Off-kilter? How to stay balanced during pregnancy

Walk much? If you've been tripping over your feet now that you're pregnant, there's a reason. Clumsiness and loss of balance are just two of the seemingly endless symptoms that may crop up once you're expecting.

Why it happens

• If you've been off-kilter these days, there's likely a reason – your growing bump. The larger your belly grows, the more it throws your center of gravity off balance. You may find yourself leaning backwards ever so slightly and feeling extra wobbly when climbing or descending stairs.
• Like most things in pregnancy, hormones are partially to blame. During your nine months of creating a living being, your body is manufacturing a hormone called relaxin. Relaxin quite literally relaxes your joints and muscles to make way for baby – but it can also weaken your knees, ankles and legs, leaving you more susceptible to trips and falls.
• Being pregnant is hard work and can leave expectant moms feeling exhausted. If pregnancy fatigue has you in its grip, you may find yourself clumsier and more absent-minded than before.

What you can do

Spilling coffee on your keyboard is one (annoying) thing, falling down, on the other hand, can be dangerous to your little one. Whether pregnancy has you repeatedly dropping your keys or tripping over your own two feet, there are small steps you can take to ease this pesky symptom and keep you and your baby safe.

Wear flats: There comes a time in every woman's pregnancy when it makes sense to pack away her pumps for a while. If your belly has you off balance, invest in a pair of stylish and comfortable flats. You'll have an easier time staying stable and protect your knees and back, too.

Go slowly: When it comes to wet floors, uneven sidewalks, staircases and bathtubs your new maxim should be 'take it slowly.' This is a symptom that can certainly creep up out of nowhere, so be better safe than sorry and slow down.

Don't climb: Can't see your own feet? That's a good sign that you shouldn't step foot on a ladder. If you need something up high, pull the pregnancy card and sweet talk someone else into getting it down for you.

Clear the clutter: Clear your living space of anything you might trip over in the middle of the night. Don't pile shoes on your staircase and make sure your path from bed to bathroom is clutter free.

Now that you're expecting, do you notice your sense of balance being off? What are some tips you can share to help others cope? Leave them in the comments below for other moms-to-be.