Pregnancy is subject that has generated a lot of paper, based on years of research and discoveries. If you are a first time mom it would be very important that you know a few facts related to pregnancy and how it will impact your mind, body and your entire lifestyle. Women go through a number of altered states as follow:

1. The Nesting Instinct: many women experience this instinct, it an intense urge to prepare your home for the baby by cleaning and decorating. As your dew date draws closer this instinct would be even stronger as you would find yourself cleaning and organizing closets and even washing walls, things you could never have imagined doing in the 9^th month of the pregnancy. The desire to prepare your home can be very useful because it will give you more time to recover and nurture you baby after the birth.
   
   
2. Inability to concentrate: In the first trimester, some women tend to experience fatigued along with morning sickness, which can make them feel worn out and mentally fuzzy. Even if women are well rested as opposed to fatigued, they tend to experience lack of concentration and periods of forgetfulness. The reasons behind this are a preoccupation with the baby and also hormonal changes.
   
   
3. Mood swings: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and pregnancy are quite alike when it comes to mood swings. Your breast swells and becomes tender, your hormones fluctuate and you tend to feel really moody. If you suffer from PMS then you are most likely to suffer from severe mood swings during pregnancy. They can make you go from feeling happy one minute to feeling crying and depressed the other minute. You may feel irrationally angry over your partner one day or you may feel irritated by your colleagues, friends ,etc the next day. About 10 percent of the women feel depressed during pregnancy. But if you experience mood swings, depression and loss of appetite for more than 2 weeks its advised that you check in with you doctor.
   
   
4. Bra size: An increase in the breast size is one of the first  signs of pregnancy. Breast usually become swollen and enlarged due  to increased secretion of estrogen and progesterone. In addition to this your bra size might also get affected by the size of your rib cage as the lung capacity increases in order to pump in extra oxygen for the baby, hence bigger chest size. Therefore you might need to replace your bras several times over the course of your pregnancy.
   
   
5. Skin: You might be getting compliments of glowing skin during your pregnancy. The reason behind the glowing skin is that the body that there is an increase in blood volume to provide extra blood flow to the uterus and to meet the metabolic needs of the fetus. They also have increased blood flow to their other organs, especially the kidneys. The greater volume brings more blood to the vessels and increases oil gland secretion. Some women develop brownish or yellowish patches called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy," on their faces. And some will notice a dark line on the midline of the lower abdomen, known as the linea nigra (or linea negra), as well as hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) of the nipples, external genitalia, and anal region. These are the result of pregnancy hormones, which cause the body to produce more pigment. The body may not produce this increased pigment evenly, however, so the darkened skin may appear as splotches of color. Unfortunately, chloasma can't be prevented, but wearing sunscreen and avoiding UV light can minimize its effects.
   
   

6.      Hair and Nail: Many women experience changes in hair texture and growth during pregnancy. The hormones secreted by your body will cause your hair to grow faster and fall out less. But these hair changes usually aren't permanent; most women lose a significant amount of hair in the postpartum period or after they stop breast feeding.

7.      Joint Mobility : During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone known as relaxin, which is believed to help prepare the pubic area and the cervix for the birth. The relaxin loosens the ligaments in your body, making you less stable and more prone to injury. It's easy to overstretch or strain yourself, especially the joints in your pelvis, lower back, and knees. When exercising or lifting objects, go slowly and avoid sudden, jerky movements.