➝ From start to finish, pregnancy causes the release of hormones to keep you & your baby progressing forward towards birth!

➝ There are many ways hormones will start to effect you & your baby as time goes on.

➝ Your hormones are a normal part of the pregnancy process, but sometimes they can lead you through challenging times mentally & physically.

Hot flashes? Mood swings? Weird cravings? You can thank your pregnancy hormones! Hormones play an important role in pregnancy for both mom & baby. It can be hard to keep track of all of them, what they do, and when in pregnancy they are important. The two main pregnancy hormones you might know are estrogen and progesterone, but there are many hormones at work at the same time. Check out our list of some major ones on the gallery!

Takeaways

Many different hormones work together to keep you & your baby healthy during pregnancy and postpartum. Even though they do a lot of cool things, the rise & fall in hormones can also be tough on mom physically & emotionally. In addition to physical side effects like breakouts, loose joints or nausea, moms may experience emotional and mental side effects too. Mood swings, sadness, and irritability are common.

Between hormonal changes & other important things going on in your life, it’s no wonder some moms don’t feel their best during pregnancy. However, if you are experiencing feelings of fear, depression or anxiety that are interfering with your daily life, talk to your provider to see if it’s more than hormones. Some moms may experience perinatal mood disorders (PMADs) like depression or anxiety during & after pregnancy. Good thing there are resources for you including local support groups, counseling, and accessible organizations like Postpartum Support International.

Hormones can causes a lot of frustrating side effects for mom. But remember they are working hard to keep your baby and pregnancy healthy!