Knowing what changes to expect in your anatomy during pregnancy can certainly help make you feel more prepared and confident. In fact, all your organs, including your heart and lungs, adjust to accommodate your baby. Even simple activities like putting on a newborn carrier can feel different as your body gets used to it.
In this article, you’ll find out how your cardiovascular system, muscles, skin, and digestive tract change when you’re pregnant. You’ll also learn about the changes in the urinary tract, pelvic and breast that get you ready for birth and breastfeeding.
The Uterus and Abdomen: Phenomenal Growth and Displacement
The changes in the uterus during pregnancy are significant, and studying the anatomy during pregnancy is one way of realizing how your body changes. The uterus begins as a tiny, pear shaped ball, but by the time you reach the third trimester, it can be as large as a watermelon. As it grows, it pushes back other nearby organs, resulting to heartburn, constipation and more bathroom trips.
As the uterus enlarges, so too does the shape and balance of the stomach, which can alter your posture and cause your lower back to ache. The abdominal muscles stretch and may separate as the center of gravity moves forward. Using a newborn carrier might feel more comfortable when you see how your abdomen and pelvis have adapted to support your changing body.
Cardiovascular and Blood Volume Adaptations (Heart, Blood Flow, and Rate)
During pregnancy, the heart and blood vessels have to work harder and understanding your anatomy during pregnancy can help you make sense of these changes. The volume of blood increases by nearly half, about 1.5 liters, and the heart pumps more blood for the supply. In addition, the diaphragm is pushed upward by the uterus, resulting in the heart moving upward.
More blood is routed to critical areas such as the uterus, kidneys, and skin. Blood pressure may decrease slightly during the first half of pregnancy and swelling in feet and ankles is common as blood returns more slowly from the legs. Knowing how your cardiovascular system changes can help make using a newborn carrier later on feel a bit easier.
Breasts and Skin: Changes in Preparation for Lactation and Hormonal Effects
Your hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, can make your breasts and skin look different while your body is getting ready for breastfeeding. Learning about anatomy during pregnancy makes it a little clearer why your breasts may be sore, swollen, and/or sensitive. There may also be new lines, darker patches or more oiliness on your skin at this stage.
Some of the most common changes include:
- Breast swelling and tenderness: Your breasts may grow in size and feel sore or tingly as the milk ducts and milk glands in your breasts develop.
- Changes to the nipple and areola: The nipples and areola also tend to enlarge and darken in color, making it easier for a newborn to find the breast while in a newborn carrier during feeding.
- Montgomery glands and colostrum: Small bumps on the areola become more raised, and colostrum may seep out as the breasts get ready to produce milk.
- Prominent veins and stretch marks: Your blood flow is increased, causing the veins to be more visible, and the skin is stretched quickly, which can lead to stretch marks.
- Skin pigmentation and vascular changes: You might notice lines on your stomach, patches on your face or redness on your hands.
Respiratory System: Altered Breathing Due to Hormones and Uterine Pressure
When you’re pregnant, your lungs and muscles used for breathing change to accommodate increased oxygen demand, and your anatomy during pregnancy shows you how the body adjusts. Hormones, including progesterone and estrogen, cause you to breathe deeper and more often, and your nasal passages can become swollen.
The growing uterus exerts pressure on the diaphragm, which alters chest wall expansion and lung volume. Breathing becomes more shallow and chest-based rather than deep abdominal, and the body struggles to meet oxygen demand. Knowing what changes to expect in your respiratory system may help you feel more at ease while babywearing using a newborn carrier.
Urinary Tract and Kidneys: Increased Workload and Frequent Urination
Your anatomy during pregnancy reveals the changes that kidneys and the urinary tract make to handle the increased waste load from both you and your baby. The kidneys are receiving much more blood, and filtering more as well, helping your body to get rid of some of the extra fluids and nutrients. These changes cause you to urinate more frequently, and it’s one of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy.
The growing uterus also places pressure on the bladder, and the hormones relax the urinary muscles while increasing urine production. At night, you may have to go to the bathroom more because the fluids that were trapped in your legs are now going back into your bloodstream. Recognizing changes in your urinary system can make everyday activities such as bending, lifting, or using a newborn carrier easier and safer.
Musculoskeletal System: Joint Loosening, Posture Shift, and Back Strain
Your body goes through big changes, particularly in your muscles and joints, as your body accommodates a growing baby. Knowing the changes in your anatomy during pregnancy can help you be prepared in case the changes become too extreme. Many expectant mothers experience new pains, changes in their sense of balance, and additional fatigue because the musculoskeletal system functions differently.
The following are the changes that can be observed in the musculoskeletal system during pregnancy:
- Joint loosening: Hormones such as relaxin soften ligaments, allowing joints to become more flexible, and create more movement in areas such as the hips and pelvis.
- Posture shift: The growing belly shifts the center of gravity forward and the arch in the lower back increases, putting more strain in your back muscles. Learning the posture changes can help make a newborn carrier feel more comfortable to use once your body has settled down after birth.
- Altered gait: The added weight, shifting balance and loosened ligaments can slow you down and make you walk with a more deliberate pace that helps steadies your body.
- Back strain: The pressure of extra weight on the spine causes tightness, soreness or stabbing pain which occasionally radiates out into the hips or legs.
Gastrointestinal Changes: Constipation, Heartburn, and Digestion Slowdown
Your digestive system goes through many changes when you’re pregnant, often causing constipation, heartburn and bloating. Hormone changes and shifting organ positions help explain how your anatomy during pregnancy can affect the way food travels through the stomach and intestines. These changes are normal, but they can make meals feel heavier and digestion slower.
The uterus exerts pressure on the stomach and intestines, which can aggravate heartburn and constipation. Simple remedies such as smaller meals, drinking water and light exercise can make a difference and being aware of your posture could make getting around while using a newborn carrier a bit easier on you. Most digestion-related uneasiness clears up or goes away after delivery.
Vaginal and Pelvic Area: Increased Blood Flow, Discharge, and Softening of the Cervix
As the body gets ready to deliver the baby, the vagina and pelvic area start to change, becoming more sensitive and swollen. By learning the anatomy during pregnancy, you can find out why the cervix softens, vaginal tissues swell and discharge increases. Blood vessels to the vagina, vulva, and cervix increase, which may cause the tissues to feel fuller and more tender.
The cervix makes a protective mucous plug and prepares for labor slowly by thinning and dilating. Most changes in the vagina and pelvis are normal, but any unusual discharge or pain should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. Knowing about these changes may help you make adjustments on how you use a newborn carrier, so it can feel more comfortable in your posture and pelvis.
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