16:51
Valley OBGYN
Body aches
As your uterus expands, you may feel aches and pains in the back, abdomen, groin area, and thighs. Many women also have backaches and aching near the pelvic bone due the pressure of the baby's head, increased weight, and loosening joints. Some pregnant women complain of pain that runs from the lower back, down the back of one leg, to the knee or foot. This is called sciatica (SYE-AT-ick-uh). It is thought to occur when the uterus puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
What Helps?
•
Lie
down.
•
Rest.
•
Apply
heat.
Breast changes
A
woman's breasts increase in size and fullness during pregnancy. As the due date
approaches, hormone changes will cause your breasts to get even bigger to
prepare for breastfeeding. Your breasts may feel full, heavy, or tender.
In
the third trimester, some pregnant women begin to leak colostrum
(coh-LOSS-truhm) from their breasts. Colostrum is the first milk that your
breasts produce for the baby. It is a thick, yellowish fluid containing
antibodies that protect newborns from infection.
What Helps?
•
Wear
a maternity bra with good support.
•
Put
pads in bra to absorb leakage.
Constipation
Many
pregnant women complain of constipation. Signs of constipation include having
hard, dry stools; fewer than three bowel movements per week; and painful bowel
movements.
Higher
levels of hormones due to pregnancy slow down digestion and relax muscles in
the bowels leaving many women constipated. Plus, the pressure of the expanding
uterus on the bowels can contribute to constipation.
What Helps?
•
Drink
eight to 10 glasses of water daily.
•
Don't
drink caffeine.
•
Eat
fiber-rich foods, such as fresh or dried fruit, raw vegetables, and whole-grain
cereals and breads.
•
Try
mild physical activity.
Dizziness
Many
pregnant women complain of dizziness and lightheadedness throughout their
pregnancies. Fainting is rare but does happen even in some healthy pregnant
women. There are many reasons for these symptoms. The growth of more blood
vessels in early pregnancy, the pressure of the expanding uterus on blood
vessels, and the body's increased need for food all can make a pregnant woman
feel lightheaded and dizzy.
What Helps?
•
Stand
up slowly.
•
Avoid
standing for too long.
•
Don't
skip meals.
•
Lie
on your left side.
•
Wear
loose clothing.
Fatigue, sleep problems
During
your pregnancy, you might feel tired even after you've had a lot of sleep. Many
women find they're exhausted in the first trimester. Don't worry, this is
normal! This is your body's way of telling you that you need more rest. In the
second trimester, tiredness is usually replaced with a feeling of wellbeing and
energy. But in the third trimester, exhaustion often sets in again. As you get
larger, sleeping may become more difficult. The baby's movements, bathroom
runs, and an increase in the body's metabolism might interrupt or disturb your
sleep. Leg cramping can also interfere with a good night's sleep.
What Helps?
•
Lie
on your left side.
•
Use
pillows for support, such as behind your back, tucked between your knees, and
under your tummy.
•
Practice
good sleep habits, such as going to bed and getting up at the same time each
day and using your bed only for sleep and sex.
•
Go
to bed a little earlier.
•
Nap
if you are not able to get enough sleep at night.
•
Drink
needed fluids earlier in the day, so you can drink less in the hours before
bed.
Heartburn and indigestion
Hormones
and the pressure of the growing uterus cause indigestion and heartburn.
Pregnancy hormones slow down the muscles of the digestive tract. So food tends
to move more slowly and digestion is sluggish. This causes many pregnant women
to feel bloated.
Hormones
also relax the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. This allows
food and acids to come back up from the stomach to the esophagus. The food and
acid causes the burning feeling of heartburn. As your baby gets bigger, the
uterus pushes on the stomach making heartburn more common in later pregnancy.
What Helps?
•
Eat
several small meals instead of three large meals — eat slowly.
•
Drink
fluids between meals — not with meals.
•
Don't
eat greasy and fried foods.
•
Avoid
citrus fruits or juices and spicy foods.
•
Do
not eat or drink within a few hours of bedtime.
•
Do
not lie down right after meals.
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids
(HEM-roidz) are swollen and bulging veins in the rectum. They can cause
itching, pain, and bleeding. Up to 50 percent of pregnant women get
hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are common during pregnancy for many reasons. During
pregnancy blood volume increases greatly, which can cause veins to enlarge. The
expanding uterus also puts pressure on the veins in the rectum. Plus,
constipation can worsen hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids usually improve after
delivery.
What Helps?
•
Drink
lots of fluids.
•
Eat
fiber-rich foods, like whole grains, raw or cooked leafy green vegetables, and
fruits.
•
Try
not to strain with bowel movements.
•
Talk
to your doctor about using products such as witch hazel to soothe hemorrhoids.
Itching
About
20 percent of pregnant women feel itchy during pregnancy. Usually women feel
itchy in the abdomen. But red, itchy palms and soles of the feet are also
common complaints. Pregnancy hormones and stretching skin are probably to blame
for most of your discomfort. Usually the itchy feeling goes away after
delivery.
What Helps?
•
Use
gentle soaps and moisturizing creams.
•
Avoid
hot showers and baths.
•
Avoid
itchy fabrics.
Leg cramps
At
different times during your pregnancy, you might have sudden muscle spasms in
your legs or feet. They usually occur at night. This is due to a change in the
way your body processes calcium.
What Helps?
•
Gently
stretch muscles.
•
Get
mild exercise.
•
For
sudden cramps, flex your foot forward.
•
Eat
calcium-rich foods.
•
Ask
your doctor about calcium supplements.
Morning sickness
In
the first trimester hormone changes can cause nausea and vomiting. This is
called "morning sickness," although it can occur at any time of day.
Morning sickness usually tapers off by the second trimester.
What Helps?
•
Eat
several small meals instead of three large meals to keep your stomach from
being empty.
•
Don't
lie down after meals.
•
Eat
dry toast, saltines, or dry cereals before getting out of bed in the morning.
•
Eat
bland foods that are low in fat and easy to digest, such as cereal, rice, and
bananas.
•
Sip
on water, weak tea, or clear soft drinks. Or eat ice chips.
•
Avoid
smells that upset your stomach.
Nasal problems
Nosebleeds
and nasal stuffiness are common during pregnancy. They are caused by the
increased amount of blood in your body and hormones acting on the tissues of
your nose.
What Helps?
•
Blow
your nose gently.
•
Drink
fluids and use a cool mist humidifier.
•
To
stop a nosebleed, squeeze your nose between your thumb and forefinger for a few
minutes.
Numb or tingling hands
Feelings
of swelling, tingling, and numbness in fingers and hands, called carpal tunnel
syndrome, can occur during pregnancy. These symptoms are due to swelling of
tissues in the narrow passages in your wrists, and they should disappear after
delivery.
What Helps?
•
Take
frequent breaks to rest hands.
•
Ask
your doctor about fitting you for a splint to keep wrists straight.
Stretch marks, skin changes
Stretch
marks are red, pink, or brown streaks on the skin. Most often they appear on
the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and breasts. These scars are caused by the
stretching of the skin, and usually appear in the second half of pregnancy.
Some
women notice other skin changes during pregnancy. For many women, the nipples
become darker and browner during pregnancy. Many pregnant women also develop a
dark line (called the linea nigra) on the skin that runs from the belly button
down to the pubic hairline. Patches of darker skin usually over the cheeks,
forehead, nose, or upper lip also are common. Patches often match on both sides
of the face. These spots are called melasma or chloasma and are more common in
darker-skinned women.
What Helps?
•
Be
patient — stretch marks and other changes usually fade after delivery.
Swelling
Many
women develop mild swelling in the face, hands, or ankles at some point in
their pregnancies. As the due date approaches, swelling often becomes more
noticeable.
What Helps?
• Drink eight to 10 glasses of fluids
daily.
• Don't drink caffeine or eat salty
foods.
• Rest and elevate your feet.
• Ask your doctor about support hose.
Urinary frequency and leaking
Temporary
bladder control problems are common in pregnancy. Your unborn baby pushes down
on the bladder, urethra, and pelvic floor muscles. This pressure can lead to
more frequent need to urinate, as well as leaking of urine when sneezing,
coughing, or laughing.
What Helps?
•
Take
frequent bathroom breaks.
•
Drink
plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
•
Do
Kegel exercises to tone pelvic muscles.
Varicose veins
During
pregnancy blood volume increases greatly. This can cause veins to enlarge.
Plus, pressure on the large veins behind the uterus causes the blood to slow in
its return to the heart. For these reasons, varicose veins in the legs and anus
(hemorrhoids) are more common in pregnancy.
Varicose
veins look like swollen veins raised above the surface of the skin. They can be
twisted or bulging and are dark purple or blue in color. They are found most
often on the backs of the calves or on the inside of the leg.
What Helps?
•
Avoid
tight knee-highs.
•
Sit
with your legs and feet raised.
Posted in: Valley OBGYN
