Niggles and Discomfort in Pregnancy
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
The birth of a baby is usually anticipated with excitement but the way your body is behaving may sometimes leave you feeling anything but celebratory.
You may have heartburn, nausea and vomiting, and muscular and ligament pain. You may experience dreamlessness, swelling, itching and forgetfulness. You may wonder who described these symptoms as ‘minor ailments’ when they mate you feel so uncomfortable and even miserable.
You won’t be surprised to hear that all these discomforts are down to your hormones. The delicate balance in your body before pregnancy is now reset to a different position in order to nurture your baby and prepare lor the birth.
Hormones
Oestrogen and progesterone help your breasts and uterus grow. This extra weight, together with that of your growing baby, can lead to an aching back and legs in later pregnancy the weight of your uterus can cause fluid to pool in your legs, leading to swelling. Maintaining a good posture, gentle exercise and resting with your feet up can help.
At around 12 to 16 weeks you may feel faint as your blood volume increases. This dilutes the constituents of your blood, including your iron levels. Anaemia (low iron) can make you feel tired and very low levels can affect your baby and your ability to clot your blood. Eating iron-rich foods like dark meat, green vegetables and pulses will help. Drinking orange juice also helps you absorb more iron from your diet.
Tissue relaxation
The hormones progesterone and relaxing make the tissues of the body softer and more relaxed. This can lead to ailments such as varicose veins, piles and headaches. You can buy special cold pads that can be applied locally, and creams or paracetamol may help, but always read the labels or consult your midwife or GP before taking medication.
Relaxation in the digestive system can cause heartburn and constipation. Acid from the stomach can track back up the food pipe (oesophagus). In the bowel the normal rhythmic movements that pass the contents along is less effective. Eating a diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, little and often, may help, as well as being healthy for you and your baby. Some women find that nibbling plain biscuits or drinking milk helps to alleviate heartburn. Indigestion remedies can also help.
Taking iron supplements can cause constipation. If you are affected, ask your midwife about alternative preparations, for find out if you can reduce the dose. Using the correct position for opening your bowels can help, with your knees above the level of your hips, copying the natural squatting position. A step designed to enable small children to reach the sink will help you find this more natural position. These steps are also great for achieving a good breastfeeding position after your baby is born, if you don’t have a nursing chair.
Comments
Got something to say?
Latest Headlines
- Pregnancy Symptoms Advice: Infections
- Consider Your Family’s Needs When Choosing Child Care
- Pregnancy Symptoms Advice: Sensitive Skin
- When to Start Infant Care
- Pregnancy Symptoms Advice: Secretions and Leaks
- Age Groups at Child Care Centers
- Pregnancy Symptoms Advice: Nausea and Vomiting
- Different Types of Child Care
- Niggles and Discomfort in Pregnancy
- Looking for Childcare for Your Child