vivek
07-25-2005, 01:10 PM
:) Minor problems during pregnancy
Backache:
- Avoid lifting heavy objects.
- Bend you knees and keep your back straight when picking something up from the floor.
- When carrying something heavy hold it close to your body (http://www.cluboo.com/directory/health.html).
- Wear flat shoes (trainers are very comfortable.)
- Work at a surface waist height.
- Sit with your back straight and well supported. When you are seated, tuck a small, firm cushion into the small of your back. It will give you support and help relieve the aches you experience after you have been sitting for a while.
- A firm mattress (if you don`t have one put a piece of hardboard under your mattress.)
- Ask your partner or a friend to massage your back (avoid aromatherapy oils as some can be dangerous for the baby.)
Headaches:
- A brisk walk may help a lot, take your dog out.
- Lots of rest (try listening to some relaxing music (http://www.clubspage.net/Entertainment/Music/index.html).)
- A relaxing bath with bubbles in will do wonders for your headache and also relax you.
- Try to avoid any kind of drug while you are pregnant. But if your headache is really bad a paracetamol is OK but don`t take too many.
- If you often have bad headaches tell your doctor (http://www.searchenginefinder.com/Health/Doctors) or midwife and they can advice you on what to do.
Faintness:
- Pregnant women often feel faint. This happens when not enough blood is getting to the brain.
- When sitting or lying down take your time getting up to prevent dizziness or fainting.
- Don`t stand for too long. If you feel faint sit down straight away and it should pass, but if it doesn`t lie down on your side.
- If you feel faint when lying on your back turn on to your side. (Avoid lying on your back later on in pregnancy or during labour.)
Indigestion:
- When your womb grows it presses on your stomach causing indigestion.
- Try eating smaller meals a few times during the day rather than one or two big meals.
- Sit up straight when eating as this will take the strain off your stomach.
- Avoid fried or spicy foods.
Heartburn:
- Heartburn is a strong, burning pain in your chest. It is very common in pregnancy (http://www.megri.com/directory/220/). To avoid heart burn you could;
- Sleep well propped up, use lots of pillows on your bed.
- Drink plenty of milk and always keep a glass near by at night in case you wake up with heartburn during the night.
- Don`t eat or drink before you go to bed.
- Don`t take antacid tablets before checking that they are safe in pregnancy.
- If you have any worries ask your midwife or doctor (http://www.searchenginefinder.com/Health/Doctors).
Constipation:
- You may become constipated very early on in pregnancy because of the hormonal changes to your body.
- Make sure you include plenty of fibre in your diet. Check out our healthy (http://www.gdirectory.info/Health_and_Fitness/index.html) eating page
- Exercise regularly.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Nausea and morning sickness:
- If you feel sick in the mornings give yourself time to get up slowly.
- Eat dry or a plain biscuit for breakfast if you have morning sickness. (Ask your partner to bring you breakfast in bed.)
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Eat small amounts often rather than several large meals.
Breast tenderness:
- Your breasts may become extremely tender and sensitive to the touch, with a darkening of the areola and more prominent veins over the surface of your breasts appearing very early on.
- If they do become tender to touch. Try have a warm bath. Not a hot one as it will make your breasts sore.
- Have your breasts measured and buy a comfortable bra.
Passing water:
- You may leak when you sneeze, cough or laugh. To avoid any embarrassment wear a panty liner or a sanitary towel.
- Practice pelvic floor muscle exercises throughout your pregnancy. Tighten the muscles of your vagina as though you were stopping a flow of urine. Hold for a count of 8. Then repeat in sets of 10 several times throughout the day.
- If you are having to go to the toilet a lot during the night cut out drinking before bed time. But drink a lot during the day.
- Try rocking backwards and forwards when you are on the toilet. This lessens the pressure of the womb on the bladder so that you can empty it properly. You won`t need to pass water quite as often if you do this.
- If you have any pain or blood when passing water you may have a urine infection that will need treatment. Contact your doctor straight away. Drink plenty of water to reduce the irritation.
Piles:
- If you have piles you should, eat plenty of food that is high in fibre check out our healthy (http://www.megri.com/directory/8/) eating page and drink plenty of water this will prevent constipation, which can make piles worse.
- Take regular exercise to improve circulation.
- Use an ice pack to ease the discomfort. Hold it gently against the piles (you could wrap a wet cloth (http://www.gdirectory.info/Shopping/Clothing/index.html) around a packet of frozen peas or something else that is frozen.)
- If the piles stick out push them back inside using a lubricating jelly. (We know this sounds disgusting but it will hurt more if you leave them.)
- Consider giving birth in a kneeling position to reduce the pressure on your back passage.
Nose bleeds:
- Nosebleeds are a result of increased hormone circulation causing your mucous membranes to swell and become congested.
- To help the bleeding stop, press the sides of your nose together for ten minutes. If the bleeding doesn`t stop try again for another ten minutes.
- Hold your head back.
- As long as you don`t lose a lot of blood you have nothing to worry about.
Sleeplessness:
- If you aren`t sleeping very well don`t worry about it, it often happens during pregnancy. You may also have strange dreams about your pregnancy or your baby, don`t worry they`re natural.
- You may find it more comfortable to lie on your side with a pillow under your stomach and another one in-between your legs.
- Relaxation techniques might help, breathing slowly, listening to some soft music try your local library for relaxation cassettes. Your antenatal class may teach you relaxation.
- A warm bubble bath might help.
- Drink some warm milk before bed.
- Have a rest during the day this can make you feel less tired.
- Ask your partner to give you an all over body (http://www.talkingcity.org/Health.html) massage.
Backache:
- Avoid lifting heavy objects.
- Bend you knees and keep your back straight when picking something up from the floor.
- When carrying something heavy hold it close to your body (http://www.cluboo.com/directory/health.html).
- Wear flat shoes (trainers are very comfortable.)
- Work at a surface waist height.
- Sit with your back straight and well supported. When you are seated, tuck a small, firm cushion into the small of your back. It will give you support and help relieve the aches you experience after you have been sitting for a while.
- A firm mattress (if you don`t have one put a piece of hardboard under your mattress.)
- Ask your partner or a friend to massage your back (avoid aromatherapy oils as some can be dangerous for the baby.)
Headaches:
- A brisk walk may help a lot, take your dog out.
- Lots of rest (try listening to some relaxing music (http://www.clubspage.net/Entertainment/Music/index.html).)
- A relaxing bath with bubbles in will do wonders for your headache and also relax you.
- Try to avoid any kind of drug while you are pregnant. But if your headache is really bad a paracetamol is OK but don`t take too many.
- If you often have bad headaches tell your doctor (http://www.searchenginefinder.com/Health/Doctors) or midwife and they can advice you on what to do.
Faintness:
- Pregnant women often feel faint. This happens when not enough blood is getting to the brain.
- When sitting or lying down take your time getting up to prevent dizziness or fainting.
- Don`t stand for too long. If you feel faint sit down straight away and it should pass, but if it doesn`t lie down on your side.
- If you feel faint when lying on your back turn on to your side. (Avoid lying on your back later on in pregnancy or during labour.)
Indigestion:
- When your womb grows it presses on your stomach causing indigestion.
- Try eating smaller meals a few times during the day rather than one or two big meals.
- Sit up straight when eating as this will take the strain off your stomach.
- Avoid fried or spicy foods.
Heartburn:
- Heartburn is a strong, burning pain in your chest. It is very common in pregnancy (http://www.megri.com/directory/220/). To avoid heart burn you could;
- Sleep well propped up, use lots of pillows on your bed.
- Drink plenty of milk and always keep a glass near by at night in case you wake up with heartburn during the night.
- Don`t eat or drink before you go to bed.
- Don`t take antacid tablets before checking that they are safe in pregnancy.
- If you have any worries ask your midwife or doctor (http://www.searchenginefinder.com/Health/Doctors).
Constipation:
- You may become constipated very early on in pregnancy because of the hormonal changes to your body.
- Make sure you include plenty of fibre in your diet. Check out our healthy (http://www.gdirectory.info/Health_and_Fitness/index.html) eating page
- Exercise regularly.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Nausea and morning sickness:
- If you feel sick in the mornings give yourself time to get up slowly.
- Eat dry or a plain biscuit for breakfast if you have morning sickness. (Ask your partner to bring you breakfast in bed.)
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Eat small amounts often rather than several large meals.
Breast tenderness:
- Your breasts may become extremely tender and sensitive to the touch, with a darkening of the areola and more prominent veins over the surface of your breasts appearing very early on.
- If they do become tender to touch. Try have a warm bath. Not a hot one as it will make your breasts sore.
- Have your breasts measured and buy a comfortable bra.
Passing water:
- You may leak when you sneeze, cough or laugh. To avoid any embarrassment wear a panty liner or a sanitary towel.
- Practice pelvic floor muscle exercises throughout your pregnancy. Tighten the muscles of your vagina as though you were stopping a flow of urine. Hold for a count of 8. Then repeat in sets of 10 several times throughout the day.
- If you are having to go to the toilet a lot during the night cut out drinking before bed time. But drink a lot during the day.
- Try rocking backwards and forwards when you are on the toilet. This lessens the pressure of the womb on the bladder so that you can empty it properly. You won`t need to pass water quite as often if you do this.
- If you have any pain or blood when passing water you may have a urine infection that will need treatment. Contact your doctor straight away. Drink plenty of water to reduce the irritation.
Piles:
- If you have piles you should, eat plenty of food that is high in fibre check out our healthy (http://www.megri.com/directory/8/) eating page and drink plenty of water this will prevent constipation, which can make piles worse.
- Take regular exercise to improve circulation.
- Use an ice pack to ease the discomfort. Hold it gently against the piles (you could wrap a wet cloth (http://www.gdirectory.info/Shopping/Clothing/index.html) around a packet of frozen peas or something else that is frozen.)
- If the piles stick out push them back inside using a lubricating jelly. (We know this sounds disgusting but it will hurt more if you leave them.)
- Consider giving birth in a kneeling position to reduce the pressure on your back passage.
Nose bleeds:
- Nosebleeds are a result of increased hormone circulation causing your mucous membranes to swell and become congested.
- To help the bleeding stop, press the sides of your nose together for ten minutes. If the bleeding doesn`t stop try again for another ten minutes.
- Hold your head back.
- As long as you don`t lose a lot of blood you have nothing to worry about.
Sleeplessness:
- If you aren`t sleeping very well don`t worry about it, it often happens during pregnancy. You may also have strange dreams about your pregnancy or your baby, don`t worry they`re natural.
- You may find it more comfortable to lie on your side with a pillow under your stomach and another one in-between your legs.
- Relaxation techniques might help, breathing slowly, listening to some soft music try your local library for relaxation cassettes. Your antenatal class may teach you relaxation.
- A warm bubble bath might help.
- Drink some warm milk before bed.
- Have a rest during the day this can make you feel less tired.
- Ask your partner to give you an all over body (http://www.talkingcity.org/Health.html) massage.