While you’re anxiously counting the days until you meet your precious baby, this blessed period can be uncomfortable. A woman’s body experiences numerous changes during pregnancy. The baby is growing, and the organism of a future mom undergoes serious hormonal changes. Not every woman experiences pregnancy-related nausea, vomiting, heartburn, swelling, constipation, or lowering of appetite. However, there are always methods to improve your condition during pregnancy. Let’s see how you can get relief from the most common pregnancy-related problems.
1. Sleep Issues
As your baby develops, you can feel a certain discomfort trying to arrange yourself in the bed and find a cozy sleep position. It relates especially to those women coming through the last few months of pregnancy. This can result in a poor mood the next day, anxiety, depression, etc. You will still have to deal with the first few sleepless weeks when a newborn appears. However, you can take care of your comfort when waiting for a new addition to your family:
- Invest in the best pregnancy pillow for tall person, or choose one suitable for your height if you are miniature. As an alternative, you can try sleeping in a recliner, though the majority of future moms find specialized pillows more advantageous for pregnant;
- Try to lie on your side when you sleep;
- Don’t eat a large meal or drink any liquids later than 2 or 3 hours till bedtime;
- Avoid drinking coffee before sleep so as not to stimulate your organism. Try to calm it instead;
- Take a warm shower to relax before going to bed;
- If you exercise, do it during the day, not before sleep.
2. Tummy Problems
About half of all pregnant women face unpleasant morning sickness. What is worse, nausea can happen at any time of the day. If you are one of them, you can follow the tips below for relief:
- Eat some dry bread, crackers, or dry cereal in the morning before getting out of your bed. You can also keep the aforementioned snacks near your bed so that you do not have to hurry in the morning;
- Consume 5 or 6 little meals every day. Don’t overload your stomach when you eat and avoid staying hungry for too long. It’s better to eat something every two hours to prevent your stomach from feeling empty;
- Enrich your diet with high-protein foods. For example, you can try yogurt with granola, crackers, hummus, some porridge, or beans to support your body. Listen to how your organism responds after eating a particular meal;
- Consume foods and drinks separately. Don’t drink fluids directly before, throughout, or after a meal. You will feel more comfortable if you don’t mix them;
- Choose your drinks wisely. As you frequently have to take little sips of fluid during the day, stick to the healthy drinks. There is nothing better to quench the thirst than pure water. Avoid tart, sweet, or too cold drinks such as icy lemonade, cool juice, or fruit juices.
3. Reduce Swelling
While expecting your little one, you can feel that your hands, feet, and ankles swell a little bit. This is the way your body reacts to water retention. It is typical for pregnant women, though not very pleasant. You can help yourself by following the next tips:
- Drink a lot of water, even if you don’t feel you need it. Pure water transports nutrients to your body; it removes waste products from both of you and cools you down. It aids with constipation and swelling. If you want alternatives except for water, you can try white milk and sugar-free, plant-based beverages;
- Avoid eating salty fast foods. Consuming too much salt can exaggerate water retention. Overall, it’s better to lower your salt intake;
- Lead an active lifestyle. Doing some kind of physical activity during the day can help you diminish swelling. Staying active is vital to remaining healthy. You don’t have to exhaust yourself with hourly fitness sessions until you can’t breathe; choose walking instead. Walking is a safe technique to support your body during pregnancy.
4. Back Pain Relief
A lot of women experience back pain while pregnant. As the uterus grows, the back of a future mom curves inward. This way, your organism adjusts to the changes and tries to keep the body balanced, which results in backache. The following tips can bring you the desired relief:
- Keep an eye on your posture. Doctors recommend sitting, walking, and standing with your back straight;
- When you lift any item from the floor, bend your knees but not your waist. This tip has some body mechanics in mind;
- It’s better to put away high heels and unstable shoes till the better times.
5. Heartburn Remedies
During pregnancy, you can feel a burning sensation in your upper belly or below your breastbone, known as heartburn. It is an irritation of the esophagus, which is a tube connecting your throat and stomach. As your baby is growing, the created pressure also squeezes your stomach, exaggerating the problem. Here’s how you can ease heartburn:
- Try some yogurt. Since this product is rich in probiotics and has a soothing texture, it can help you extinguish heartburn;
- Eat a few almonds. Treating yourself with a handful of almonds can make you feel better because their acidity level is lower than in others;
- Add a tablespoon of honey to a glass of warm milk. When you drink this sweetened mixture, it can neutralize heartburn-provoking acid;
- Munch pineapple or papaya. This tip has been tested directly by moms-to-be. These fruits aid the digestion system, thus diminishing the chances of heartburn. The reason lies in the digestive enzymes that pineapple and papaya have.
6. Skin Care Solutions
You can notice the changes in your skin condition during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. It is usually accompanied by skin discolorations, stretch marks on your abdomen, acne, etc. With the increase in hormone levels towards the end of pregnancy, the problem can worsen. Though some of these changes will come off after you see your newborn, you can still do some things during the final months of pregnancy to improve the skin condition, such as:
- Apply moisturizing lotions to dry, itchy areas;
- Try not to expose your bare skin to the sun rays;
- Monitor your weight gain. This way, you can limit the stretch marks;
- Consume foods rich in vitamin C to keep your skin glowing and toned.
7. Hemorrhoids and Varicose Veins
These are the common satellites during pregnancy due to increased blood volume. Many women have varicose veins on their legs and hemorrhoids, which causes certain discomfort and can lead to complications. Here is how you can prevent these unpleasant pregnancy companions:
- Make sure to include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet. High-fiber products can help you avoid constipation;
- Drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine;
- Don’t strain in the toilet room during bowel movements;
- Use a sitz bath afterward to soothe hemorrhoids; you can also apply Witch Hazel, if you don’t know how to apply witch hazel for hemorrhoids, there are articles online that you can read.
- Stay active. Don’t sit or stand in the same position for too long.
8. Frequent Urination
Many pregnant women feel uncomfortable just talking about this problem, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. Frequent urination is a common pregnancy symptom starting from the first trimester till the very end of pregnancy. If you try to decrease fluid intake to make urination less frequent, it won’t do any good. Drink liquids when you feel thirsty: Increased frequency of urination is normal, and it will eventually go away. However, you should visit a specialist if you experience pain or burning with urination.
9. Dizziness
If you feel lightheadedness or dizziness, the reasons might lie in a sudden change of position or low blood sugar. It’s quite easy to prevent this unpleasant feeling:
- When you get up from a lying or sitting position, try to move slowly;
- The second piece of advice concerns your diet: Eat frequently and sufficiently. If you belong to women who are prone to low blood sugar, you should always keep snacks nearby. Doctors usually recommend fruit and juices as healthy options to keep your sugar in order.
10. Breast Tenderness
Here is the last frequent pregnancy companion on the list, but it might not be the last one on your personal list if you suffer from breast tenderness. This symptom is typically most pronounced throughout the first three months of pregnancy. The breasts become bigger and tender. The only domestic remedy you can use to get relief is to invest in a good-quality support bra. This invisible yet efficient helper might aid you in feeling more comfortable.
Listen to Your Body
The only golden rule you should remember when it comes to pregnancy is that everything is so individual here. You can read a lot of advice on the Web, both from experts and moms-who-have-been-there. However, even the best tip might not work for you. It’s much wiser to listen to what your organism has to say to you and be guided by that feeling. Munching an egg sandwich with bacon in the morning might help you fight morning nausea like nothing else if that’s what your body craves. Get equipped with the basic tips provided here, follow your body requirements, be moderate, and feel comfortable during the entire pregnancy.
9 Ways to Stay Healthy During Pregnancy