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A pregnant woman’s body goes through many drastic changes as she takes on the responsibility of growing the baby in her womb. Her belly starts to expand, her hormone levels shift, and this can lead to swollen feet, varicose veins, diabetes, headaches and even hair loss. A woman’s body goes through a lot when she is pregnant, but this is just the beginning. She also experiences permanent changes in her body and brain chemistry after childbirth, as having a baby is such a life altering experience. So, if you’d like to know what your body has in store for, after your pregnancy, this is the article for you. Here are a few unexpected bodily changes that happen after pregnancy and what it means for you.
1. The Voice Changes
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If you’re wondering how your voice got low all of a sudden, it’s not because you now spend countless hours yelling at your overactive 10 month old. Your voice probably changed well before then, when you were pregnant with your little one. Scientists from the University of Sussex found that women who had given birth experienced their voices becoming lower and monotone. However, around a year after childbirth their voices went back to their initial frequency and tone. Researchers think that this temporary change is due to the hormonal changes caused by pregnancy. The level of sex hormones a woman’s body produces reduces drastically upon giving birth and this can affect the vocal cords. The maximum voice height of a woman who gives birth falls to 44 Hz or 2.2 semitones according to scientists. And this is the equivalent of two piano notes.
2. They Experience More Anxiety
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Young mothers or first time mothers are always lectured on the importance of staying composed, calm and peaceful. But this is impossible to do when you have a newborn you may not be fully equipped to handle alone. Usually, women tend to become increasingly worried and scared about doing the wrong thing and unintentionally hurting their infant. So, they are laser focused on their every cry, facial expression and movement. If you’re constantly caught up wondering if your baby is sleeping enough or eating too much, just know that this is normal! It’s not the woman who is extremely nervous but rather the oxytocin hormone that keeps increasing her levels of anxiety.
Oxytocin is a natural hormone that aids in the female reproductive system, including labor and lactation. So, it secretes intensively into the woman’s system after childbirth. It helps the uterus that had stretched during the pregnancy shrink down and it also switches on the maternal instinct.
3. The Brain Works Better
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Although the young mother is overwhelmed and anxious, they do become smarter after childbirth. Scientists have found that the brain of the mother does become bigger. And they suggest that this is in order to meet the unique needs of both the mother and the child. They learn to become efficient in terms of decision making skills, being emotionally resilient and becoming great at finding new strategies in order to solve problems. Neurobiologist Craig Kinsley notes that not only is giving birth to a child a big event in a woman’s life, it’s also a big stage in her mental development, which is as important as the teenage stage in life.
4. The Body Gets Refreshed
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There is a regeneration process that takes place once the woman gives birth and it’s all because of the blood of the fetus. Embryonic cells are produced right after childbirth in order to help the pregnant woman heal her wounds. This can also help prevent and heal serious diseases. One common example is a liver biopsy done of a pregnant woman with hepatitis C showing signs of improvement even after she had stopped treatment. Scientists found that the source of her liver’s cells were the cells of the fetus. In addition to this, pregnancy is known to prolong life in cases where pregnancy occurs later in life. Scientists have found that women who have children later on in life, live longer.
5. Reduces The Risk Of Cancer
Who would have known that the mechanisms that protect women from cancer activate after they have kids? For example, women who give birth to their babies at a younger age have a lower risk of getting ovary cancer and endometrium. However, the risk decreases with every full-term pregnancy.
Having a baby brings about several bodily changes. Some of them are beneficial and others are not. But regardless of the changes you feel and notice, the most important thing to focus on after childbirth is to focus on your health and that of your little one. Rest well and take it easy so that you can adjust to these new life and body changes!
Sources
1. Anxiety During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Course, Predictors and Comorbidity with Postpartum Depression, NCBI
2. Pregnancy duration and breast cancer risk,NCBI
3. Role of Fetal Stem Cells in Maternal Tissue Regeneration, NCBI
4. ENT Changes of Pregnancy and Its Management, NCBI
