To the uninitiated—heck, even those who’ve done it before—the actual labor and birth part of pregnancy seems impossible. (I have to fit what through where?!) But as unmanageable as it seems, your body is designed to do exactly that. In fact, it spends about 40 weeks preparing for labor, birth, and parenthood—and you’re just along for the ride. Here’s a rundown of some of the changes your body will experience and the wonderful, surprising, and yes, seriously uncomfortable side effects of riding shotgun.
Changes in Your Appearance During Pregnancy
Aside from the exciting two lines on the home pregnancy test, the first thing you’ll notice are changes in your breasts—especially tenderness and growth. Enlarged breasts are common in the first trimester due to increased levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, and they will continue to grow throughout pregnancy.
According to Katrina Wu, MSN, the director of the nurse-midwifery program at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, pregnant women often gain about a pound on their breasts alone during pregnancy—and that’s not all. Larger, darker nipples and areolas, more visible veins, and the leakage of a thick, yellowish substance known as colostrum are all to be expected as the breasts prepare for milk production closer. on your due date.
As your growing uterus expands to accommodate its new guests—baby and placenta—your belly will follow suit, and it’s normal to experience aches and pains. Supporting your growing belly and ample new cleavage can cause a serious backache, and it doesn’t stop there. “In preparation for labor and delivery, the ligaments of the pelvis loosen due to a hormone called relaxin, which is at 10 times its normal level during pregnancy,” said. Leah Najima, MD, FACOGan OB-GYN at Sierra Women’s Health in Reno, Nevada.
Another result of many soon-to-be mothers is the development of stretch marks. These streaks can be almost nonexistent or very prominent and can come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, brown, black, silver, and purple. The truth is there is there’s really nothing you can do to completely avoid thembut maintaining a good moisturizing regimen and trying to keep weight gain slow and steady can help.
That ever-growing belly can also trigger the infamous belly button pop. Samantha Weed, MDan OB-GYN practicing in Tacoma, Washington, explains, “As the uterus expands, it tends to push the intestines up and out to the sides. From the expansion and pressure, the muscles in the abdominal wall can begin to separate in the midline, which can lead to the umbilical cord ‘pop’ sometime towards the end of the third trimester.
Don’t worry—as funny (or alarming) as you may find it, chances are that as your belly shrinks, your outie will return to its former innie status.
The Highs and Lows of Pregnancy Hormones
Expectant parents get a front-row seat to the hormonal roller coaster thanks to the sudden, dramatic increase in estrogen and progesterone. Plus, there’s also the added bonus of changes in the amount and function of many other hormones in pregnancy. Not only these hormonal fluctuations critical to fetal developmentbut they are also the cause of everything morning sickness and mood swings to fine hair and nails.
During pregnancy, Hormones can change the ratio of hair follicles those that are actively growing and those that are ready to fall, making for dramatic growth and thickening. Hair texture and even color variations are also unusual.
But all that growth isn’t necessarily limited to your mane. Many pregnant women notice hair growth on their face, arms, legs, or back. However, it’s not forever—the growth-loss ratio “shifts in the opposite direction to normal after birth,” Wu explains. In fact, from early pregnancy to the end of the first year postpartum, some birth parents report noticeable hair loss, she says.
All those raging hormones can also have an effect on your skin. Prenatal acne is a common culprit that appears for many pregnant women thanks to boosted oil production. A person with a history of acne or menstrual flare-ups at the beginning of their cycle is considered to have higher risk of dealing with it during pregnancy.
Another condition that can affect your face is melasma, where increased melanocytes (color-producing cells) create excess pigment resulting in dark patches on the forehead, cheeks, chin, and around the mouth. These spots may become darker as the pregnancy progresses, but generally lighten over time. It’s no surprise that hyperpigmentation is made worse by sun exposure, so using a daily SPF (and maybe a good hat) is a worthy idea.
Increase (Blood) Volume
During pregnancy, your body is working serious overtime, and all that effort means a drastic increase in blood volume—up to 40-45% percent. “This increase in volume begins in the first trimester and continues until delivery,” says Dr. Weed. To accommodate, your heart works better to pump blood faster, and your heart rate also increases.
There is more. “Blood vessels tend to relax and dilate, often due to hormonal changes,” says Dr. Weed. “This is believed to be the cause of the skin’s ‘pregnancy glow’ change from increased blood flow near the skin’s surface, but it can also cause troublesome varicose veins.”
Hemorrhoids, characterized by bulging veins that actually pierce the anus (which can be worsened by pregnancy stools), can also be part of that package. More blood could mean nosebleeds and nasal congestion as the mucous membranes swell, clearly one of the less attractive aspects of pregnancy.
The Physical Experience of Labor
While most of these changes occur within 40 weeks, the pace quickly accelerates as you near the finish line. “No one can say when natural labor may begin,” Wu said, “but a pregnant woman may notice some changes as that day begins to approach.” Some people report feeling like the baby’s head is sinking into the lower pelvis—which can also increase bathroom breaks.
Another sign is the ripening of the cervix. You may or may not realize it, but in preparation for labor, your cervix is doing some amazing things. “It’s softer, softer, a little thinner, and can start to open,” Wu said. Put it down to prostaglandins, estrogen, and relaxin again, but mostly to increased pressure on your baby’s tiny head. “For expectant parents who have had children before, their cervix can be 2 to 4 centimeters open for the last few weeks of pregnancy,” says Wu.
Although you may think otherwise, it usually is pressure caused by contractions—not your baby—that causes your water to break. In less than 15% of pregnancies, ruptured membranes signal the beginning of labor. It is more common for these membranes to rupture spontaneously when labor is in order.
Contractions are another sign that the party is really starting, even if it doesn’t actually lead to labor. “Oxytocin is the hormone released from the brain that causes the uterus to contract,” Wu explains. “Having contractions is a sign that your uterus is becoming more receptive to oxytocin.”
The rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the uterine muscles is your body’s way of moving your baby down the birth canal and out into the world. As you pass by the stages of laboryour contractions will increase in strength, frequency, and length until your cervix dilates a full 10 centimeters.
Postpartum Body Changes
Immediately after delivery (and also during breastfeeding), your body will continue to release oxytocin in larger values, which triggers the so-called diseases after childbirth. The painful, cramp-like sensations, which can last up to six weeks, are postpartum contractions of the uterus as it shrinks and returns to its pre-pregnancy size and location. Not the most comfortable feeling, perhaps, but a good sign that your body is returning to its previous state.
Pregnancy is anything but a static condition, and of course, not all body changes are welcome. But no matter how eternal it is, every pregnancy ends eventually. Soon, you’ll kiss all these wild changes goodbye and kiss your sweet new baby goodbye.
This article has been updated since its original publication date on Feb. 1, 2022.
