Tips And Tricks For Combating Eevery Pregnancy Semester
FIRST TRIMESTER.
From frequent bathroom trips, to morning sickness, to tender breasts and sore nipples, the first trimester is the hardest and most critical of all three semesters. Just as much as these signs show that a human is developing inside of you, that fact doesn’t make it any less comfortable. Below are some tips that will get you through the first trimester:
- Tender or swollen breasts.
Because you are pregnant, the hormones estrogen, progesterone and prolactin are produced in plenty. Theses hormones stimulate the milk glands inside the breasts to start growing in preparation for lactation. Mostly, the swollen tissues are as a result of the growth causes tender and sore breasts. In order to ease the discomfort:
i. Wear a more supportive brassiere: a bra that covers the entire breasts, a sports bra or even a larger size bra eases the pressure to the breasts by lifting the breasts and taking the pressure off the area. If the discomfort is too much, try to sleep braless throughout the night.
ii. Put on loose clothes: tight tops may prove to be more limiting than cute; and the seams inside the tops could be irritating. Instead, choose to wear loose clothing that won’t be irritating or uncomfortable.
iii.Have warm showers or try ice compress: to assist in relaxing the muscles surrounding the breasts and easing the tension around the area, try taking a warm shower. Alternatively, you can lay a piece if cold cloth or ice on the breast for some relief.
- Morning sickness.
With an uncanny resemblance, morning sickness, usually nausea or vomiting can be hard to contend with. And despite the name, it can occur at any time of the day. To manage this:
i. Eat small portions of food frequently. Not eating alone can worsen the nausea. Thus, it is advisable to eat frequently in small portions instead of a three course meal. Also try snacking frequently.
ii. Incorporate ginger in your tea. Research shows that ginger has the ability to sooth an upset stomach. Try taking ginger tea, or ginger incorporated drinks and meals.
iii. Avoid strong scents and foods that can be triggers. Stay away from greasy and fatty meals, and strong smells that can act as triggers. In addition to that, you can eat meals and drink beverages separately. This also helps with the nausea. Alternatively, you can try aromatherapy – smelling mint, lemon or even scented oils.
iv. Exercising. Try taking a walk, yoga, a swim. This helps greatly with the nausea. However, always consult with your doctor about what exercises are good for your health and baby.
3. Constipation
The hormone progesterone, in high levels, tend to reduce the speed at which the muscles responsible for digestion contract. In addition to the iron present in the prenatal vitamins you’re currently taking results to bloating and constipation. In order to deal with this:
i. Drink plenty of fluids frequently. And in the event where you’re not regularly thirsty, try drinking some fruit juices and prune juices.
ii. Eat meals that are high in fiber. Such foods include fruits, vegetables beans, green vegetables etc.
iii. Watch out on your intake of calcium. A lot of it contributes highly to constipation. It is advisable to stay free of dairy products. Sensitivity to food at times can lead to constipation.
iv. Exercise regularly. Exercising helps to regularly move your bowels. A simple walk down the pack, or swimming should be able to do the trick.
4. Fatigue
High levels of the progesterone and estrogen hormones (which are responsible for making one feel sleepy), low blood pressures and low blood sugars leads to reduced energy. In addition to that, there is increased formation of blood because the body is transporting nutrients to the fetus. To deal with fatigue,
i. Sleep frequently during the day. The discomfort that comes with pregnancy can make it a little bit difficult to peacefully get through the night. It is advisable to sleep once or twice during the day in order to make up for the lost sleep during the night.
ii. Ask for help whenever needed. Have your spouse run your errands, a family member to help you with running the household. Refrain from lifting heavy items.
iii. Always sleep on your side. This relieves the pressure off the vessels that supply the baby with nutrients.
iv. Even though you might not be in the mood, try to exercise. This might help in dealing with fatigue.
v. Always stay hydrated. Make sure that your urine is always colorless or bright yellow. Dehydration can really cause fatigue.
2. SECOND TRIMESTER.
You’ve made it past the most critical timeline of pregnancy. Congratulations! Welcome to the happy trimester! From baby showers, to baby bump photo shoots, to gender reveal parties, you can have it all! And with the growing bump, it can be a little bit challenging, with issues such as heartburn, swollen feet etc. To below are tips of how to deal with the challenges;
- Heartburn
Very common in the second trimester, heartburn can be caused by slowed digestion, the uterus expanding as a result of the growing baby, hormones etc. To help with the “burn”,
i. Try drinking milk
ii. Eat small portions of meals frequently.
iii. Avoid greasy, acidic and fatty foods.
iv. Do not eat meals while drinking beverages.
2. Nasal problems.
Nasal congestion, known as rhinitis is caused by an increase in blood flow and enlargement of the veins in the nasal cavity.
i. Try drinking lots of fluids and stay as hydrated as much as possible.
ii. Taking warm showers then stay for a while in the steamy room.
iii. Try some exercises which help in relieving a stuffy nose and avoid as much as possible triggers.
- Swollen feet.
It is a normal sign during pregnancy usually caused by excess water stored by the body, fetal pressure which reduces blood circulation in the legs. To alleviate this’
i. Lower your sodium intake while increasing your potassium intake by taking meals such as beans, yoghurt, spinach, lentils etc.
ii .Drink plenty of fluids.
iii. Avoid drinking too much caffeine.
iv. Wear sandals or comfortable flat shoes, raise your feet and get plenty of rest and avoid standing for long periods of time.
4. Dizziness:
The developing uterus increases pressure on the blood vessels causing dizziness. To manage the dizziness,
i. Avoid standing for long periods of time.
ii. Always lie on your side instead of your back.
ii. Eat a balanced diet to help mitigate low blood pressure.
iv. Exercise regularly to avoid getting overheated.
3. THIRD TRIMESTER.
Finally, you’ve made it to the third trimester. This is exciting for you as it only a matter of weeks before you hold your bundle of joy in your arms. It is also physically tough as your body keeps can be quite hard. To safely get through this trimester:
- Back pain.
With the growing belly, your center of gravity tends to change; your weight increases and the hormones tend to relax the muscles in the joints at the pelvis causing back pain. To ease the back pain
i. Practice good standing postures by standing up straight and tall,
ii. Avoiding wearing heels and also knocking your knees.
iii. Always sleep on your side.
iv. Exercise, Consult with your doctor on what exercises are safe.
2. Frequent urination.
The growing uterus and the developing fetus puts pressure on the bladder that makes you urinate frequently. As much as it can be annoying, to help with the situation:
i. Leaning forward when peeing in order to empty the bladder fully.
ii. Avoid drinking a lot of water before bed.
iii. Avoiding drinking too much caffeine.
iv. Try practicing kegel exercises in order to increase the pelvic muscles.
3. Shortness of breath.
It is quite normal for an expectant lady to have shortness of breath. To cope with this,
i. Try practicing long and deep breaths.
ii. Having a good posture so that the uterus is away from the diaphragm as much as possible.
iii. Giving a good ear to your body. Have breaks when required and having rest as much as possible.
iv. When sleeping, your pillow should always support your upper back so that the gravity pulls the uterus down giving the lings as much space as possible.
