Common Problems in pregnancy part 2

Heartburn

Heartburn is more than just indigestion. It is strong, burning pain in the chest. This conditions caused by the valve between your stomach and the tube leading to your stomach relaxing in pregnancy, so that stomach acid passes into the tube.

What can you do?

• Try to sleep well.
• For a few hours before you go to sleep, avoiding eating or drinking.
• Ask the doctor.

Itching

This condition usually happens in pregnancy because of the increased blood supply to the skin. In late pregnancy the skin of the abdomen is stretched and this may also cause itchiness.

What can you do?

• You can wear loose clothing.
• Ask the doctor if itching becomes severe or continue into more serious problems.

Passing water often

This condition happens in first trimester of pregnancy stages. But for some women, it can continue right trough pregnancy. In third trimester it usually happens too, because of the baby’s head pressing on the bladder.

What can you do?

• Try cutting out drinks in the late evening.
• Ask the doctor if you have any pain while passing water, or pass any blood. Its means that you may have a urine infection which will need treatment.

Cramp

Cramp is a sudden, sharp pain, usually in your calf muscles or feet. This condition usually happens at night, but nobody really knows what causes it.

What can you do?

• Pull your toes hard up towards your ankle or rub the muscle hard.
• Gentle exercise in pregnancy, particularly ankle and leg movements, will improve your circulation and may help to prevent cramp occurring.

Nose bleeds

This condition happens because of hormonal changes. The nosebleed can be short or quite heavy.

What can you do?

You can press the sides of your nose together between your thumb and forefinger just below the bony part of your nose for ten minutes. If this effort unsuccessful, repeat again for a further ten minutes.

Skin and hair changes

Hormonal changes taking place in pregnancy will make your nipples and the area around them go darker. Your skin color may also darken a little, either in patches or all over. Birthmarks, moles and freckles may darken too. Others develop a dark line running down the middle of their stomachs.

What can you do?

• You should not stay in the sun for very long.
• Protect your skin with a good, high-factor sunscreen.

Feeling hot in pregnancy

Many pregnant women are feeling hot in pregnancy. This condition is due to hormonal changes and to an increase in blood supply to the skin.

What can you do?

• Keep your room cool, consider using an electric fan.
• Wash frequently to stay fresh.
• Wear loose clothing made of natural fibre, as these are more absorbent and ‘breathe’ more than synthetic fibre.

Piles

Piles are swollen veins around the back passage which may itch, ache or feel sore. This condition happens in pregnancy because the veins relax under the influence of pregnancy hormones.

What can you do?

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid standing for long periods.
• To improve your circulation, you can take regular exercise.

Sleeplessness

Some pregnant women can be very difficult to get a good night’s sleep, it’s usually happens in the last trimester of pregnancy stages. You may have strange dreams or nightmares about the baby and the birth.

What can you do?

• Find friends or talk to husband and parents about it, it can make you calm down.
• Relaxation and breathing which are taught in antenatal classes might be helpful.

Teeth and gums

Bleeding gums are caused by build-up of plaque (bacteria) on the teeth. The teeth and gums may become swollen and bleed more easily in pregnancy.

What can you do?

• Clean your teeth.
• Avoid having sugary drinks and foods too often.

• Ask your dentist to solve this problem.

Stretch marks

These are pink or purplish lines which usually occur on the tummy or sometimes on the upper thighs or breast. Not all pregnancy women get them, it depends on your skin type.

What can you do?

• You can try to take with oils or cream to prevent stretch marks.
• After your baby is born the marks should gradually pale and become less noticeable, so not to worry about it.

Swollen ankles, fingers and feet

The body of pregnant women holds more water than usual, so that ankles, feet and fingers often swell a little in pregnancy.

What can you do?

• You can wear comfortable shoes.
• Avoid standing for long periods.
• Do foot exercises.
• Take a rest.

Vaginal discharge

Pregnant women usually have this situation. It should be clear and white and it should not smell unpleasant.

What can you do?

• Try to wear loose cotton underwear.

• Ask the doctor if the discharge is colored or smells strange, or if you feel itchy or sore. It means you have a vaginal infection.

Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are veins which have become swollen. The veins in the legs are most commonly affected. You can also get varicose veins in the vulva (vaginal opening).

What can you do?

• Don’t standing for long periods of time.
• Try not to put on too much weight as this increases the pressure.
• Sit with your legs up as often as you can to ease the discomfort.
• Try sleeping with your legs higher than the rest of your body.
• Do exercises which can help your circulation, such as walking, cycling and swimming.

Here are the common problems in pregnancy that almost all pregnant women get them in their pregnancy stages.

Common Problems in pregnancy part 1

Morning sickness

The name is kind of general, and with good reason. This sickness can be anything from a little upset tummy to a full-blown, hold nothing back, tossing of one’s cookies. It can be different for the other pregnant women. The sickness can also appear at any time or throughout the day.

Nausea

Nausea is very common in the early weeks of pregnancy, in the first trimester of pregnancy stages. Some women are sick; some women are just feeling sick. This happens in the morning, some at other time, some all day long. This condition is not fully understood, but hormonal changes in the first three months are probably one cause. Nausea usually disappears around the 12^th to 14^th week.

What can you do?

• If you feel sick first thing in the morning, get up slowly from the bed. If possible, get sweet tea; eat something like dry toast or a plain biscuit before you get up.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Don’t stop eating; you can eat small amounts often rather than several large meals.
• Get plenty of rest and sleep whenever you can.
• Distract yourself as much as you can.
• Avoid the foods and smells that make you feel worse.
• Remedies containing ginger may be helpful.
• Wear comfortable clothes. Tight waistband can make you feel worse.
• Contact your doctor if you are being sick all the time and cannot keep anything down.

Headaches

Some pregnant women find they get a lot of headaches.

What can you do?

• Regular rest and relaxation.
• A brisk walk.
• Ask the doctor if you have bad headaches. Severe headaches may be a sign of high blood pressure.

Craving

Cravings are extreme longings for a strange food or strange combination of food that can appear any time during pregnancy. In theory, these cravings can occur anytime during a pregnancy. But theory sometimes is different with the reality. In reality, these cravings always occur in the dead of night on the coldest day of the year (even during the summertime). Many husbands usually do everything in his power to satisfy his wife, even if this means making a quick road trip to somewhere far. It is worth it for the peace of mind and the quiet many husbands receive for making the pregnant wife happy.

Constipation

Because of the hormonal changes going on in your body, you may become constipated very early in pregnancy.

What can you do?

• Drink plenty of water.
• You should include plenty of fiber in your diet through eating foods like fruit and vegetables, whole meal breads, wholegrain cereals, and pulses such as beans and lentils.
• Keep your muscles toned up by exercise regularly.

Backache

During pregnancy ligaments become softer and stretch to prepare you for labour. This can put a strain on the joints of your lower back and pelvis which can cause backache.

What can you do?

• Avoid heavy lifting.
• When you are lifting or picking something up from the floor, you should bend your knees and keep your back straight.
• Sit with your back straight and well supported.
• Try to balance the weight between two baskets if you are carrying shopping.
• You should wear flat shoes so that your weight to be evenly distributed.
• A firm mattress can help to prevent and relieve backache.
• Ask your doctor if your backache is very painful.

Faintness

It is usually happens in pregnancy because of hormonal changes taking place in your body. Not enough blood is getting to the brain. If the oxygen level gets too low you may actually faint.

What can you do?

• After sitting or lying down, you should try to get up slowly.
• When you are still standing and you feel faint, find a seat quickly and the faintness will pass. If it doesn’t, lie down on your side.
• If you feel faint while lying on your back, turn on your side. It’s better not to lie flat on your back in later pregnancy or during labour.

Discharge from breast

This condition usually happens; you may notice a discharge from your nipples month by month, but nothing to worry about it. However, ask the doctor if it becomes bloodstained.

Indigestion

This condition caused by hormonal changes and later the growing womb pressing on the stomach.

What can you do?

• You should try eating smaller meals more often.
• When you are eating, you should sit up straight, it takes the pressure off your stomach.
• Avoid particular foods which cause trouble, such as fried or highly spiced ones.