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Changes In Pregnancy
Our bodies go through a lot of changes during pregnancy. We will talk about a few of these changes here, to help you know what to expect and how to deal with them.
Our bodies go through a lot of changes during pregnancy. We will talk about a few of these changes here, to help you know what to expect and how to deal with them.
Here are a few of the changes that take place in our bodies during pregnancy.
Tender Or Swollen Breasts
A surge in estrogen and progesterone in early pregnancy, and the milk-making hormone "prolactin" later on, spurs dramatic changes in your breasts. This helps to prepare them to feed your baby-to-be. Nipples may become more erect, the areolas around them expand and darken (all the better for a hungry, near-sighted newborn to zero in on). Small milk-producing glands that dot the areolas grow more prominent. Transformation is going on inside too:
Blood flow to the breasts increases; milk sacs, lobes and ducts grow and multiply and protective fatty tissue plumps up. As a result, your breasts pack on, up to two pounds each a whole cup size or more.
Your breasts may also feel itchy from stretching or sore from the hormone changes. During the last months of pregnancy your breast will start to feel heavier and more tender as your body starts to make something called "colostrum" for your baby. Colostrum is a watery, yellowish fluid and may leak small amounts out of the nipples. This is normal. Colostrum is very important for the health of your baby! It has special antibodies that protect your baby from infections. Somewhere around the third day after your baby is born the colostrum will start to change into milk.
If you have large breasts, wearing a good supportive nursing bra, with a pad (to prevent leakage) can help you when you go out or if you are working.
Blood flow to the breasts increases; milk sacs, lobes and ducts grow and multiply and protective fatty tissue plumps up. As a result, your breasts pack on, up to two pounds each a whole cup size or more.
Your breasts may also feel itchy from stretching or sore from the hormone changes. During the last months of pregnancy your breast will start to feel heavier and more tender as your body starts to make something called "colostrum" for your baby. Colostrum is a watery, yellowish fluid and may leak small amounts out of the nipples. This is normal. Colostrum is very important for the health of your baby! It has special antibodies that protect your baby from infections. Somewhere around the third day after your baby is born the colostrum will start to change into milk.
If you have large breasts, wearing a good supportive nursing bra, with a pad (to prevent leakage) can help you when you go out or if you are working.
Morning Sickness
Upset stomach (nausea) and dislike of some foods are common in the first trimester of pregnancy. Many women have nausea in the first months of pregnancy. It is called "morning sickness". No one knows for sure what causes morning sickness, but for many women, the way they eat affects it. If the nausea is mild, it can sometimes be eased by on of these remedies:
1. Eat a food that has protein before bed or
in the night . Some good foods with
protein are: beans, nuts, and cheese .
2. Eat a few crackers, almonds or a bite of a
tortilla when you first wake up in the
morning before you get out of bed.
3. Eat more small meals instead of 2 or 3 larger ones and take small sips of liquid often .
4. Take 50 milligrams vitamin B-6, 2 times each day
5. Try acupressure to relieve nausea .
Find the spot 3 fingers above the wrist, between the 2 tendons on
the inside of your arm. Press on this spot, moving your finger in small circles. Press firmly but not hard enough to hurt. If acupressure is going to help, you should start to feel better within 5 minutes.
6. Drink a cup of ginger or mint tea 2 or 3 times a day, before meals .
in the night . Some good foods with
protein are: beans, nuts, and cheese .
2. Eat a few crackers, almonds or a bite of a
tortilla when you first wake up in the
morning before you get out of bed.
3. Eat more small meals instead of 2 or 3 larger ones and take small sips of liquid often .
4. Take 50 milligrams vitamin B-6, 2 times each day
5. Try acupressure to relieve nausea .
Find the spot 3 fingers above the wrist, between the 2 tendons on
the inside of your arm. Press on this spot, moving your finger in small circles. Press firmly but not hard enough to hurt. If acupressure is going to help, you should start to feel better within 5 minutes.
6. Drink a cup of ginger or mint tea 2 or 3 times a day, before meals .
A pregnant woman may suddenly dislike a food that she usually likes or like a food she doesn't normally like . It is OK not to eat that food, and she will probably begin to like it again after the birth. She should just be careful, that the rest of her diet contains a lot of nutritious food.
Below are a few things you can try, they have been helpful to some moms for fighting morning sickness:
Below are a few things you can try, they have been helpful to some moms for fighting morning sickness:
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Tiredness
Some pregnant women feel sleepy much of the day. This is most common during the first 3 months. It is normal for pregnant women to feel sleepy or exhausted. Your body is working hard growing a baby and telling you to slow down and rest. So take give in and take a nap when you feel that you need it. Toward the end of pregnancy in that last trimester it is also common to become quite uncomfortable and have trouble sleeping.
A few things you can try to help with this:
1.Use pillows for support, such as behind your back, tucked between your knees, and under your tummy.
2.Drink needed fluids earlier in the day, so you can drink less in the hours before bed.
3.Lie on your left side.
4.Nap if you are not able to get enough sleep at night.
5.Some women find that they are more comfortable sleeping in a recliner in the last few weeks of pregnancy.
2.Drink needed fluids earlier in the day, so you can drink less in the hours before bed.
3.Lie on your left side.
4.Nap if you are not able to get enough sleep at night.
5.Some women find that they are more comfortable sleeping in a recliner in the last few weeks of pregnancy.
Hair Changes
Hair grows in cycles, and under normal circumstances each strand is either growing, resting, or falling out. Thanks to the hormonal shifts of pregnancy, though, more follicles are locked in the growing and resting phases, and fewer are in the falling-out phase. Thus giving you luxurious thick hair.
So this is one of the changes that we can appreciate! Having nice hair was one thing I loved during my pregnancy!
So this is one of the changes that we can appreciate! Having nice hair was one thing I loved during my pregnancy!
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.
To prevent or treat constipation, you could try:
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.
To prevent or treat constipation, you could try:
1. Eat more vegetables and fruits .
2. Eat whole grains (brown rice and whole wheat
instead of white rice or white flour) .
3. Drink at least 8 cups of clean water a day .
4. Walk, move around, and exercise every day.
5. Use home or plant remedies that soften the stool (like remedies made from psyllium seed, flax seeds or certain fruits or fiber plants) may also help.
2. Eat whole grains (brown rice and whole wheat
instead of white rice or white flour) .
3. Drink at least 8 cups of clean water a day .
4. Walk, move around, and exercise every day.
5. Use home or plant remedies that soften the stool (like remedies made from psyllium seed, flax seeds or certain fruits or fiber plants) may also help.
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Dizziness
Things that might help:
1. Stand up slowly.
2. Avoid standing for long periods.
3. Don't skip meals.
4. Lie on your left side.
5. Wear loose clothing.
1. Stand up slowly.
2. Avoid standing for long periods.
3. Don't skip meals.
4. Lie on your left side.
5. Wear loose clothing.
Heartburn and indigestion
Hormones and the pressure of the growing uterus can 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.
A few things you can try for relief:
A few things you can try for relief:
1. Avoid eating greasy and fried foods.
2. Eat several small meals instead of three large meals and eat slowly.
3. Do not lie down right after meals.
4. Drink fluids between meals -- not with meals.
5. Avoid citrus fruits or juices and spicy foods
6. Drink a small glass of milk with cinnamon and honey in it, to relieve discomfort.
7. Do not eat or drink within a few hours of bedtime.
For me heartburn was almost unbearable when I was pregnant with my first baby.I had tried all the remedies I had read about and nothing was working. Thanks to my wonderful midwife suggesting these homeopathic tablets I found some relief!
You can buy them here:
2. Eat several small meals instead of three large meals and eat slowly.
3. Do not lie down right after meals.
4. Drink fluids between meals -- not with meals.
5. Avoid citrus fruits or juices and spicy foods
6. Drink a small glass of milk with cinnamon and honey in it, to relieve discomfort.
7. Do not eat or drink within a few hours of bedtime.
For me heartburn was almost unbearable when I was pregnant with my first baby.I had tried all the remedies I had read about and nothing was working. Thanks to my wonderful midwife suggesting these homeopathic tablets I found some relief!
You can buy them here:
Frequent Urination
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.
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.
Taking your magnesium daily to help keep your muscle relaxed. Stretching can also help.
Taking your magnesium daily to help keep your muscle relaxed. Stretching can also help.
Shortness of breath
Many women get short of breath (Can't breathe as deeply as usual) when they are pregnant, particularly in the last trimester. This is because the growing baby crowds the mother’s lungs and she has less room to breathe. You can be reassured by knowing that this is normal and nothing to worry about!
Round Ligament Pain
Women have a tendency to experience this more as the pregnancy progresses but can be felt anytime during pregnancy. The womb is held in place by ligaments on each side. Ligaments are like ropes that attach the womb, to the mother’s bones. A sudden movement will sometimes cause a sharp pain in these ligaments. This is not dangerous! The pain will stop in a few minutes. It may help to gently stroke the belly, or to put
a warm cloth on it.
a warm cloth on it.
Back pain
Many women get back pain during pregnancy. This is normal, especially as the pregnancy progresses. The weight of the baby, the womb, and the waters puts a strain on the woman’s bones and muscles . Too much standing in one place or leaning forward can cause more back pain . Hard work can also cause back pain. Most kinds of back pain are normal, but back pain can be caused by a kidney infection. So if it's persistent you should check with your doctor.
Encourage husbands, children, other family members, or friends to massage your back. A warm cloth or hot water bottle on your back may also feel good. Your family can also help by doing some of the heavy work (carrying small children, washing clothes or anything that requires a lot of bending) for you.
Encourage husbands, children, other family members, or friends to massage your back. A warm cloth or hot water bottle on your back may also feel good. Your family can also help by doing some of the heavy work (carrying small children, washing clothes or anything that requires a lot of bending) for you.
Linea Negra
Linea negra or linea nigra, is a dark line on the skin that goes from the navel down to the pubic bone and sometimes also up to the mid-stomach. It usually happens as a result of hormonal changes, and is a common side effect of pregnancy. It is caused by the same hormones that make your nipples darker during pregnancy. The line is usually seen more in women with darker skin tones. Some women notice the line starting around the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, just as their “baby bump” begins to appear. It is a dark vertical line that runs straight down the middle of the stomach, going to or crossing your belly button. It kinda looks someone has drawn line down your belly. It is not in any way harmful, and most of the time it will fade away on its own once a your hormones balance out.
Headaches
Headaches are common in pregnancy but are usually harmless . Headaches may stop if the you rest and relax, drink more juice or water, or gently massages your temples. According to most doctors It is okay for a pregnant woman to take Tylenol once in a while. Though many women like to try natural pain relievers such as peppermint or ginger.
Some women experience migraine headaches during pregnancy. These are strong headaches, often on the side of the head. The woman may see spots and feel nauseated. Bright lights or sunshine can make them worse. Laying down in a dark room with a cool rag over her eyes may give some relief.
Some women experience migraine headaches during pregnancy. These are strong headaches, often on the side of the head. The woman may see spots and feel nauseated. Bright lights or sunshine can make them worse. Laying down in a dark room with a cool rag over her eyes may give some relief.
For First Time Mamas
For expectant mothers, it’s very normal to approach birth with a feeling of worry, particularly with your first baby. It's no wonder either, because from the moment a pregnancy is announced, the average pregnant woman is hounded with horror stories of pain and long labors by well-meaning friends or family. It can be hard to focus on a positive birth experience when you don’t know what to expect. People often don't think about how they might be affecting this new mom-to-be. So you have to do your best to educate yourself with the FACTS! Don't let yourself be scared by other peoples stories. “Unlearning” about childbirth is just about as important as learning about it. There’s so much inaccurate, old information and so many negative thoughts out there, you kind of have to start from scratch. So try and realize that a lot of what you think you know, from what you have heard from others, may not be true. I want to try to help prepare you, so that you can feel more confidant about your birth experience!
For first time moms you can have a quite long or relatively short labor. There is no time limit on birthing your baby, as long as mother and baby are doing fine. Some mothers may have a twenty-four hour labor or longer and that may sound long, but in reality, this is only a short time out of your entire life.
Every labor is different! There is no right or wrong way to do it!
There are many factors that effect each labor and birth. Just remember to relax and let your baby come when he/she is ready! It doesn't do any good to worry about how long it is taking or to try to rush the process.
Some labors will start out slow and then speed up, others start fast and then slow down, some just keep a steady pace all the way through. So it is just best to be prepared for anything and don't expect it to be any certain way. Just go with what your body needs, it will go at the pace that your baby sets.
Researchers have found that for first time mothers, a positive birth experience can often relieve the fear of childbirth so that it is no longer an issue for future pregnancies. So let's try and prepare you for the best experience possible!
The amount of pain and fatigue will vary for each women and can be somewhat effected. So now let's talk about some things that can make a difference on the mother's discomfort level.
#1.The mothers emotional state (By staying calm and relaxed and not letting yourself get tense and scared).
#2.Having people that you love near, can help.
#3. Being educated about what is happening with your body.
#4.Massage and positioning.
#5.Atmosphere (Such as soft music or candles, things that calm you)
#6. Getting as much rest as possible before your labor starts.
#7. Being able to relax is one of the most useful skills you take into labor. You need to be relaxed to give birth. Tense, tight muscles make it hard for your body to open.
You can use a guided relaxation throughout your pregnancy to discover your different muscle groups and how to relax them on purpose.
#8. Having a doula to support and guide through your labor and birth.
These are just a few things that might be helpful to you. Best of luck to you and your baby!
For first time moms you can have a quite long or relatively short labor. There is no time limit on birthing your baby, as long as mother and baby are doing fine. Some mothers may have a twenty-four hour labor or longer and that may sound long, but in reality, this is only a short time out of your entire life.
Every labor is different! There is no right or wrong way to do it!
There are many factors that effect each labor and birth. Just remember to relax and let your baby come when he/she is ready! It doesn't do any good to worry about how long it is taking or to try to rush the process.
Some labors will start out slow and then speed up, others start fast and then slow down, some just keep a steady pace all the way through. So it is just best to be prepared for anything and don't expect it to be any certain way. Just go with what your body needs, it will go at the pace that your baby sets.
Researchers have found that for first time mothers, a positive birth experience can often relieve the fear of childbirth so that it is no longer an issue for future pregnancies. So let's try and prepare you for the best experience possible!
The amount of pain and fatigue will vary for each women and can be somewhat effected. So now let's talk about some things that can make a difference on the mother's discomfort level.
#1.The mothers emotional state (By staying calm and relaxed and not letting yourself get tense and scared).
#2.Having people that you love near, can help.
#3. Being educated about what is happening with your body.
#4.Massage and positioning.
#5.Atmosphere (Such as soft music or candles, things that calm you)
#6. Getting as much rest as possible before your labor starts.
#7. Being able to relax is one of the most useful skills you take into labor. You need to be relaxed to give birth. Tense, tight muscles make it hard for your body to open.
You can use a guided relaxation throughout your pregnancy to discover your different muscle groups and how to relax them on purpose.
#8. Having a doula to support and guide through your labor and birth.
These are just a few things that might be helpful to you. Best of luck to you and your baby!
DISCLAIMER : Nothing on this site is meant in any way to be medical advice! Any questions or problems you may have, should be discussed with your caregiver! Thanks!
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