If you’re pregnant, you need to be extra careful about walking on the snow and ice. Here’s why:
During pregnancy, your ligaments become looser to allow your body to accommodate your growing baby. The hormone relaxin helps to prepare your body for labor and delivery, but it can also affect your joints making you feel unsteady. This change can put you at risk for injury, especially on slippery pavements.
If you are in your third trimester of pregnancy, your center of gravity may be off balance, which could make you prone to slips and falls. Your center of gravity refers to the place in your body that helps anchor you to the earth, so that you don’t tip over. A natural point of balance is below the navel and halfway between the abdomen and lower back. Having a strong center of gravity helps you have good balance.
During pregnancy, as your baby grows, your center of gravity moves forward and upward. Therefore, feeling off-balance is likely to worsen later on in your pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. Slipping and falling is much easier when your center of gravity has shifted.
Be prepared
Try to get help from family or friends with shoveling snow. Keep a bag of calcium chloride handy and sprinkle it on slippery walks to melt the snow and ice.
With a little thought and planning, you can remain safe during the cold, winter months. Then, when your baby is born, your center of gravity and ligaments will slowly return to normal again, and you can resume your usual activities.
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