Backaches are one among many common complaints when pregnant. This pain is commonly experienced in the lower back and can be aggravated if you stand for a long period of time or lift something heavy or sleep awkwardly (in the wrong posture). Such pains happen, particularly during the last trimester.
A mild backache can evolve into a more severe pain if you twist your spine and pelvis in opposite directions, for instance, when you are turning over in bed. The high levels of progesterone (a hormone that regulates and stimulates important functions that play a role in maintaining pregnancy and prepare your body for conception) in your body when pregnant result in the stretching and softening of ligaments in the pelvic area, in preparation for birth.
The ligaments around your spine also relax and this puts extra strain on your hips and back. Your body produces a hormone called relaxin, which happens when the second trimester is almost completed. Relaxin loosens all your ligaments and joints preparing your body for birth. For some of you, it can get pretty painful and result in pelvic pains often when turning over in bed.
Massage can help you in getting some respite from such backaches. Also, strengthening exercises for your back can help too. Consult with a therapeutic professional to be positive that your back is in good shape and ask them to suggest you some exercises for your individual situation. Try and avoid sleeping on very soft mattresses, wearing high heels, and lifting heavy things. Keep in mind to maintain a good posture and while turning over in bed try to be slow and turnover in stages.
Morning sickness can be as manageable as mild nausea to as severe as constant vomiting which might require hospitalization. Despite its misleading name, morning sickness can happen at any time of the day, however, some pregnant women find it to happen when they haven't eaten any solid food for some time (probably in the morning after the night's sleep, hence the name 'morning' sickness).
You might happen to experience morning sickness until the end of your first trimester but can also go on for any amount of time. For those women who are unlucky enough, morning sickness can hang around during their entire pregnancy period, or may even disappear after their first trimester only to show up again in their third trimester.
While the main cause of morning sickness is still sort of a mystery - the reasons that doctors believe morning sickness happens to pregnant women are due to low blood sugar levels or pregnancy hormones causing irritation to their stomach or maybe both!
Good news- there are various different remedies for morning sickness, some might work for you and some might not. Among the things you can do to deal with morning sickness include, drinking lots of fluids, avoiding awful smells like cigarette smoke (or any smoke!) or other smells which might trigger nausea, eating smaller meals more frequently.
You can place some dried fruits and nuts in your pocket or bag or at your desk just in case if you feel a wave of nausea might take over. Remember that nausea will always become worse if you are tired so try to rest as much as you can or whenever you can.
There are a lot of natural remedies which might help alleviate symptoms of morning sickness, like, including vitamin B6 and ginger. You can give ginger biscuits a try as a snack for munching, or even the herb in a capsule may help.
Experiencing Constipations is quite common during pregnancy as well as after giving birth (when your body uses water in a huge amount for breastfeeding). The hormone, progesterone, creates a relaxing effect in your body, which is good when you are giving birth, but it can cause side effects when you are pregnant. One of its side effects that we've already encountered is backaches, another one is that it can make your digestion process sluggish.
The best way to deal with constipation is to drink A LOT of water and consume plenty of fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Coconut flour is highly rich in fiber and you can substitute it for a third or half of normal flour in your food. It does not rise like normal flour but is immensely good for you. If you happen to like the taste of coconut then you can also switch your cooking oils to virgin coconut oil. You can also get a consultation by a Naturopath for individual dietary and herbal support which is safe for you during pregnancy.
You will mostly experience cramps in the calves, thighs or feet during the time of pregnancy. Cramps usually start off with a sharp pain which is then followed by an aching pain which lingers for a while. Cramps become quite common during the third trimester and are mostly experienced at night when you're sleeping, causing you to wake up.
It is believed that cramps are caused due to low levels of magnesium or calcium because your baby requires high levels of these nutrients, specifically from about the twentieth week of pregnancy.
If you are concerned about your cramps then consult your doctor, she/he will prescribe a balanced magnesium and calcium supplement. Apart from that, make sure you are well hydrated! If you experience a serious cramp, massage the area firmly, flex and point your foot. Some women find relief by sleeping with their feet slightly elevated, you can try this by placing your feet on a pillow.
During the day, try to keep walking and exercise regularly. Try and wear flats, or not too high heeled footwear. When lying down or resting try to elevate your legs and your flex toes. Increase your consumption of mineral and calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products, green leafy vegetables, almonds, seeds, brazil nuts, and figs. Tonic water and bitter lemon can also help in relieving leg cramps. Taking a magnesium and calcium supplements daily is quite safe and they often relieve cramps quickly.
You can feel a bit dizzy or faintish when you stand up too quickly, probably after a warm bath or if you keep on standing for too long. The reason that lies behind this is the lack of blood supply to your brain, which is usually caused due to blood pooling in your legs and /or feet when you're standing. When pregnant, the uterus has a great demand for blood supply.
The ways to avoid this dizzy and faintish feeling are fairly simple. Do not stand for a long time, try to keep yourself cool during hot weather and do not get up suddenly. When you experience dizziness, sit with your head tucked between your knees or lie down with your feet elevated.
If you need to stand for a long time period keep shifting weight from one leg to another to keep blood circulating. Make sure you drink lots and lots of fluids as dehydration can worsen your tendency to faint. Also, make sure you get plenty of naps and rest whenever possible.
You would usually have your blood pressure checked when you visit your doctor at routine check-ups, so she/he could keep watch for any fluctuations in blood pressure. For some women, during pregnancy, the blood pressure can rise above normal levels. It can range from a usually mild case of high blood pressure (HBP) - to a more severe level.
You might experience no symptoms of high blood pressure or you could experience many. Some of these symptoms are vomiting, disturbed vision, headaches, and a sharp pain just below your breastbone. High blood pressure can also co- occur with or be accompanied by water retention (swelling of the feet, hands, and ankles).
While high blood pressure can occur at any given time, it is more likely to happen later in pregnancy. It is more common for women who are having their first baby, those who are over 35 years of age and the ones who are expecting more than one baby. The reason why blood pressure must be closely monitored is that it could be a signal of pre-eclampsia (a potentially dangerous complication during pregnancy).
If you are worried that you are experiencing these symptoms, consult your doctor or care provider at once. It is important to keep them in clear if you have had problems with high blood pressure prior to your pregnancy or if you are going through persistent headaches or nausea.
The cause of high blood pressure is not entirely known, however, it is extremely important that you communicate with your doctor if you have any concerns, as high blood pressure can require immediate attention, even hospitalization. Milder cases mostly result in the patient being recommended to take bed rest.
And yet again the culprit is progesterone! It relaxes the valve at the entrance of the stomach, making it easier for the stomach acid to flow into the esophagus which results in a burning sensation. Another possible reason for heartburn can be that your baby could also press on your stomach which again causes stomach's acid to flow upwards. You will usually seem to experience heartburn when you're lying down, straining or coughing.
First of all, you could try to keep heartburn at bay by keeping your meals in small amounts and frequent instead of few and in large amounts. Drink a glass of milk (to neutralize the acid), it can sometimes help, particularly before going to bed.
Try and avoid having spicy foods or foods which are high in fat. Check with your doctor or pharmacist or nationalist if you would like to take over-the-counter (pharmaceutical) antacids, or talk to your naturopath or herbalist for alternate soothing and gentle herbal support.
Insomnia may kick in at any time from conception onwards. Let's get it straight that there isn't much that you can do then, after all, your baby's body clock is going to stay on all twenty-four hour. Try not to opt for medicated assistance such as sleeping pills, as they can cross the placenta and affect your baby. It is also unlikely that your doctor might prescribe you these. Staying calm and relaxed are the main keys.
Get any of these as much as you can, though it would seem impossible at first, but try to make time for - massages, a cup of strong Chamomile tea, a warm bath, reading, listening to music, watching television - or anything that de-stresses your mind and you find relaxing may help immensely.
Your naturopath or any herbal expert can give you some suggestions on reducing insomnia. There are many herbs which are safe (for both you and your little baby) to consume during pregnancy. If you are really concerned about your lack of sleep you must consult with your doctor.
Suffering from an iron deficiency is quite common during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. Low iron content in your body leaves you feeling more tired than you already are, and why would anyone in their right mind what that? Therefore it's important to keep your iron levels in check during pregnancy and throughout the entire lactation period too.
Quite a lot of iron supplements may cause you to suffer from an upset tummy, constipation, or may not absorb well. So, before taking an iron supplement you should get it checked it with your doctor if it's a herbal supplement that you're going for then get that checked too by a herbal specialist.
Alternatively, you can also increase iron content through your diet. Bear in mind that consuming Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so you can opt for a consuming more brightly coloured fruits and vegetables which contain Vitamin C. Other rich sources of iron include whole grain cereals, poultry, fish, meat, dark green leafy vegetables, dried peaches and apricots, seaweed, nuts, raisins, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, peas, beans, and beetroot.
Also, if you are a coffee or tea lover then try to cut down your consumption, particularly around meal times or when consuming iron.
Hi! I’m Gunjan, a self-proclaimed tea fanatic and intrigued with alternative ways to lead a healthy life. I firmly believe that we should take care of our bodies because it’s the only place we live in.
