Journey of a pregnant woman to motherhood is replete with a number of surprises. The moment she and her spouse learn that there is pregnancy and a baby is going to be there in their family, they are in an ecstatic mood. It is the most exciting moment for husband as well as wife. It not only transforms the body of a pregnant woman but her mind too. While dealing with the joys and pregnancy celebrations, let’s spare a thought for the anxieties arising during pregnancy, too. Every pregnant woman faces a number of unanticipated side effects during her pregnancy, most of which disappear after pregnancy.

Unexpected Effects Of Pregnancy

Mood Swings

The most common phenomenon that a pregnant woman experiences is that of mood swings. It occurs mainly during the first and the third trimester of the pregnancy. Mood swings make a pregnant woman feel ecstatic as well as depressed and isolated without any rhyme and reason. It is advisable to see the doctor if the problem of depression continues for more than two weeks.

Inability To Concentrate and Take Care

A pregnant woman undergoes hormonal changes, and faces problems of exhaustion, morning sickness and preoccupation with the baby that makes her forgetful. One can successfully overcome this phase of pregnancy by preparing a list of things to be done, taking necessary rest and limited but nutritious diet.

Nesting Instinct

It is commonplace for a pregnant woman to develop an intense nesting instinct, which is a strong desire to provide a home for the ensuing baby and decorate it. However, be careful and avoid too much of hard physical labor to ensure that the baby is safe.

Increased Bra Size

Since the breasts of a pregnant woman continue to get enlarged, get swollen, tender and painful, one must change the bra size to feel comfortable.

Skin Glow

It is not unusual for a pregnant woman to experience an increase in blood volume so that she can cater to the metabolic needs of her fetus. This makes her skin glow and make her look unusually pretty. Some pregnant women also develop rashes, pimples and moles because of hormonal changes. If there is irritation or itchiness due to skin stretching on the abdomen, use skin creams and lotions for relief.

Hair And Nails Growth

A pregnant woman, at times can have hair growth on her face or belly. Her nails may become longer and grow faster.

Increased Shoe Size

It also happens that some pregnant women see their feet swelling, but these changes are not permanent. In order to get relief from the pain, one can wear slip-on shoes of a larger size.

Other Changes

There are few more symptoms of pain during pregnancy, including reduced joint mobility, varicose veins, hemorrhoids and constipation. Though almost all these problems disappear after pregnancy, it is always better to be careful and have a balanced diet. This can help alleviate the adverse effects of these temporary conditions in a pregnant woman. A pregnant woman can look forward to a variety of surprises during her pregnancy. There should not be any anxiety because almost all of these side effects disappear after pregnancy. The golden rule for any pregnant woman is to enjoy these very exciting days, weeks and months that will eventually bring a newborn into the family.

Motherhood is one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges that a woman can take on in her life. No one will deny that it’s extremely stressful – but some women cope with this stress through means that can become addictive and destructive.

Years ago, the Rolling Stones had a hit with “Mother’s Little Helper,” satirizing housewives who used pills to get through the day. However, addiction among mothers is no laughing matter, as seen on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show. In Utah, the number of women admitted to treatment centers increased 144 percent between 2001 and 2002. And the “mother’s little helpers” have gone from prescription pills to more serious drugs – recent reports show an increasing number of suburban moms are addicted to crystal meth.

The consequences of these addictions are, to say the least, severe. According to a study by the University of Buffalo Social Work Facility, mothers tend to punish children more heavily when they have drug and alcohol problems. The study looked outside the range of behavior that could be construed as child abuse, demonstrating that mothers who drank or tried drugs reacted more extremely to situations involving their children’s behavior, often relying on harsh language or spankings as a way of dealing with their children while impaired.

Many of these mothers came from families where their own parents dealt with addiction. “There is evidence that these victimization histories may contribute to their alcohol- and drug-abuse problems, which, in turn, contribute to the style of punishment they use with their children,” the study said. “And since substance abuse is linked to victimization and violence, it is critical that the interacting chain of events be interrupted.”

Mothers who abuse drugs while pregnant can interfere with their children’s cognitive development, and often prove to have difficulties as caregivers even after reducing their drug use, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Is it possible for an addicted mother to get clean? In 2005, Dr. Robert J. Ackerman, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Training Institute, told a mother who’d been addicted to crystal meth for 12 years that “with the right treatment and support, the answer is yes.” Ackerman went on to explain that addicts need to find a new way to live. “Often, addicts think the world is ‘normal’ when they are high and have difficulty handling every day life with out their drugs,” Ackerman said. “Thus, becoming ‘normal’ will take on an entirely different meaning in recovery for addicts.”

For addicted mothers, it is possible to get clean – but also to make sure that they’re prepared to face the world that’s waiting for them once they get clean. It’s a situation that requires both intense treatment and a period of recovery to make sure that the treatment sticks. Staying off drugs is a lifelong choice, one that affects not only a mother, but her children as well. A woman who’s accepted the challenge of motherhood needs to be ready to face another, equally-difficult challenge – protecting her mind and body for the sake of herself and her children.