Consequences of pregnancy: what to expect? How pregnancy affects the female body

Instructions

During pregnancy, hormonal levels change in a woman's body, fat tissue begins to accumulate in order to provide the mother and child with everything they need, so women gain weight. It’s normal if your body weight is beyond a certain limit, but some pregnant women neglect themselves, stop playing sports, start eating more and gain extra pounds, saying goodbye to their slim figure.

To maintain your figure during pregnancy, you need to forget about the common advice to “eat for two.” Of course, the fetus developing in your body requires nutrients, vitamins and minerals, but in much smaller quantities than you yourself, because the baby is small. In addition, sugar, sweets, chips, French fries, fast food and other junk foods will not bring him any benefit. It is important to eat protein foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, cereals, nuts, and fish. At first, the caloric intake of your diet does not need to be increased; what you eat is much more important than how much you eat. Gradually, the amount of food can be increased little by little, monitoring weight gain.

Thin girls need to gain no more than 16 kilograms, average build – no more than 14, and large women – up to 9 kilograms. If you stay within these norms, the weight gain will be only 3-4 kilograms, and it will be easy to lose them.

Don't stop playing sports if you did before pregnancy, and start physical activity if it was foreign to you until now. Sports are not at all incompatible things, as many expectant mothers think. You just need to monitor the load, breathe correctly and not overwork. Perfect for swimming, yoga, low-intensity aerobics, walking. Physically fit women can engage in running, fitness, skiing and other sports. Before you start exercising, consult with the doctor who is supervising you. If this is contraindicated for you, move more, walk, breathe fresh air.

Provide yourself with good sleep, do not expose your body and psyche to stress, rest well, get as many positive emotions as possible. Firstly, it has a positive effect on the child’s health, and secondly, it allows you to avoid gaining excess weight.

If possible, start eating healthy and exercising as early as possible before pregnancy. Strong, healthy, fit and slender women with well-developed muscles, a small percentage of fat and extensive sports experience find it easier to maintain their figure during pregnancy, they gain less weight, and most importantly, it is much easier for them to get in shape after.

When a woman is pregnant, the whole world becomes

completely different colors, different meaning and different goals.
And what previously seemed very significant ceases to have any meaning now. But this is not always correct. For example, you should never (even during pregnancy
) forget about your favorite figure.
It still requires your care, only more intensive, in order to maintain its original shape
.

Instructions

First, consult your doctor. He should tell you how much weight you can gain over a period of time. Taking into account the various physiological needs, the state of her and the ongoing pregnancy

, the doctor will calculate your natural weight gain. On average it ranges from 10-15 kg.

Modern medicine advises women expecting a baby to take courses in yoga, massage and gymnastics for. Don’t be lazy, don’t be afraid, and be sure to sign up for such classes (unless, of course, it’s contraindicated for you or forbidden by your doctor). This, on the one hand, will have a beneficial effect on the development of the fetus, and on the other, will provide a full load.

During pregnancy

Due to the growth of the fetus, a woman’s skin stretches very much. The connective tissues of the skin become less elastic, and this leads to

Many women are afraid of the changes that pregnancy will inevitably make to their body and figure. However, if you approach the issue correctly, your shape will be excellent even with a grown tummy!

What are the dangers of being overweight during pregnancy?

The advice to “relax and enjoy” does not work in this case. Women who “relax” during pregnancy risk gaining too much excess weight: 20 kg or even more.

Such an increase will not benefit either you or your baby: the already increased load on the cardiovascular system is aggravated by tens of completely unnecessary kilograms, cardiac problems, edema, and spider veins appear on the legs.

A child who is too big means problems: babies over 4 kg are more likely than usual to experience birth injuries: hematomas, collarbone fractures, paralysis. It is not for nothing that doctors classify such large babies as a risk zone and often offer their mothers a caesarean section.

In addition, losing extra 10–15 kg after childbirth is not so easy. And so the mother, looking with displeasure at her “swimming” hips and plump waist in the mirror, becomes depressed, even blaming her beloved baby for the fact that she has lost her attractiveness...

A set of changes in the body during pregnancy

Pregnancy is rightfully considered a special state of the body, characterized by a whole complex of typical transformations.

The following changes can be observed in the body during pregnancy:

absence of menstruation - due to functional changes in the ovary, changes in the condition of the mucous membrane lining the uterine cavity are observed;
a prolonged increase in basal temperature is due to the influence of the hormone progesterone produced by the ovary;
the placenta is formed;
the appearance of the expectant mother also undergoes changes, weight increases noticeably;
the cerebral cortex ensures coordination of the functioning of various organs and systems in the direction that provides suitable conditions for bearing the fetus;
changes in metabolism are observed, as well as the volume of blood circulating in the body;
changes in blood composition, as well as in its coagulation and bleeding control systems;
The functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems also undergoes changes.

Thus, the body completely rebuilds its functioning taking into account the woman’s new condition.

Banned diet

But there is no need for fanaticism in this matter. Pregnancy is not the time for strict diets and grueling sports marathons.

A couple of extra kilograms attached to the waist and hips is a necessary “strategic reserve” during pregnancy, provided by nature itself, and they will easily and quickly go away with the start of breastfeeding or a little later, when the mother needs to run after the baby . Pregnancy is a wonderful time when a woman should pay special attention to her body. Changes are inevitable, but we can reduce undesirable manifestations to a minimum and easily return to our previous form after childbirth!

Changes by week

Changes in body size are only a small part of what happens to the expectant mother during pregnancy. From the 6th–7th week begins: nausea, increased sensitivity to smells, dizziness is possible. — At the 8th week, the breasts enlarge, and by the 12th week touching them may become painful. At week 11, your sex drive may decrease, and due to the fragility of the blood vessels, you may experience nosebleeds. By the 15th week, a woman may complain of fatigue, inattention and forgetfulness. By the 16th week, due to the growing uterus, stabbing pain in the side and discomfort in the pelvic area may appear. By the 17th week, a woman’s figure becomes more and more rounded, and a wardrobe update may be required. Rapid heartbeat and back pain are quite common. At 17–18 weeks you can already feel the first movements, but with the first child this most often happens at 19–20 weeks. At 20 weeks, sweating and nasal congestion may occur. By the 22nd week, the kidneys begin to work under overload, and swelling may appear. By the 27th week, many experience calf muscle cramps. During the 3rd trimester, the baby gets stronger and grows: the gait of the expectant mother becomes “duck-like” in order to maintain stability and not fall.

What exercises are useful to do during pregnancy, see this issue

Despite the fear of losing shape, pregnant women eat a lot, because popular belief believes that pregnant women should not deny themselves anything. Is it so?

Psychologist at the Republican Scientific and Practical Institute Elena Zenevich advises moving away from stereotypes.

Doctors believe that a pregnant woman should not gain more than twelve kilograms of weight along with the child and amniotic fluid. If you stay within these limits, then the excess weight of the woman herself after childbirth will be about four kilograms, and losing them is not a problem.

If you gain more than twenty kilograms instead of twelve, you are guaranteed to have stretch marks, and it will be very difficult to return to your original weight, especially if the woman has prerequisites for being overweight - genetic and hereditary factors.

By looking at the mother and grandmother of the expectant mother, you can perfectly assess what will happen to her after childbirth.

We should not go on diets and starve ourselves, we should just think about what, how and when we eat.

First of all, a woman must move away from stereotypes. For example, there is a widespread stereotype that a woman needs to eat fruit in the first weeks of pregnancy. Of course, the whole family immediately begins to buy tons of peaches, pears and oranges at the market, and the pregnant woman eats, eats, eats it all. At the same time, she begins to have problems with digestion and intestines, and at the initial stage of pregnancy this often leads to the threat of miscarriage. But she does not attribute these problems to fruits - after all, everyone knows that they are healthy to eat.

If a woman continues to follow the stereotype rather than her own feelings, she can get into big trouble. The body itself will tell you everything, you just need to listen to it.

Of course, pregnant women often have an increased appetite. But even if you really want to eat at night, you should not forbid yourself to even think about food, but rather think about what to eat. A piece of cheese, boiled chicken, some low-calorie foods. And if you just want to enjoy it, you should tell yourself: the ice cream in the freezer will wait for me until the morning.

You can arrange an internal dialogue with yourself, finding reasons not to eat. In this case, it is not the position of restriction that will work very well, but the image drawn in the imagination of yourself with a small child, slim, beautiful, in excellent shape. Knowing that you want to be in shape after giving birth will help stop those late night trips to the fridge.

As the fetus grows, the abdominal walls stretch, fibers in the deep layers of the skin diverge with hemorrhage in them and subsequent proliferation of connective tissue. Stripes in the form of pinkish-brown scars form on the front wall of the abdomen, thighs, and mammary glands (experts call them striae). The same thing happens with the breasts; the size of the mammary glands at the beginning of pregnancy and in the first days after childbirth increases so quickly that the skin simply does not have time to stretch. After childbirth, the purple scars on the chest and abdomen lighten, the skin returns to normal, although it often becomes flabby.

To reduce the harm from stretch marks on the chest and abdomen, and increase skin elasticity during the second half of pregnancy, you need to maintain it with special gels and creams with a high collagen content. When purchasing such creams, carefully read the composition - the earlier in the list “collagen” is written, the more of this substance it contains, which is responsible for the elasticity of connective tissue, that is, the skin.

You cannot imagine yourself as fat and ugly, or have negative feelings towards yourself. Because there is a pattern in our psyche. When we begin to destroy ourselves for some of our weaknesses, for allowing ourselves an extra piece or not being able to fit into a skirt that we really like, we begin to direct aggression towards ourselves - well, I couldn’t restrain myself again, I’m a weak-willed person.

When positive information comes to us, it is very well received and has an excellent motivating effect. As for negative information, when receiving it, regardless of our desire, each person’s mental defense mechanisms such as justification, replacement, repression are triggered - we begin to forget what we were going to strive for yesterday, and after a week we find that we remain stuck. in the same place from which they wanted to get up.

We need to form a positive image in ourselves of what we want to achieve. Hang a photo of yourself beautiful and slender on the refrigerator, or even inside it, and when you open the door every evening, find the strength to close it with a smile.

Text: Alisa Antonova

There are many myths around pregnancy. Some say that women become prettier during this period: their skin condition improves and their mood improves. Others, on the contrary, tell horror stories about tooth and hair loss, as well as brittle nails and swelling. This suggests only one conclusion: everyone experiences pregnancy differently. What to do to protect yourself from unpleasant surprises? We asked experts about this.

The birth of baby Harper Seven became for David and Victoria Beckham a real “gift of fate” and “a blessing from above” (these were the sublime words used by the happy parents in every second interview). Victoria dreamed of a daughter for more than ten years, however, when the little princess was born, Vicky did not glow with happiness at all. As you know, she had, but even when the health situation improved, the young mother did not shine. In photographs from six months ago, she has circles under her eyes (in which there is universal sadness) and mournfully closed lips.

“Young mothers often come to me for advice,” says Dr Prager, a renowned London beautician. “Many people show photos of themselves before pregnancy, and I understand: in a year, girls age five years!” Let’s make a reservation right away: the doctor did not want to offend anyone with this statement, especially since such a phenomenon takes place. It is not for nothing that British cosmetologists have used the expression Mum Face - “mommy’s face”.

How can we explain such changes in our body? Julia Verezey, training director of Clarins in Russia, answered this question. “During pregnancy, significant changes occur in the body,” says Yulia. — The special “behavior” of hormones is to blame for everything. Their jumps often cause dullness, thinning and decreased elasticity of the skin, and increased sensitivity.”

The pregnancy hormone progesterone, as a rule, has a beneficial effect on appearance: thanks to it, many girls begin to literally shine. Then the situation changes: a lack of estrogens (female hormones) can lead to dryness, flaking and increased sensitivity of the skin. Fluctuations in hormones sometimes cause the opposite effect - the secretion of sebum increases, hence acne. Also, during pregnancy, pigment spots may appear on the face, which, as a rule, disappear after childbirth.

After the birth of a child, the situation is aggravated by lack of sleep and constant employment. A living example of this is the same Victoria Beckham, who literally changed her face. “I hardly sleep. Harper often wakes up at night and has to get up with her - just like all mothers. I don't have a crowd of nannies who would do this for me. I’m a working mother like most,” says Victoria.

If you are familiar with these problems, here are some tips on how to deal with them.

“Selfies used to require 20 takes, now 50”: 7 young mothers showed photos before and after giving birth

They say that after giving birth, young mothers not only change their figure, but also their facial geometry.
We decided to find out if Maria Degina provided

American scientists claim that after the birth of a child, not only a woman’s consciousness changes, but also her facial features. The eyebrows rise at a different angle, and the gaze seems deeper, the shape of the eyes changes, the nose becomes sharper, the corners of the lips droop, and the oval of the face becomes more pronounced.

In addition, changes affect the voice - it sounds lower and more monotonous, the level of anxiety increases, and the brain goes into continuous multitasking mode. The body of a woman who has given birth is renewed and becomes younger - but not all new mothers have noticed this.

We asked young mothers to show them photos before and after the birth of their children to compare facial features, and asked what other changes had occurred to them in their new status.

Natalya, 31 years old, head of the sales team
Son Mikhail, 1.5 years old
After giving birth, Natalya’s anxiety level decreased noticeably

provided by Natalya Simonova

“The woman is definitely changing. The facial features have changed - previously, a successful selfie required 20 takes, now 50, the working side has stopped working, I have not yet found an alternative. My anxiety level has dropped by at least half.

Otherwise you might go crazy. I have become easier to relate to absolutely everything; now I don’t even notice what infuriated me before. Although there are situations when the opposite is true. I noticed that I became calmer internally. More confident, perhaps?

It was as if I had found solid support inside. Grounded.

There was no memory before pregnancy, and there was no increase after either. I started writing everything down. The brain turns into bone if you don't strain it. This is absolutely certain, 3 months were enough for me to become dull. The skin and hair during pregnancy are really pleasing, as long as you are on vitamins, plus hormones are a fountain. Then panic begins and a wild fear of remaining bald for life.

Yulia, 29 years old, customer service manager
Two sons - Ilya, 5 years old, and Yaroslav, 1 year old
Yulia says that after giving birth she became much more resilient

contributed by Yulia Dolgina

“I didn’t notice any changes in my voice, but I was told more than once that my eyes had become more serious and mature.” Sometimes I’m tired, I notice it myself, but that’s fixable. Anxiety levels increased with the birth of children. First of all, you worry about them, and secondly, you worry about yourself and your health; children also need a healthy mother.

The brain has become much more functional, constantly working in multitasking mode. I learned to ignore extraneous noises and became more stress-resistant, but this is not because of childbirth, but because of the very process of raising children. Memory during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding suffers, of course, very much. She often forgot something and was absent-minded.

The main change is probably that I became more confident in myself, I fell in love with my appearance and figure. Previously I didn’t like a lot of things, but now everything is very good. I like myself much more now than before I had children.

Maria, 27 years old, on maternity leave
Daughter Varvara, 2 years old
Maria jokes that, apart from aging, she didn’t notice any changes in herself after the birth of her daughter

contributed by Maria Dyogina

— Since the birth of my daughter, many people have told me that I have become more feminine and gentle (they flatter me). The feeling of responsibility and anxiety is off the charts, especially in the first year. My daughter is 2.7 - I still go into her room and listen to her breathing.

Previously, I could leave the house at two o’clock in the morning completely calmly, but now going to the store at 11 o’clock in the evening is already scary, it’s too late. Driving with a child is generally a phobia.

The reaction becomes sharper and the ingenuity becomes stronger, the ability to be in time everywhere and do everything appears.

While I was breastfeeding, everything was fine - both hair and nails. As soon as we turned it, everything fell apart. The skin is better, yes, cleaner, and the complexion has become healthier. The birth of a child radically changes life before and after.

Giving birth to a child is a big deal, but raising a person to be human is a lot of work, and first of all on yourself. For this, too, there is a fear that we won’t be able to or that we’ll miss something somewhere.

My husband and I work in tandem as parents (all responsibilities are equal), maybe that’s why it’s easier and there’s some confidence.

Svetlana, 33 years old, own business
Son Artyom, 1.5 years old
Svetlana believes that skin and hair improve from nutrition, vitamins and good products, and not from childbirth

contributed by Svetlana Gubarenko

— In the first year I had anxiety - for myself and for the child, I had fears. Now it’s over, but I think about my son 24/7. My brain thinks about everything at once, both day and night, especially when everyone is sleeping - different ideas come into my head. Previously, I often put everything off until later, but now I have no time to put it off, which is why I do even more than when I didn’t have a child.

What motivated me to get prettier and lose weight was that after giving birth I turned into a terribly ugly, unkempt, unkempt “woman.” I asked my husband to take a photo of himself from the side - and I was horrified at the extent to which I had let myself go. During pregnancy, I ate a lot, gained 20 extra kg, which I then lost in 4 months.

Christina, 28 years old, her own beauty salon

Son Dmitry, 3 years old

Christina says that now she can safely help any young mother not to neglect herself

contributed by Kristina Nikishina

— After giving birth, you begin to speak quieter and more affectionately, your gaze is filled with love for the child in your arms and the world around you. The eyes begin to shine.

The reaction has improved many times - the ability to instantly make decisions and act appears like that of superheroes.

The body is definitely renewing itself, but I think that the improvements are a myth, because after giving birth all the sores that could be came out, hair began to fall out, fortunately there was a lot of it, and it was noticeable only to me.

I became more anxious - you don’t know what to do in this or that situation, you constantly worry about the baby.

My figure changed a lot, during pregnancy I gained 21 kg, and after giving birth I lost only 10, so I was plump, which caused great discomfort. A little later, I realized that I needed to take care of myself and my development.

I radically changed my profession, began to study and develop in a new field of beauty. I have lost the weight I used to and am developing further.

Margarita, 27 years old, mortgage broker
Daughter Veronica, 5 years old

Margarita did not notice any external changes in herself, only internal ones - new fears appeared

Contributed by Margarita Raim

— Due to the fact that I gave birth at 21, which is considered early, at that time nothing had changed with me, neither my figure nor my face. The only thing that I myself and those around me noticed was that I began to take life more seriously. Responsibility appeared, and not only for yourself, but for your child.

Anxiety - yes. First of all, for myself - I’m afraid that something might happen to me, and my child will be left alone, we live together, without a dad. If earlier I could go on rides, and I wasn’t scared, in sports cars, the adrenaline was high, but now it became scary, I had a fear of heights.

I believe that in some cases the brain of young mothers works in the opposite direction. Pregnancy takes a lot of immunity - hair and teeth deteriorate, after childbirth everything is restored, some look better, some look worse. I gained 20 kg during pregnancy and recovered quickly.

Anna, 29 years old, sales manager
Son Demid, 1 year old
With the birth of her child, Anna’s feeling of caring for others increased, she says that this was not the case before

contributed by Anna Laptanovich

— Anxiety increases 100% — I constantly think about my son — what if something happens (it’s cold, it’s hot, I need to change clothes, give me a bottle). They say it will pass.

My brain definitely didn’t work any better—my husband laughs that while on maternity leave, on the contrary, my brain atrophied.

While you are on maternity leave, you live at the rhythm of your child, get high and have fun with him - I don’t even know what day of the week. I try to keep up with the latest news, but my brain still relaxes.

The body may be renewing itself, but the hair is falling out, the stretch marks on the stomach remain, there is no cellulite, the teeth are still in place.

My figure - my hips widened, I think many women do this after giving birth, and I returned to my weight after 8 months. It seems to me, on the contrary, that I have lost weight.

The face - many say - has become more feminine and the look has changed, there is a feeling that you care not only about the child, but about everyone in general. I had never noticed this before.

Source: https://www.nn.ru/news/articles/ranshe_dlya_selfi_trebovalos_20_dubley_teper_50_7_molodykh_mam_pokazali_foto_do_i_posle_rodov/69055777/

To eat or not to eat - that is the question

There is a myth that during pregnancy you need to eat for two. Many stars, by the way, do this. Jennifer Garner said when she was carrying her third child: “I have a terrible craving for all kinds of junk food, and I don’t deny myself it. For example, my kids have never seen Doritos. When I was eating them, the child asked: “Mom, what are these orange chips in your hands?” And I couldn't stop! Of course, I would like to be a slender pregnant lady in skinny jeans, but it’s not fate - I eat too much.”

Scientific research proves that during pregnancy you should not expand your daily menu.

“The additional energy requirement of a pregnant woman is 300 calories per day,” says Tatyana Zaletova, nutritionist at the GrinDin project. “However, usually during pregnancy the level of physical activity decreases, and thus the difference in energy intake is compensated. This is why an increase in caloric intake is not required. However, if before pregnancy your body weight was higher or lower than normal, then adjustments should be made to your diet - and neither a sharp restriction nor a sharp increase in the diet is recommended.”

Frequent childbirth is dangerous

There is a generally accepted opinion that the more often and more a woman gives birth, the easier each subsequent birth will be for her. However, research by Israeli scientists published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine completely refuted this prevailing stereotype.

The study was carried out by specialists from the medical department of obstetrics and gynecology. During the study, doctors analyzed the medical birth histories of three groups of women in labor. The first consisted of more than 3 thousand women who gave birth to ten or more children in their lives, the second - more than 9 thousand women who gave birth to six to nine children. And the third, the most numerous, consisted of 45 thousand women who gave birth to from two to five children.

Doctors analyzed the duration and complexity of labor, the presence of complications, and the condition of mothers and children. The results showed that women who gave birth to more than five children were much more likely to experience serious complications during and after childbirth. Doctors included birth pathologies, the need for a cesarean section, early termination of pregnancy, anemia, problems with the muscles of the uterus, etc. as complications. Experts say that the woman’s age also plays a role; in the first group there were more older women, which in itself increases risks during pregnancy and childbirth. At the same time, scientists have concluded that each subsequent pregnancy in a woman requires more and more attention and control from medical personnel.

So, the theory that childbirth can supposedly rejuvenate and heal a woman’s body is just a myth.

Moreover, this misconception can be very harmful for expectant mothers: lack of awareness about the complications that often result from pregnancy and childbirth can lead to an unwillingness to face their consequences, which are often quite severe for the woman’s body.

If you managed to avoid serious consequences for the mother’s body during the first and second births, this does not mean that you will be able to avoid them in the future. Every pregnancy and every birth is a big expense associated with a risk to the mother’s health. And having many children multiplies this danger many times over, and it is important for both mothers and fathers to remember this when planning a large and friendly family.

How often have you heard: “Everyone gives birth and nothing happens”? Seems like enough, right? But in fact, pregnancy and childbirth are a huge burden on a woman’s body. And if on the scale of human history all this looks like something simple and natural, then with a closer look at pregnancy it becomes clear that it is far from the usual everyday phenomena and is an amazing event that affects not only the moral, but also the physical state women.

Photo source: pixabay.com

Imagine this picture: the body of a relatively healthy person began to change quite suddenly and quickly. The output of blood from the heart almost doubled, 1.5 additional liters were added to the blood volume, and the blood began to clot much faster. In general, a complete restructuring took place in the hormonal system and metabolism. All internal organs are shifted and compressed, food from the stomach flows back into the esophagus, the kidneys and ureters are dilated, the skeleton (!) has changed its configuration. And all this in less than a year. What is this? Some kind of terrible disease? Heart? Oncological? Hormonal? Not at all. Meet: this is a normal pregnancy.

There is an opinion that “pregnancy is an absolutely normal, physiological state of the body.” This is certainly true. But this does not mean that nothing changes in the body during pregnancy. On the contrary, the physiological changes that occur during even a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy in order to grow the developing fetus and prepare the mother for childbirth are quite large.

What to eat?

When Beyoncé was pregnant, it was rumored that she would eat everything that wasn't nailed down - and even in shocking combinations. For example, ice cream with ketchup, and bananas with pickles and hot sauce. "It is not true! — the girl justified herself on MTV. “Recently, a steward came up to me on a plane and said: “We have specially prepared bananas with chili sauce for you.” I told him: why?! And he, as if nothing had happened: “I read that you love it.”

If you also have strange gastronomic preferences, it makes sense to limit them or... act like Adriana Lima. She wanted ice cream throughout her first pregnancy, but the model found a way out: she replaced it with frozen yogurt. Just as tasty, but less caloric.

Here is a list of products that are really needed during this period:

In the third trimester of pregnancy, the need for fatty acids necessary for the development of the fetal nervous system increases. They are found in fish, liver, egg yolk, soybean and rapeseed oils.
A pregnant woman needs twice as much folic acid, which is found in spinach, parsley and dill, whole grains, nuts, peas and other legumes.
Increase your consumption of milk and dairy products - they help replenish calcium deficiency.
Eat foods high in zinc: meat, liver, kidneys, cereals, cabbage, asparagus, radishes.

While breastfeeding

Tatyana Zaletova advises sticking to a separate, balanced diet. However, you shouldn’t limit yourself too much: by doing so, you can deprive the baby of many of the vitamins and microelements he needs, and at the same time undermine his own health, because, trying to create milk that is “ideal” in composition, the body will use all the mother’s resources. Nevertheless, it is still worth introducing reasonable restrictions: it is better to keep sweets and flour to a minimum.

Beauty salon for pregnant women

In order not to guess which salon procedures are useful during pregnancy and which are not, use the advice of Yulia Verezey:

You can make moisturizing face masks with hyaluronic acid and plant extracts to restore dry, tight skin and return it to a feeling of comfort.
Chemical peels and laser resurfacing are not recommended. Attending hardware procedures and anti-cellulite massages is strictly prohibited.
All thermal (including saunas and steam baths), as well as “cooling” procedures are contraindicated for pregnant women.

When it comes to choosing cosmetics, it is better to choose hypoallergenic products. Among the favorites of the stars is the Weleda

. Jessica Alba used this brand of oil both after her first and second pregnancies. Demi Moore and Helena Christensen also adore these natural Swiss cosmetics.

Another brand dearly loved by many heroines of gossip columns is Clarins

. All body care products from this brand can be safely used by pregnant women. Our favorites are the Gommage Exfoliant Peau Neuve softening body cream with bamboo powder and Tonic body oil with rosemary, mint and hazelnut oil. The first gently exfoliates, while the second nourishes the skin and increases its firmness and elasticity. The oil can be applied directly in the shower to damp skin - it is perfectly absorbed and does not leave a greasy residue. For increased tone, we recommend another natural oil - Relax, which relaxes and gives a feeling of comfort.

Breasts during pregnancy need special support - in the most literal sense of the word. To avoid stretch marks, wear a special bra and remember to moisturize your skin regularly. It is better to start early, especially since after childbirth it will not be so convenient to do this due to feeding.

There is no need to rush into losing weight after childbirth. For example, the super popular model Arizona Muse, who began to thrive precisely after the birth of her son, advises assessing your shape only after a year: “At this time, you should not chase your figure. Give your body a break from exercise, dieting and other nonsense. Breastfeed! I am all for feeding. I love this process."

Don't lose face

On the contrary, you need to start taking care of your facial skin as early as possible. All the stars, without saying a word, claim that motherhood is a great happiness and it is worth enduring all the sleepless nights for the sake of their baby’s smile. However, not everyone will risk appearing in public with circles under their eyes, like Victoria Beckham. Each of them has a dozen products in their arsenal to relieve puffiness of the eyelids. They say that Hilary Duff uses patches under her eyes, and if they run out, she successfully replaces them with cucumber slices. The young mother is as fresh as the morning rose.

You can maintain a healthy complexion from the inside.

To amaze others with radiant skin, Tatyana Zaletova recommends drinking at least two liters of water a day and eating vegetable salads with unrefined vegetable oil every day, which contains valuable vitamin E. However, you should not consume more than one spoon of oil per day - in addition to the necessary substances also contain free radicals, which will definitely not bring any benefit to the skin. Milk, apples, citrus fruits, grapes, tomatoes and black currants are also useful - they contain alpha hydroxy acids that promote the formation of new cells. They are also worth looking for in cosmetics: masks and creams with AHA acids act directly on the skin and are therefore more effective.

What problems did you encounter during and after pregnancy? And how were they solved?

Every woman asks the question: “Will I gain weight during pregnancy, will I be able to maintain my figure within normal limits?” Sometimes these fears arise from the example of friends and acquaintances, but at the same time they are silent that, having become pregnant, they began to diligently feed themselves and the baby with supposedly necessary vitamins

and minerals, guided by a false sense of hunger.

psychological attitude

Tune in to the fact that pregnancy inevitably means excess weight and that’s how it will be. Our psychological mood determines our appetite and hunger. It is the awareness that for normal growth and development you need to eat a lot, that pregnant women need increased nutrition, that leads to an almost constant feeling of hunger and the desire to “stuff” something into yourself. There is no other way to call it. So be prepared to:

Pregnant women need not enhanced, but properly balanced nutrition;
not everything you want needs to be eaten;
the statement “If you want, eat at least a bucket” is fundamentally wrong.

If you eat as usual, the child will grow and develop quite normally.
Your attending physician will tell you about the need to introduce additional foods, vitamins and minerals into your diet. If appropriate recommendations are not received, then there is no reason to worry and introduce them yourself. Charge yourself with positive articles, books, communicate with other women who know how to enjoy life and their children. Don’t try on all the myths and horror stories that circulate around the world. Look for reinforcement of positive emotions in action, but don't turn it into a cult. Live an ordinary life, don’t make drastic changes, you have about 9 months of waiting for the beautiful ahead. Think about it, each of us, with rare exceptions, finds out about pregnancy already at 6-8 weeks. So why is it that in these first weeks of pregnancy life goes on as usual, but as soon as we receive confirmation, problems begin: whims, increased appetite, etc. Only your attitude to the situation determines 90% of the success of your pregnancy. Myths and reality

There is an opinion that, depending on age and the natural makeup of the body, excess weight during pregnancy cannot be avoided. The reality is this: justifying themselves with this belief, women begin to increase the amount of food consumed by 2-3 times. The result, naturally, is excess, rapidly increasing weight. Pregnancy is stressful for the body and a reconfiguration of hormonal balance. But this does not mean that every pregnant woman will have problems. The growing fetus draws vitamins and minerals from the mother's body, which leads to tooth decay and hair loss. Ordinary hygiene, routine doctor's examinations and tests are exactly what is needed to keep your body normal. If the expectant mother is healthy and the tests are normal, then there is no reason to expect a sharp deterioration in the condition of her hair or teeth. Toxicosis is inevitable! And again a lie. Not all women suffer from toxicosis. If the body is sufficiently provided with vitamins and minerals, then there will be no reason for toxicosis. The rest can and should fight it, and for this there are time-tested and not only time-tested methods. And many more allegations about the appearance of stretch marks, sagging breasts and others have explanations; they do not threaten every woman.

Wear a bandage

As your belly grows, the muscles of your abdominal wall stretch, so doctors recommend wearing a special bandage that will support your belly and help maintain the posture of your figure. We hope that such preventive measures will help your figure return to normal faster!

Unfortunately, I am a little prone to being overweight and in order to maintain my size 44, I have to make an effort, namely, do exercises and watch my diet. When I found out that I was expecting a child, the prospect of getting better was much worse for me than the birth itself.

Why is my weight increasing?

The optimal weight gain during pregnancy is considered to be an increase of 8-12 kilograms. Doctors have long dispelled the myth that a pregnant woman needs to eat for two and have proven that excessive weight gain has negative consequences for both mother and baby.

Weight gain consists of the weight of the baby, the uterus, the volume of blood, fluid, fat, breast tissue, and amniotic fluid. Ideally, weight should grow evenly throughout pregnancy, increasing after 20 weeks.

What to do and what not to do?

Of course, I haven’t come up with any revolutionary new way to control my own weight. My entire system was based on a combination of physical activity and a balanced diet. Of course, you need to understand that heavy physical activity during pregnancy is not permissible.

I walked a lot. I didn’t go to and from work by public transport, but walked on my own, taking a shortcut through the park (that’s about four stops). For physical exercises, I did lunges, wall push-ups, exercises with dumbbells for my arms and chest muscles, and did a lot of squats. In addition to this, every evening I gave myself a contrast shower with a massage brush for the thighs, preventing cellulite. Once a week I made wraps with honey and mustard.

She paid great attention to her nutrition, adhering to the following principles:

1) I almost didn’t eat fried, fatty, salty or sweet foods. And to avoid temptations, we simply did not buy such products. When you have them, it’s very difficult to break down and eat at night.

2) I tried to eat more often and in small portions, especially when I went on maternity leave and was often at home.

3) I drank a lot of green tea.

4) I ate a lot of vegetables and fruits. Almost every day I made myself a vitamin salad from a green apple, carrots, low-fat yogurt and cinnamon. At work, instead of cookies for tea, I bought myself grapes and apples. And she ate them when she felt hungry.

5) I took vitamin and mineral complexes.

As a result, when weighed in the maternity hospital, my gain was 12.5 kilograms, nine of which were lost immediately after birth. I had a healthy daughter, and upon returning home I immediately fit into “control jeans.” And then I quickly got into shape.

There are a lot of misconceptions about pregnancy. One of which is overeating. But you need to understand that excess weight will not benefit either you or the baby. And a good figure will be a pleasant bonus.

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Every modern woman wants to look great during pregnancy and feel like it. Gaining excess weight is a necessary measure for the normal development of the baby.

The belly begins to grow rapidly, the subcutaneous fatty tissue increases in size - all this can greatly upset the expectant mother. It is worth remembering that this is temporary. Everything happens due to changes in the hormonal background of a pregnant woman. Soon (after childbirth and lactation) the weight will normalize and everything will fall into place.

Nutrition for pregnant women

Let's start with nutrition. A drastic change in diet due to pregnancy, at best, will cause you a subconscious feeling of hunger, based on the absence and prohibition of those foods to which you are accustomed. During pregnancy, it is recommended to reduce the usual portion of food by about 1/3, but increase the number of meals per day. By eating little by little, you will avoid such unpleasant consequences as heaviness in the stomach and heartburn. Adjust your diet only in favor of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, reducing the consumption of fatty, flour, and sweets. When it comes to sweets, give preference to products with natural sucrose: dried fruits, for example, pears, are very sweet, cost less than chocolates, but are much healthier for both you and your baby. Citrus fruits, especially grapefruit, are good for fat breakdown and weight loss. But do not overuse them, especially if you avoided them before pregnancy, so as not to provoke allergies in your baby. Please note that toxicosis usually occurs in the morning, when the body “gets hungry” overnight. It is recommended that before getting out of bed, drink a cup of tea or coffee, if you feel well, with a cookie or sandwich. There will be no trace left of toxicosis. It is recommended to drink them in the early stages to prevent toxicosis. In the third trimester, it can provoke unwanted weight gain.

Everyone gives birth - and nothing? How pregnancy actually affects a woman's body

How often have you heard: “Everyone gives birth and nothing happens”?
Seems like enough, right? But in fact, pregnancy and childbirth are a huge burden on a woman’s body. And if on the scale of human history all this looks like something simple and natural, then with a closer look at pregnancy it becomes clear that it is far from the usual everyday phenomena and is an amazing event that affects not only the moral, but also the physical state women.

In general, a complete restructuring took place in the hormonal system and metabolism. All internal organs are shifted and compressed, food from the stomach flows back into the esophagus, the kidneys and ureters are dilated, the skeleton (!) has changed its configuration. And all this in less than a year.

What is this? Some kind of terrible disease? Heart? Oncological? Hormonal? Not at all. Meet: this is a normal pregnancy.

Changes in blood volume and composition

Blood plasma volume gradually increases throughout pregnancy, with an average increase of 50 percent occurring in the first 34 to 36 weeks of pregnancy. Since the increase in plasma volume (1250 ml) is greater than the increase in red blood cell (250-450 ml), there is a relative decrease in hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count.

The platelet count tends to gradually decrease during pregnancy, although it usually remains within the lower limit of normal or slightly lower (up to 100x109/l), without pathological manifestations.

Physiological changes in the coagulation during pregnancy (increased concentrations of blood coagulation factors, fibrinogen protein and decrease in the level of blood thinning factors - anticoagulants) lead to an overbalance in favor of greater blood clotting to ensure bleeding control during childbirth. Unfortunately, this protective mechanism and the compression of the iliac veins (for anatomical reasons more pronounced on the left), promoting venous stasis in the legs, increases the risk of venous thrombosis. This is why the use of compression hosiery is recommended during pregnancy and childbirth, especially for women with varicose veins.

Changes in the cardiovascular system

Changes in the cardiovascular system during pregnancy are very pronounced and begin already in the early stages of pregnancy. By eight weeks of pregnancy, the heart's blood output increases by 20 percent.

Hormonal changes that occur in the body during pregnancy activate the synthesis of vasodilator substances, which causes dilation of peripheral blood vessels (vasodilation).

Due to the dilation of blood vessels, there is a risk of a drop in blood pressure, and to maintain it at normal levels, the blood output of the heart is increased by up to 40 percent by increasing the volume of blood expelled by the heart with each contraction and the frequency of its contractions.

During labor, blood output from the heart increases significantly (by 15 percent during contractions, 50 percent during pushing, and 60-80 percent immediately after pushing), after which it normally declines rapidly to prenatal values within one hour after birth. childbirth and pre-pregnancy within two weeks.

As the enlarged uterus compresses the large inferior vena cava while lying on your back, there is a decrease in the return of blood through the veins to the heart.

This causes insufficient blood to be pumped back into the blood vessels by the heart, and there is a risk of reduced blood supply to the uterus and placenta, which could endanger the fetus.

Therefore, pregnant women, especially in later stages, are not recommended to lie on their back.

Increased cardiac output coupled with unchanged blood pressure in the lungs results in a decrease in the pressure gradient in the pulmonary vessels by approximately 30 percent, predisposing pregnant women to the development of pulmonary edema.

Changes in the excretory system

Due to vasodilation during pregnancy, there should be a decrease in blood filtration by the kidneys, but hormones secreted by the placenta protect the woman’s body from this.

As a consequence, renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) increase from prepregnancy levels by 40–65 and 50–85 percent, respectively.

The increase in renal blood flow causes the kidneys to increase in size by 1–1.5 cm, reaching their maximum size by mid-pregnancy.

The ureters, renal pelvis and calyces also , leading to physiological hydronephrosis in more than 80 percent of women. Stagnation of urine in the dilated excretory tract predisposes pregnant women to the development of pyelonephritis.
During pregnancy, the reabsorption of glucose, protein and uric acid into the circulatory system decreases, so they can be detected in the urine in increased concentrations.

Source: https://rebenok.by/articles/wantchild/health/26278-samoe-estestvennoe-sostoyanie-zhenshchiny-kak-beremennost-i-rody-na-samom-dele-vliyayut-na-nash-organizm-i- zdorove.html

General hygiene

Pregnancy is not a disease, and certainly not a reason to give up your usual body hygiene, which sometimes people begin to neglect, citing poor health. Find other ways to feel sorry for yourself. It’s better to give up some chores around the house; your loved ones will be able to do them for you. If you usually wash in the shower, then extend this procedure by 1-2 minutes to do a contrast douche at the end. Change the water to cool water several times. Pay attention to dousing your legs and chest. A contrast shower will help prepare the breasts for feeding, and for the legs it will prevent the development of varicose veins. For readers who love to take baths, it’s time to reconsider their attitude and switch to showering. Cosmetics and other procedures that promote beauty are quite appropriate and even necessary to maintain calm and self-confidence. All warnings in this area are for the most part unfounded and do not pose a real threat to the health of the mother or baby. It is advisable to exclude only visits to the solarium from the list, especially for those who have a tendency to pigmentation. Otherwise, use gentle, mild products. Fortunately, nowadays there are more than enough of them and there is plenty to choose from. Particular attention to skin care should be paid to those with dry skin and those who are constantly involved in sports. Start using moisturizers and special creams for stretch marks on areas of the chest, abdomen and buttocks. The cause of stretch marks on the buttocks can be swelling, so if you are rapidly gaining weight, first of all you need to find out whether this is related to them and control the amount of fluid intake.

Take care of your breasts

It is also necessary to take some measures to preserve the beauty of your breasts. During pregnancy, the mammary glands enlarge, so the bra should fit correctly and not compress the breasts (See “How to prepare your breasts for breastfeeding during pregnancy”). It’s better not to take it off at night, replacing it with a sports one. It’s good to wash your chest with cool water several times a day, and take air baths for 10 minutes several times a day.

Due to the heavy weight, stretch marks - stretch marks - may appear on the skin. Therefore, vitamin creams, especially those prepared on the basis of carotene, are used to care for the mammary glands. After washing the chest, rub the cream into the skin of the chest with light movements.

Physical training

It is unlikely that those who did not bother with sports before pregnancy will regularly perform gymnastics for pregnant women.
However, trying to instill a love for sports in yourself will be very useful. To do this you will need outside control. Sign up for aerobics or yoga classes for pregnant women and a swimming pool. The latter can replace any exercise if visited at least twice a week. In addition, swimming in the pool will provide you with hardening, strengthening of muscles, immunity, and cardiovascular activity. At the same time, bathing is always a pleasure and does not require additional effort on yourself. An integral part of our good mood is the wardrobe. Treat yourself to new things. Choose things that make you feel comfortable and comfortable. We recommend wearing a bra made of natural fabrics with a supportive cut. Also, do not neglect wearing a bandage, which primarily removes the load from the spine, which greatly facilitates the gait, making it more graceful and light. After all, the heaviness in gait confuses many. I draw the attention of readers to the fact that any clothing worn during pregnancy should be supportive, but not constrictive, especially in the abdominal area. There are several lines of clothing designed specifically for expectant mothers. In such clothes you will look beautiful and attractive, and most importantly, maintain self-confidence. A woman can stay in excellent shape during pregnancy; she just needs to want it and be determined for a positive result. Remember, every expectant mother has inner beauty, you just need to highlight it and not hide it behind a mask of anxiety and worry.