The lasting effects of pregnancy

Receding gums, bigger feet and a longer nose ? are these really the legacies of having childbirth?Can having a baby cause unexpected physical side effects? "My feet have grown a size," claims Denise van Outen, "I've had to give away all my designer shoes." Although her dress size has shrunk back to a pre-pregnancy 10, her shoe size has gone up from five to six. Which sounds all at once inconvenient and expensive. And certainly more than a bit showy-offy.But what is really going on here? The traditional bodily legacies of childbirth are well-known. Breasts, stomach and thighs can all change shape for ever. As can ? understatement of the year coming up ? the pelvic floor. Let's not even mention stretchmarks. Or the fact that there are, sadly, both winners and losers in the Great Perineum

Read more ...