I experienced many changes with my first pregnancy. Some of these changes were permanent while others were only temporary. Some of these changes were good while others where entirely unwanted. Change is inevitable and a necessary part of life. I experienced more changes in that 9 month period than I did in my entire life.
Temporary Changes:
I experienced chronic fatigue and nausea accompanied by frequent vomiting from week 5 through week 15 of my first pregnancy. I also gained weight steadily in my 2nd and 3rd trimesters. With a sustained diet and exercise, I was able to lose most of the excess weight but ten stubborn pounds remain (I like to think that some of it is gained muscle mass). Towards the end of my pregnancy my body started to retain some water especially my feet and hands but the swelling disappeared shortly after the birth of our son. As my belly grew, sleeping comfortably became more and more difficult. Towards the end, I felt like a beached whale flipping from side to side through the night. Many of these changes were necessary or just inevitable. Thankfully they were all only temporary.
Permanent Changes:
Because of pregnancy and birth, my hips will never be the same. They seem to be very close to their original size but there is definitely a very small difference in the way my pre-pregnancy jeans fit …but at least they fit! It seems that very few women get through pregnancy without stretch marks; I was no exceptions. Luckily all my stretch marks are easily hidden by my clothing but that doesn’t change the fact that they are there and that they will never go away. Not all the permanent changes were negative. Because of pregnancy I began extensive research on eating healthy and exercising. My habit of eating healthy and exercising regularly continued after pregnancy. I discovered the benefits of eating whole organic foods (meat, dairy, eggs, produce, grains, etc), which has improved my family’s health one hundred fold! This same practice of eating healthy whole foods and exercising regularly also helped me take off the majority of the weight I gained.
While change during pregnancy is necessary and inevitable, some changes are only temporary. Some of the changes that are permanent aren’t that bad or they can even be amazingly good. Pregnancy is a time to embrace change. Your life will never be the same and in many ways that is a really good thing!