What Happens In Each Trimester Of My Pregnancy? And how to manage it – Chiropractic and other tips.
First Trimester
When you fall pregnant, there is a huge rush of hormones. The sudden increase of hormones can cause beautiful changes in your skin, which is commonly referred to as “pregnancy glow”.
The huge rush of hormones can also cause nausea. Often referred to as “morning sickness” but it can happen throughout the day! Normally, nausea eases up after the first trimester.
When you become pregnant, you breathe more air. The actual amount of air that moves through your body is a whopping 30-50% increase! As your baby grows, your diaphragm can get more squished inside your body, which can mean it gets more difficult to get the extra air in. This can then lead to the lady suffering with shortness of breath. If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy, it’s important to go now and seek the assistance and support that can help you navigate this significant life choice.
Second Trimester
You may experience muscle or joint aches, especially around your pelvis. This is due to the increase of the hormone relaxin. Its job is to help muscles, ligaments and tendons in your uterus relax, but it also has a side effect, it loosens muscles in your low back and pelvis too, which can cause lower back pain, as noted by Center for Vascular Medicine. With Chiropractic we can help reduce or get rid of this pain and help you manage it yourself for the rest of your pregnancy.
You may also find that you get an ache around your groin. This is due to stretching and straining of the round ligament (a really thick ligament that supports the belly as it grows). With Chiropractic we can help reverse the strain easing off the pressure.
It can be normal to experience swelling as your circulation starts to slow a little, especially in your ankles. If you stand less and rest more, this may contribute to further pooling of fluid in your ankles. A tip or recommendation to reduce swelling when you sitting or relaxing try get your feet above the level of your pelvis or repetitively move the foot up and down (dorsiflexion and plantarflexion)
Third Trimester
With your babies continued growth you will experience further loosening up of your muscles and ligaments, some women can experience more severe lower back pain. Another side effect noticed in this trimester, is your blood pressure can rise. It rises due to you having more blood in your body, so your heart has to work harder pumping it around. Sometimes this can be a link to you getting headaches. The hormone progesterone loosens the sphincter that leads to your stomach, food and acid can travel in the wrong direction and cause acid reflux or heartburn. With chiropractic we can reduce the reflux.
Fourth Trimester
After birth, your postpartum period is a roller-coaster of hormone changes yet again. After birth you will experience endorphins, the feel-good hormone that help you manage the pain and stress that come with birth. Yet after day 3 or 4, your hormones will change again and this feel good hormone diminishes. Alongside the sleep deprivation that many ladies suffer with, this can cause a phenomenon known as the ´´baby blues´´ or post-partum depression. Breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact with your baby can trigger the release of the hormone oxytocin for both of you. Oxytocin is known as the love hormone because it increases with physical touch and is thought to promote bonding. Increased oxytocin in your body can help with the baby blues, until your hormones start to level out again (your hormones normally level out to your “normal” once you have stopped breastfeeding!
We hope this article helps you understand your body a bit better, feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. Here at CostaSpine, we are happy to help and please get in touch with our very own Chiropractor who specializes in Paediatric care, Diana.
