Different stages of pregnancy are associated with various ailments. Many of them are completely normal, natural problems that you have to endure, others can be disturbing. However, pregnancy is not a disease, but a physiological state, and the woman’s body must meet individual challenges. Here are four of them that appear in most mums-to-be.
Pregnancy is a beautiful state, but it can also mess up your life. Ailments that make daily functioning difficult may be more severe in some, less so in others.
- Back pain – appears in pregnant women in the second and third trimesters, most often affecting the lumbar and sacral sections. The cause of back pain during pregnancy is a change in the woman’s center of gravity – the ever-larger belly sticks out, the shoulders lean back, the thoracic and lumbar sections are bent. A hormone called relaxin relaxes the hip and sacrum joints. Back pain is usually nothing dangerous, although it makes it difficult to function. They should disappear a few weeks after delivery, but there are several ways to help alleviate the pain: go for daily walks in comfortable shoes, replace your handbag with a backpack, avoid sitting in an armchair for a long time, do not cross your legs when you are sitting. If you work sedentary, take short walks every now and then. A massage from a partner will also bring relief.
- Nausea and vomiting – this is the result of the hormonal revolution that is taking place in your body. They come and go in the first trimester of pregnancy. Some mums have no problem with nausea at all, but they may feel discomfort when they smell intense smells: meat, fish, heavy perfumes. Vomiting usually lasts until the 13th week of pregnancy. An extreme case is when a woman vomits after every meal or after drinking water – then you need to consult a doctor. A good way to combat nausea is to change your diet to one rich in products containing vitamin B6, as well as avoiding fatty, heavy meals, eating regularly, eliminating carbonated drinks, supplementing fluids with mineral water, replacing morning coffee with a slice of fresh ginger, staying in bed for some time after waking up.
- Bezsenność – this ailment usually appears towards the end of pregnancy. Its causes include frequent trips to pee, back pain and the stress of childbirth. This does not make it easier to fall asleep, and the end of pregnancy is often a difficult period. From home remedies for insomnia, drinking herbs – lemon balm, chamomile, a cup of warm milk – will work. Eat your last meal 3 hours before bedtime and do not drink tea or coffee at night.
- Swelling of the legs, feet, and sometimes the hands – also usually appear at the end of pregnancy, and their reason is the increase in the amount of blood in the woman’s body and the pressure of the pregnant uterus on the iliac veins. This makes it difficult for blood to flow freely from the blood vessels of the legs back to the heart. Swelling intensifies after prolonged standing and sitting, as well as night rest. Unfortunately, it disappears only after giving birth, often not immediately, but only after a few weeks. Ways to reduce swelling: when resting, we put our legs higher, on the pillow; we drink large amounts of water; we avoid the sun and hot rooms; we leave the demanding housework to others.