Influencer Krystal Hipwell gets real about her pregnancy health: Cellulite, varicose veins and bleeding gums
The mum-of-two shares the unglamorous side of growing a small human.
Influencer and former Big Brother star, Krystal Hipwell has taken to social media to share some of the harsh realities of pregnancy.
The 34-year-old, who is 39 weeks pregnant with bub number three usually shares beautifully edited images to Instagram but her latest post is honest, raw and for many pregant women, very relatable.
Alongside a carousel of images, the first being a stunning pregnancy shot, the former Big Brother housemate of 2006, then goes on to share some of the common pregnancy ailments, including varicose veins, psoriasis, melasma and bleeding gums, she is currently suffering this time around.
“Don’t be fooled it’s not all sunshine and rainbows 👉,” writes Krystal in the post.
“I shared these in my stories yesterday and thought they deserved a permanent spot here. As much as I think pregnancy is beautiful and is such a blessing I do think it’s also important to keep it real and share the weird and sometimes not-so wonderful side of carrying a child!”
Mum-of-two, Krystal Hipwell is due any day with bub number three.
Krystal and her husband, Neil Hipwell are parents to five-year-old Sunny and two-year-old daughter, Nakoda.
The fitness trainer goes onto explain that during her first pregnancy she felt no one on Instagam was honest about sharing their pregnancy health issues.
“I remember when I was pregnant with Sunny I felt there was a lot of unrealistic expectation surrounding pregnancy and no one seemed to be sharing these things on social media.”
Krystal’s post has been met with an outpouring of support from her 150,000 followers with many praising her for being real.
“Since sharing these images yesterday I’ve received an overwhelming response from women who are also experiencing these things and I personally find a sense of peace knowing that I am not alone! I also want to highlight that this is not a competition of who has it worse and I acknowledge that these things are superficial and insignificant in comparison to some women’s harsh reality,” she explains.
Krystal finishes by saying that despite these health issues, she knows how lucky she is to be pregnant.
“I know it is the biggest gift to even be able to carry a child and whatever my body endures whether it be varicose veins, sciatica, psoriasis, swollen feet, melasma , excess cellulite or weird pregnancy tumours in my mouth that make me look like a vampire. I know it is ALWAYS worth it for what is waiting for me at the finish line.”
Here’s a summary of the common pregnancy conditions Krystal is experiencing…
Varicose veins – Pregnancy increases your chance of developing varicose veins for a few reasons. Firstly, you produce more blood than usual to help your baby grow. As your baby grows, your uterus presses on and partially blocks the veins that are returning blood from your legs to your heart. Also, your pregnancy hormones make the walls of your veins softer, which makes it harder for them to work properly.
Sciatica – There’s average back pain and then there is sciatica – a sharp, shooting pain, tingling or numbness that starts in the back or buttocks and moves down the backs of your legs. Sciatica will most likely occur during the third trimester, when both you and your baby are bulking up (it can develop earlier, but it’s not common). Most women typically experience pain just on one side, though you may feel it in both legs.
Swollen feet – Swelling is caused by increased fluid volume in your body, as well as decreased circulation. Fluid build up is more common during the third trimester.
Cellulite – A very normal part of pregnancy, as a woman’s body has a higher tendency of storing an excessive volume of bodily fluids and a woman is naturally putting on extra weight to carry a child.
Melasma – Also known as the mask of pregnancy when present in pregnant women, melasma is a tan or dark skin discoloration. Melasma is thought to be caused by sun exposure, genetic predisposition, hormone changes, and skin irritation.
Psoriasis – A condition in which skin cells build up and form scales and itchy, dry patches.
Pregnancy tumors — Firstly, they are not cancerous but swelling that can occur in the gums during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. They tend to bleed easily and can interfere with chewing.
