Some of them could even help keep you in good shape for the rest of your life.
Here’s how...
1.You clean up your lifestyle
You have been meaning to give up cigarettes, cut down on alcohol and eat
more sensibly for years - and now you’ve got the ultimate motivation to
do so. When what you put in your body not only affects you but also
your unborn baby, being overly health-conscious is just not an option
any more.
2. You feel more calm and positive
Being pregnant forces you to slow down. Your body can’t handle a frantic
pace and you don’t need to rush around like crazy. Pregnancy and
breastfeeding also releases feel-good hormones to de-stress you.
3. You build stronger bones
At last, there’s a plus side to gaining weight! Researchers believe the
extra weight you carry in pregnancy increases bone strength,
particularly in your pelvis, and may even strengthen hip muscles, too.
This reduces your risk of hip fractures in later life by 44 per cent -
plus a further nine per cent for every additional child you have.
4. Your hair, skin and nails look fabulous
Your pregnancy-boosted metabolism is nourishing for growing cells,
resulting in much thicker, shinier hair, stronger nails and a complexion
that positively glows with health.
5. You have great fun
You might not feel like it so often, but when you do - wow! Increased blood circulation means you’re ultra-sensitive.
6. You can get fitter
Even if you don’t exercise in pregnancy, you’re actually in better shape
than a non-pregnant woman who does! In pregnancy, your aerobic capacity
increases by up to 30 per cent and your heart gets a third bigger,
pumping twice the usual amount of blood. These effects last for some
months after birth so if you’re fit before you get pregnant and continue
exercising in pregnancy, you can emerge fitter and stronger than ever.
7. You could live longer
Pregnant women ‘steal’ some of their baby’s new cells to replace their
ageing ones. Researchers have found male stem cells in the bone marrow
of the mums of boys. This may explain why women live longer than men,
and why pregnancy protects against breast cancer.
8. You can pre-empt future illness
Pregnancy can be a crystal ball for your future health. For instance, if
you develop gestational diabetes, you’re more likely to get type-2
diabetes later on; if you get pre-eclampsia you’re up to 10 times more
likely to develop heart disease. This may not sound like good news, but
it’s a window of opportunity. Doctors can pick up on potential health
problems much earlier in a woman’s life, and then intervene to reduce
her risk of serious illness in the future.
9. You reduce your risk of cancer
Pregnancy hormones reduce your risk of endometrial, breast and cancer.
You also boost your protection against breast cancer by over four per
cent for each year you breastfeed.
10. You may get a break from illness
If you have a chronic health condition, such as asthma, rheumatoid
arthritis, or even multiple sclerosis, you may find your symptoms are
less severe, or even disappear, in pregnancy.
Experts aren’t sure why this happens, but it’s thought to be the big
changes happening to your hormones and your immune system. Sadly, once
those hormones settle down after the birth, conditions tend to
re-appear. But at least you get a break!
11. You get to hit the pause button
Life has a habit of whizzing on by, without giving us a moment to take
stock. But getting pregnant is such a momentous event, it makes you plan
and dream again. Is this where you want to live when your baby’s born?
Is this the job you want to do once you’re a mum