Having a baby is an amazing experience, but who knew it could be so good for your health too? Sure, you will sleep less, and eating right and staying fit can be tough, but the health benefits of pregnancy and motherhood can more than make up these temporary challenges. The biggest perks have been listed below.
Health Becomes A Habit
Pregnancy causes many women to institute all kinds of positive health changes and drop bad habits. For instance, experts say pregnancy is one of the most effective inspirations for quitting smoking. Though we, Burmese women, rarely smoke, it is not wrong to err on the side of caution. It is also a great motivator for getting fresh air and exercise. Often these new health habits become shifts to a healthier lifestyle.
Easier Periods
Good news for women with bad cramps: having babies may bring you some relief in the long run. Many women find that their menstrual cramps are much less painful or even non-existent after the birth of their first baby. Doctors aren’t sure why, but women who have vaginal births report more relief than those who have C-sections, a factor that points to the stretching of the uterus during delivery as a possible mechanism for this pregnancy perk.
Cancer Risk is Reduced
Studies show, breast-feeding lower a woman’s breast-cancer risk. Because the changes breast cells undergo during pregnancy and lactation may make them more resistant to transforming into cancer cells. Moreover, the hormonal shifts that occur during pregnancy and breastfeeding also protect us, women, against ovarian and colon cancer, and the more full-term pregnancies one has the greater the benefit.Pregnancy’s protective benefit diminishes by the time you hit 30, which is why older moms are urged to breastfeed for as long as possible so they can take advantage of the breast-cancer protection nursing provides.
A Healthier Heart
Heart disease is the biggest killer worldwide, but one study found that breastfeeding just one baby for at least seven months can lower your risk of heart disease, as well as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Senses are Heightened
Pregnancy seems to enhance your sense of taste, most likely because your sense of smell also increases. Yes, that same sensitive nose that made morning sickness worse during early pregnancy can make food taste especially delicious later on. Some experts say it is due to high levels of estrogen.
A Boost in Mood
Pregnancy might be a hormone-powered roller-coaster ride of emotions, but once you become a mom those moods tend to stabilize. But you’re also likely to feel surges of love and other good feelings whenever you hold or nurse your little one, thanks to the hormone oxytocin, which plays a big role during bonding. It’s so powerful that one dose can fend off anxiety for hours and even days, say experts. That’s not the only psychological benefit of having children. One study showed that married women with kids were less depressed than childless married women.
The perks of pregnancy and motherhood continue for years, even after your babies have grown up and begun to start families of their own.
