20]
Krissy,

i know exactly what you're going through. I am now 7 weeks pregnant having had a miscarriage back in July. I am very worried about what might happen especially since my breasts are also now less tender than they were last week. I do, however, have some feelings of nausea, whcih i didn't have at all last time, so I'm clutching onto the hope that that's a good sign. I haven't yet been able to see my GP, who is an obstetric specialist because he's been on holiday, but I will be going to see him as soon as he's back to work so that I can get some reassurance. Let's hope it's good new for both of us - for now I think we should just try and keep thinking positive thoughts. Good luck - Natasha
added by natashap [Mon 4th Dec 2006 @ 12:24:41]
This is my first pregnancy. Well actually to get technical this is my second, i had a miscarriage right before i got pregnant for this one. My doctor told me to wait for my period to come but it never did. So i started feeling like i was pregnant again. I took a home pregnancy test and it had came back positive. So it would show that i got pregnant right directly after my last miscarriage. Now the main reason why i am writing this is because i am so nervous that something is going to happen to my baby. I am 9 weeks pregnant and i had an ultrasound at 7 weeks to find out exactly how far along i am. I am concerned because being in my third month a couple of my prenancy symptoms have kinf of subsided. One would be the nausea, it is almost like i dont get it any more. I never vomitted either just had really bad nausea. Then the other one is that my breasts arent as sore that they were before. I dont know if anything is wrong. I dont want anything to be wrong. But if someone can reassure me that would be great. I have been reading up on missed miscarriages, and im afraid that since i had a miscarriage before, then i might have another one. Oh and did i mention that in my ultrasound i got to see the baby moving around, and the heart beat, it was oh so cute. And the heart beat was measured at 136 bpm. I am so excited, i just hope someone can help me and reassure me that everything will be fine. The next time i go to the doctors i am supposed to get to hear the heart beat, and im affraid that im not going to be able to. So someone please help me and reassure me that everything will be ok.
added by Krissy [Wed 15th Nov 2006 @ 09:58:08]
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