
Do you ever wonder what to do? There are so many stories, experiences, struggles, and victories when it comes to pregnancy. Maybe you are going into pregnancy full of excitement, but dread. How are you going to deal with the hardships that are often a part of it? Maybe you were caught off guard when morning sickness or backaches became a seemingly never-ending companion. Are there any remedies? Can you find any relief? Take heart, mama, and read on!
Each mama and pregnancy is different. While some women have very hard pregnancies for various reasons, others are blessed with easy, uneventful ones. Some discomforts are related to genes, but most complaints are caused by the body’s many changes during pregnancy. Every major organ is affected, your uterus grows, and hormones and blood volume are high, all of which make it possible for this new life to grow inside your womb! No wonder you might feel some differences or discomfort. There are ways you can minimize these unpleasant feelings, however. Let’s take a look at some of these common discomforts.
Morning Sickness
You’ve probably heard of pregnancy morning sickness. This “morning sickness” can happen at any time or all throughout the day. Although the exact causes are not known, plausible factors include low blood sugar and changing hormones. Especially in early pregnancy, your hormones are going through a lot of changes in order to sustain your new baby. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced especially in early pregnancy has been linked to morning sickness. These changes can make you feel nauseous. Low blood sugar is also common during early pregnancy and can cause nausea.
What to do – Eat a balanced whole foods diet, drink lots of water, exercise daily, get adequate sleep, consider supplementing with vitamin B6 and magnesium, and sip peppermint tea. When some people see the word exercise, they think of intense workouts, running, and high intensity training. This is not what I am talking about here. Exercise when feeling nauseous may just be getting outside for a stroll each day. Making sure your body moves, especially outside when possible, will make a difference in your health and how you feel. When struggling with morning sickness, avoid caffeine, fatty foods, and always stay away from alcohol. Don’t lay down immediately after meals so you can let your food begin to digest.
Headaches
Headaches can occur at any time during pregnancy but are more common during the first and third trimesters. In the first trimester, headaches can be due to changing hormones and extra blood volume while the extra weight of the uterus and poor posture contribute to headaches in the third trimester. Stress can make things worse. While headaches are common during pregnancy, they can also indicate a problem. Talk to your care provider about ruling out dehydration, low blood sugar and pre-eclampsia.
What to do – Get plenty of rest and sleep. Eat regularly, and drink plenty of water and fluids. Take magnesium, omega-3 supplements and ginger (only in early pregnancy). Reduce stress by taking a bath or getting a pregnancy massage. Avoid allergens such as caffeine, milk, cheese, chocolate, tomatoes, MSG and sugar.
Backaches
Backaches are often caused by your growing uterus. Your uterus grows with your baby and eventually gets quite heavy because of all the weight it is carrying (your baby, placenta and fluid).
What to do – Relieve back pain with massage and heating pads, and work to prevent it with good posture, a hard mattress and the support of lots of pillows when you sleep. Avoid wearing high heels, and move and stretch your body with squats, pelvic rocks and daily exercise. Be conscientious about how you bend over. Squat when reaching to the floor, or bend while keeping your back straight.
Round Ligament Pain
Round ligament pain is caused when the ligaments that hold and stabilize your uterus are stretched and stressed. Multiple pregnancies can make it worse due to the relaxation of the uterus. The pain is often felt in the legs or back with sudden movements such as standing up or rolling over quickly.
What to do – Stand or roll over slowly to prevent sudden flareups, lean towards the pain to relieve the tension, and bring your legs up onto your belly to bring relief. Avoid twisting your body. Hydrotherapy can be helpful and soothing.
Constipation
Constipation is a common pregnancy discomfort. Digestion and peristalsis (the movement of the stomach muscles) are slower and can cause hard stools.
What to do – Drink lots of water. Increase fiber and raw fruits and veggies in the diet. Exercise daily. Supplement with magnesium. Avoid caffeinated drinks. Practice the 8 laws of health. Set a time each day to have a bowel movement.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this post to learn about more pregnancy discomforts and how to relieve them. Simple lifestyle changes, hydration and diet can go a long way in helping alleviate and even eliminate them! Often just one change can affect multiple discomforts and make your life easier.
~Hannah