Works Cited: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Your Pregnancy and Birth. Washington DC: Meredith Books, 2005. Print. Murkoff, Heidi and Sharon Mazel. What to Expect When You’re Expecting. New York: Workman, 2008. Print. |
Pregnancy and childbirth are incredible experiences that come with bittersweet side effects and common discomforts. Getting through three trimesters can seem daunting as the 40-week countdown begins. In the first trimester you experience the initial onslaught of fatigue, nausea and general discomfort, but also the incredible excitement of seeing that first ultrasound of your little gummy bear. The second trimester begins, and you get a lot of your energy back. This energy, however, drains away in the third trimester as your basketball belly, swollen limbs and aching back force you to sit on the sidelines. Though this may all sound very depressing as you contemplate your long journey ahead, there are methods to increase comfort and to relieve the pain that you will experience.
It is very important to remember that each woman and each pregnancy is unique. Fortunately, however, there are some very useful tools that many women have found beneficial in combating such pregnancy pains as nausea and vomiting, insomnia, frequent urination, back pain, and heartburn. Nausea and vomiting can be your worst enemies during your first few months of pregnancy, but can be curbed by some simple remedies. According to Heidi Murkoff, author of the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting, these methods include drinking ginger ale or tea, eating saltine crackers, and avoiding smells that bother you. Staying hydrated is really important during this period of morning sickness, as you lose so much fluid when you vomit (Murkoff 131). Murkoff advises to eat late, light and often. “Eating a light snack…just before you go to sleep will help ensure a happier tummy when you wake up” (132). Eating light and often will also keep nausea at bay: “Eat small, frequent meals—six mini meals a day is ideal—instead of three large ones” (Murkoff 132). In other words, even if you don’t feel like it, you should drink plenty of water and try to at least keep some broth or crackers in your system so that both you and your baby get the necessary nutrients. If the vomiting and nausea aren’t enough to fatigue you, getting up every hour or two in the middle of the night to urinate will be. This increase in urine flow is triggered by your increased hormones and kidney productivity. Also, “your growing uterus is pressing on your bladder now” (Murkoff 135). Drinking a little less a few hours before you go to bed may help with this. Additionally, leaning forward while urinating, to ensure that you completely empty your bladder, will help. The need to urinate frequently may decrease as the baby’s position moves, but it is generally consistent through all three trimesters (Murkoff 135). Heartburn and back pain are also ailments that may last throughout the majority of the pregnancy. Heartburn can be caused by decreased room for the stomach and gall bladder, creating an increase in acid reflux. (Certain hormones produced in excess during pregnancy – progesterone and relaxin – relax the GI tract and allow acid to flow more freely up the esophagus.) To combat heartburn related discomfort, there are plenty of acid reflux reducers that are approved for pregnant women: Pepcid AC, Tums, or Maalox. Drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding food that makes your stomach react are also easy ways to decrease your discomfort (Murkoff 153). Of all the aches and pains associated with pregnancy, back pain is one that most women struggle with throughout the duration of their pregnancy. This pain is often caused by “the strain on your back muscles from carrying extra weight” (American College 79). Ice packs to the back, rolling a tennis ball on the painful area or sitting and rotating on a birthing ball are all very helpful to relieve pain (American College 79). Also, there are plenty of yoga and palates exercises designed to help your back that can be found in most pregnancy guidebooks. Your Pregnancy and Birth, by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is one great example. Another wonderful way to reduce back pain is to cajole your husband or partner into giving you a massage! You are carrying the baby and doing all the work, so it is the least he can do. The best medicine for all of these ailments is to get plenty of rest and to avoid pushing yourself when you feel you are at your physical or emotional limit. If you don’t get to the dishes or make it to school or work, don’t get down on yourself. You should focus your efforts on not over-taxing your body, and by extension, your baby’s body. Remember that you get the most beautiful little miracle at the end of this long, crazy, and wonderful experience. Your pain will seem minimal when you feel your baby move inside your growing belly, and eventually see his little face looking into yours. |