Pregnancy is a time of a whirlpool of changes. A pregnant woman has physical, emotional, and psychological changes. Deciding what to eat, how to sit, which posture to sleep everything has to be thought about. In the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, women find it difficult to keep their balance. It is common for them to trip or slip. Even walking for a while can be a difficult one for them as well, though not impossible. Clumsiness during pregnancy is due to hormonal changes, and weight gain, the reason why the lady might drop objects or even trip.
A pregnant woman starts to gain weight in the last few months before the delivery. This is also attributed to the changes in the center of gravity, carpal tunnel syndrome, weight gain, swelling, varicose veins, etc. Clumsiness at the time of pregnancy is not something that is harmful. Yet you must be careful of the surface you walk on and the objects you hold to not hurt yourself.
In This Article
- Is Clumsiness Normal During Pregnancy?
- Causes of Clumsiness During Pregnancy
- When Does Clumsiness Start During Pregnancy?
- Tips to Help You Deal With Clumsiness During Pregnancy
- When Should I Be Worried About Clumsiness During Pregnancy?
- FAQ’s
Is Clumsiness Normal During Pregnancy?
It is normal for women to feel clumsy around the second half of pregnancy, the time when the baby bump is visible. Some women can even start feeling clumsier in the early stages due to fatigue and hormonal changes.
Causes of Clumsiness During Pregnancy
Here are a few causes of clumsiness during pregnancy
1. Hormones
Due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, the ligaments and joints become loose which in turn loosens the grip on the objects. To your surprise, hormonal changes also affect small joints like fingers.
2. Weight Gain
During the course of pregnancy, the additional weight gain pulls the center of gravity forward making it difficult to balance. The center of gravity shifts due to the belly growth resulting in slips and falls. When walking on slippery surfaces, lifting heavy weights, or climbing stairs, you tend to lose balance. Due to the increase in weight, it becomes impossible for the pregnant woman to see over the belly to the foot, so it leads her to trip more often.
3. Changes in Vision
During the course of your pregnancy, you may begin experiencing vision changes. A bit of blurred vision can also make you clumsy.
4. Swelling
The swelling in the legs and feet due to water retention can affect the fitting of shoes and even affects the way you walk, resulting in tripping.
5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Due to fluid retention, the nerves in the wrists go through exertion. This even results in numbness and tingling in the hands. You may also notice your fingers aching. All this together can result in a weaker grip and make you clumsy.
6. Weaker Abdominal Muscles
In the last stage of pregnancy, the pregnant woman can experience diastasis recti, which indicates a weakening of the abdominal area that can affect movement.
When Does Clumsiness Start During Pregnancy?
It is common to see clumsiness in the second trimester of pregnancy for most women. This is the time when the baby bump is visible and it becomes difficult for the woman to few tasks. It could be because of both weight gain, and hormonal rush in the body.
Tips to Help You Deal With Clumsiness During Pregnancy
Being clumsy makes it difficult to perform the simplest of tasks, which is annoying as well. It is also important to prevent oneself from falling during pregnancy. To be vigilant and cautious is the key. A few tips that help in dealing with clumsiness during pregnancy are as given:
1. Be Cautious
Here are a few things you need to keep in mind if you are experiencing clumsiness during pregnancy
- It is important to be very careful when taking a shower or on any other slippery surface
- Never wear heels or slippery shoes. Instead, use comfortable or stable shoes with rubber soles.
- Try to keep the rugs secure by using sticky tape
- Keep the stairs and pathways clean and do not try to reach places by standing on chairs
- Do things at a slow pace
- Never rush to finish the task
- Do things at your pace as this would reduce the chances of falling
- Take extra time to reach appointments, conferences, meetings, or seminars
2. Exercise is The Key
Pregnant women have special exercises. Following these helps in better balance and keeping the muscles strong. Exercising also helps in wading away from falling off.
3. Wear a Belly Support Belt
Maternity support belts or “belly belts” for pregnant women support your abdomen and back, stabilize your hips, and improve your posture.
4. Do Not Exert
It is best to not lift heavy items, and avoid riding bikes, skating, skiing, and all such activities that need good balance as clumsiness while doing these activities can prove dangerous.
When Should I Be Worried About Clumsiness During Pregnancy?
Clumsiness is not a cause of worry during pregnancy. However, you need to be extra careful, watch out for a few symptoms, and report them to your gynecologist.
Here are a few signs that you must not ignore
1. Hypoglycemia
Clumsiness is even due to low blood sugar levels which can be due to skipping meals. It is common in diabetic people or the ones who take insulin. Apart from these blur vision, sweating, dizziness, hunger, improper balance, etc. also indicate hypoglycemia.
2. Preeclampsia
Swelling in hands and face, blurred vision, headaches, and less urine are all signs of preeclampsia or high blood pressure that is common after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is important to get proper treatment for Preeclampsia, or else it can be dangerous for the mother as well as the fetus.
3. Falling
It is important to be very cautious during pregnancy clumsiness, one should not fall. Tripping or spilling is still not that dangerous but a fall on the belly could have a drastic effect as it can result in placental abruption. This means the placenta separates from the uterine wall if the fall is on the belly. It is thus very important to keep the doctor well informed of the same.
Here are a few signs to watch out for if you fall due to clumsiness during pregnancy
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Vaginal bleeding
- Uterine contractions
- A dip in fetal movements
Thus, it is very important to be cautious during the pregnancy phase especially if clumsy. Always keep help and take it easy and slow. It is most important to first assess if the movement is secure and then go for it. Try not to experiment or explore much and do simpler things and be happy.
FAQ’s
1. Is Clumsiness Related to Anxiety?
It is not mandatory to term clumsiness as an anxiety symptom. Few anxiety symptoms however can result in clumsiness.
2. Is Being Clumsy Part of ADHD?
As per research, ADHD patients do suffer balance-related issues which may carry on till they reach adolescence. Adults with ADHD are more accident-prone and clumsier as well.
