Like the extra inches on your belly, the extra thumbs on your hands are part of the pregnancy package. But although the symptom may seem random, there's actually biology and physics behind your newfound tendency to slip, trip, drop and plop.
When does clumsiness generally start during pregnancy?
Many women feel clumsier during the second trimester of pregnancy, when their baby bumps are really starting to grow. However, others notice that their coordination takes a hit earlier due to a combination of hormones and fatigue.
Either way, clumsiness is a super common symptom experienced to varying degrees at some point by most expecting women.
What causes clumsiness during pregnancy?
Clumsiness is a temporary side effect of pregnancy caused by several factors:
- Your belly's throwing you off. Your burgeoning baby bump shifts your center of gravity, throwing your balance off-kilter.[1] This uneasiness in balance (whether conscious or not) is most apparent when you're climbing a flight of stairs, walking on a slippery surface (something you should avoid anyway) or carrying something heavy (ditto). Not being able to see past your belly to your feet can also make trips and spills more likely.
- Your hormone levels are changing. Pregnancy hormones that loosen your joints and ligaments and cause you to retain extra fluids cause carpal tunnel syndrome, which makes your grasp on objects less firm and sure.[2]
- You're exhausted. Pregnancy fatigue can make it easier to trip when you're too tired to notice the box your partner left in the middle of the living room floor.
- You're forgetful. Pregnancy brain can also make it likely that not only will you forget where you left the keys, but when you actually find them, you'll keep dropping them.
What can I do about clumsiness when I'm pregnant?
Although clumsiness can make simple day-to-day tasks tougher, most pregnancy klutziness is little more than an annoyance. For obvious reasons, however, you want to try to avoid falling during pregnancy — which is why "caution" should be your middle name these days. A few tips:
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- Proceed with care. Slow down, especially in the shower or when it's icy outside. Don't wear slippery soles or socks without shoes, secure area rugs with padding or sticky tape, keep hallways and stairs clear of objects that might trip you up, and don't stand on any chairs.
- Don't pick up what you don't want to drop. The clumsies will be with you for a while, so leave your favorite vase on the shelf for now, and let someone else load and unload the dishwasher.
- Try to have a sense of humor. When else can you make a one-woman show out of just showing up? If you can let everyone else have a giggle at it, chances are you'll feel better equipped to deal with that extra set of thumbs and those two left feet you suddenly feel as though you're sporting.
When should I talk to my doctor about clumsiness during pregnancy?
If you're feeling super swollen and also experiencing blurred vision or sudden unexplained weight gain unrelated to your eating habits, check in with your practitioner. In relatively rare cases, it could be a sign of undiagnosed high blood pressure or preeclampsia, which can cause moderate to severe swelling of the hands (one of the common causes of clumsiness).
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