Changes During Pregnancy: A Harry Potter Guide

Wondering what changes during pregnancy you might experience? Read on for some common changes during pregnancy accompanied by some Harry Potter wit. 

Throughout pregnancy, there are some pretty great things happening, like growing a human being! But for all the positive changes, there are also those that make us want to ‘apparate’ right out of our skin.

 [I’ll go ahead and say there will be definite Harry Potter references throughout. But not to worry if you haven’t got the faintest idea, you can still glean some good stuff you need to know 🤗]

Let’s take a look at some of the changes in each trimester you may or may not be expecting. That way you can be prepared if you feel like Professor Lupin during the full moon 🌕 and can cut yourself some slack. 

We’ll break this down into 3 parts, so you can ‘fly’ on over to whichever is right for you. 

First Trimester – Baby Size = Snitch 

Psychological changes during pregnancy – trimester 1

• Forgetfulness 

  • Now would be a good time for a “remembrall.” You may feel a little like Neville wondering where your frog Trevor has hopped off to. It’s a good time to buy some sticky notes or create lists to help you remember what you need to do. 

• Changes in appetite 

  • This could mean having no appetite or an aversion to certain foods OR maybe you’ll want to eat everything in sight like Ron at a feast in the Great Hall. Either way, try to figure our what you can do to get the nutrition and calories you need during this time. Cut yourself some slack if it’s not “perfect.”

• Mood swings 

  • You’ve got a lot of different hormones changing. It’s okay if sometimes you feel like Lavender Brown bouncing between different emotions. Find a friend, journal, or pray. Remember emotions are just information and can help you think more deeply about what’s under the surface. They help us recognize areas we need more help or to pay more attention. 

Physiological changes during pregnancy – trimester 1

• Fatigue 

  • You’ll probably need more sleep during this time so allow yourself to go the way of Crabbe and Goyle after a sleeping draught and get some rest. Not everything has to be done today. 

• Nausea and morning sickness 

  • Certain smells or foods, how much time between eating, or fluctuations in hormones may cause morning sickness. Exercise during pregnancy (besides having a lot of other benefits which you can read about here) helps some women stop feeling like Ron coughing up slugs. 

• Breast tenderness 

  • Running, jumping, and chest dominant exercises may not be as fun right now, as your breasts may be as tender as a pygmy puff (though they probably don’t feel as cute). 

• Softer ligaments in the pelvis 

  • No, you’re not turning into Harry’s arm after a spell from Gilderoy Lockhart. Your body is strong and capable and is starting to do what it needs to deliver your baby. You may feel like you need to change your movement patterns to feel more comfortable though.

• Sleep issues 

  • It’s not fun to feel like you can’t sleep (thanks, Dobby 🙄) when you’re already dealing with fatigue. For some women, supplementing with magnesium before bedtime can help. It can help decrease anxiety and aid in relaxing muscles – read more here.  (Always talk to your healthcare provider first). This is one from a brand I use and trust. 

• Dizzy spells or lightheadedness 

  • After changing positions too quickly or staying in one position for too long, you may feel like the Weasley’s gnomes going through a “de-gnoming.” 

• Shortness of breath 

  • Just like with fatigue, you may get short of breath doing an activity you had no difficulty with before. But don’t worry you shouldn’t feel like Cedric and Cho coming up from the depths of The Black Lake. (Talk to your doctor about shortness-of-breath not associated with activity.)  

• Frequent urination 

  • This starts as early as the first trimester because of hormonal changes. But hopefully, you won’t have Moaning Myrtle haunting your trips to the loo. 

• Indigestion 

  • Heartburn, bloating, constipation like after one too many butterbeer. Try to notice any patterns in when/what you’re eating and when you have symptoms so you can alter your diet or eating schedule as needed. 

Second Trimester – Baby Size = Bludger 

Psychological changes during pregnancy – trimester 2 

• Body image 

  • When some women start to “show,” they feel conflicted about the increasing size of their bodies. It’s completely understandable to feel like you’re turning into Hagrid. Try and remember why your body is changing and seek out someone to talk to if needed.  

• Dealing with difficult or unwelcome comments 

  • I’m not sure why being pregnant makes people feel like they can say anything to you, especially about your body. Firstly, you’re allowed to feel how you feel. And second, when someone comes at you with some Draco Malfoy level smug feel free to say, “I prefer my [body, parenting tactics, etc.] not be the topic of conversation.”

• Fear of and resistance to change 

  • For many women, the 2nd trimester is the time they start to feel “off” when trying to do certain activities. This may feel like a dementor attack, but changing or modifying activity can help you continue to do what you love to do more optimally.

Physiological changes during pregnancy – trimester 2

• Round ligament pain 

  • Ranging from a dull ache to a sharp pain in the groin or lower abdomen, round ligament pain usually comes on with transitional movement due to stretching of the uterine ligaments. It may feel like a whack from the Whomping Willow, but usually it only lasts a couple of seconds to a few minutes. You can help decrease this by transitioning more slowly between positions. 

• Increase in breast size 

  • As your breasts grow, you may feel like you’re carrying two giant pumpkins with the extra weight. Doing chest stretches (like those at the bottom of this post‎) can help. 

• Edema 

  • This swelling may cause a feeling of heaviness or pain, especially in the legs. But you can stop wishing you just had a false leg like Mad-eye Moody and try exercise (as I mentioned above – lots of benefits to exercising while pregnant), eating enough protein, better hydration, or using compression socks.   [Note – talk to your doc about swelling as it could be 100% normal or mean something else is going on] 

• Leg cramps 

  • For some women, these come on in the calf muscles and feel like a body bind curse. Massage and standing/seated calf raises may help. [FYI, acute swelling or pain in one leg, especially accompanied by swelling, heat, or redness might be an indicator for a DVT – deep vein thrombosis. This needs medical attention pronto as it could be a sign of a blood clot)

• Pelvic girdle and low back pain 

  • This may happen in the front of the pelvis or the back, as well as in the low back. But there is help to minimize feeling like you just got home from a long ride on a broomstick. Modifying single-leg activities or wide squats may help. Or try using a support belt, like the Serola (find on amazon here).

Third Trimester: Baby Size = Quaffle  

Psychological changes during pregnancy – trimester 3

• Protectiveness of space 

  • Like Voldemort and his Horcruxes, some women get super protective of their personal space. Know it’s okay if you don’t want to go out all the time with all the people. It might be healthy to invest in those people who are closest to you instead of big groups. 

• Aversion to touch 

  • While people aren’t probably as close to you as Fang gets to Ron, some ladies really don’t even like the idea of someone touching them at this stage in their pregnancy. It’s okay to ask people not to touch your bump or any other part of you for that matter. 

Physiological changes during pregnancy – trimester 3

• Low back pain 

  • As above, exercise can help you better handle low back pain (and it helps a bunch of other stuff too). Listen to Hermione when she tells you to relax instead of fighting the Devil’s Snare. You don’t need to push through pain while exercising. Instead, look for movements that help the pain and feel good. [P.S. want help with this? Contact me for some individualized coaching to help you get back to moving and grooving]

• Braxton-Hicks contractions 

  • Just like teams practice for their quidditch matches, the body also practices for game day. These are described as practice contractions and feel like a tightening around the abdomen.

• Sharp groin pain 

  • Although the uterus was made to expand to accommodate a growing baby, it doesn’t have all the space in the world like Hermione’s magic handbag. As the baby grows and moves, it may press on a nerve. This pain, sometimes more electrical or shooting typically subsides by getting into a different position.  

• Fatigue 

  • Between growing a baby and carrying around extra weight, some women also experience more fatigue as a result of less sleep. So give yourself the chance to rest when you can. That way you don’t fall asleep sitting up like Ron. 

• Diastasis Recti  

  • Diastasis Recti is a common response to tension on a growing belly. It can be helpful to perform monitor how you perform core exercises, but it’s also about more than the core. (If you want to learn more check out my article here –> healing diastasis recti). Super nerd alert: does anyone else wonder if Tonks could’ve hidden her pregnancy by changing her appearance?
    

• Carpal tunnel 

  • With the extra fluid, some women also experience arm or hand numbness, tingling, and/or wrist pain. The way you hold your wrist and hand can make a difference – just ask Flitwick trying to teach a “swish and flick.” Opt for a more neutral position with your wrist in a straight line with your forearm. 

• Pelvic floor changes 

  • With the increased weight of the baby, some ladies experience stress incontinence, urinary urgency/frequency, or, a feeling of heaviness in the perineum. Maybe this is kind of how Hedwig feels carrying all those heavy mail parcels. (If you want to know more about your pelvic floor and why you should care about the anatomy, here you go –> pelvic floor anatomy)

Your Pregnancy Story

Hopefully, this guide helps give you some foresight into what changes during pregnancy you might expect. But, just like there are many different characters in the wizarding world, each woman has her own pregnancy journey. You may experience just a few or most of these changes.

But like Dumbledore says, “help will always be given […] to those who ask for it.” Reach out to those around you. Or if you want some coaching through this period, I’d be happy to help too. Go to the Let’s Connect page and send me a message!