Pregnancy Discomforts
Listed here are some of the more common pregnancy discomforts and some suggestions for how to cope with them. For more severe problems or for more information, always ask your care provider. Not all women will develop all of these discomforts, but if you do develop them, it is normal for pregnancy.
Nausea and Vomiting: Very common between week 6 and week 12, but can extend beyond. It is normal to feel nauseous throughout the day, with more feelings of nausea first thing in the morning. This is because you have not eaten for hours and your cells have blocked blood sugar absorption so that there will be more blood sugar going to the baby. Therefore, if there is not enough blood sugar for both mother and baby, the mother's cells will not get enough. That is why the antidote for feeling nauseous during pregnancy is to eat, which seems counterintuitive and can be difficult to do. Try eating a small amount of food before rising from bed, like some crackers or dried fruit. Eat small amounts throughout the day rather than waiting for big meals, because your blood sugar needs to remain constant. When you are feeling morning sickness is the time to listen to those cravings! Whatever you can keep down is good for you to eat. Also, drink plenty of water, as more water thins out the blood which means a lower concentration of hormones, which increases cell absorption of blood sugars.
Constipation: Relaxin is a pregnancy hormone that relaxes many things in your body, including your pelvic bones which makes it possible to push a baby through them. It also relaxes the intestines and makes them less efficient. To help them move wastes through, make sure to eat plenty of leafy greens and other vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and drink plenty of water. Take your time in the bathroom and allow your intestines to do their job. Exercise can also greatly relieve constipation.
Heartburn: The lovely relaxin is at work again here, causing your esophagus to soften and allow stomach acids to come up through it. It can be one of the first changes that happens with pregnancy, and comes back full force at the end of pregnancy, when the size of the baby causes the internal organs to be squished together and there is less room for normal function. To ease heartburn, begin by eating the same things recommended for nausea and vomiting, and avoid fatty or spicy foods. When sleeping, prop yourself up with a pillow to allow gravity to encourage the stomach acids to stay down where they belong. Try different combinations of food and drink and see what works for you. Wear loose, comfortable clothing that doesn't restrict your abdomen. Taking Tums is fine if it works for you, but you should be aware that the calcium added to Tums is rendered unusable by your body because calcium requires stomach acid to absorb it. An alternative to try is a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar added to a glass of water (you can add a bit of honey). It's a counterintuitive remedy, but can work for some women.
Varicose veins and hemorrhoids: These are exacerbated by standing, so avoid standing for long periods of time, and also sitting cross legged or any other position that makes blood pooling easier. Take breaks during the day to lie down. Support hose can ease varicose veins, as can foot exercises. If varicose veins develop in the vagina, lie down with an ice pack on them to ease the pain. Take prenatal vitamins that contain Vitamin B6, as that can often help. If you have hemorrhoids, drink plenty of water, get plenty of fiber and vegetables, and don't strain on the toilet. Using a compress soaked in witch hazel can help.
Backache: Our old friend relaxin again! Really, we should be happy for relaxin because it makes us able to accommodate that baby growing inside and helps us be able to push that baby out. Low backache can be relieved by positions that take the weight of the baby off the spine, such as side-lying with a pillow between your legs, and getting on all fours on the floor. Upper back pain can result from trying to compensate for the weight in your abdomen. Good posture can help relieve upper back pain, as well as shoulder exercises. A soak in a hot bath can do wonders for any kind of back pain, or try a heating pad or hot water bottle. A massage, wearing a belly band, and acupuncture/acupressure can also help.
Leg cramps: This can result from a low salt diet, or calcium, magnesium, or potassium deficiency. Make sure you're getting plenty of these (calcium can come from dairy products or from leafy green vegetables like kale or collard greens, and potassium can come from bananas, sweet potatoes, dairy, and many other foods), especially if you are experiencing leg cramps at night. To relieve leg cramps when they occur, flex your foot while keeping your leg straight. Stretch the calf muscle. This may require getting out of bed to lean against the wall depending on the severity. You can ask your partner to stretch the muscle for you by grasping your foot and pushing it up while keeping your knee straight. Doing these exercises before bed may help with prevention, as well. Try massage, acupuncture, St. John's wort oil, or an epsom salt bath.
