The first 0-12 weeks of a woman’s pregnancy is called the first trimester. It is during this period that a woman’s body experiences drastic changes during pregnancy. Discomforts may or may not be experienced by a pregnant woman during this time, to help you cope with it here are a list of simple home remedies.
Morning Sickness and Nausea
The stretching of the uterine muscles and the pressure on the digestive tract due to the growing baby can cause increased stomach acids. The body reacts to this increase by releasing it through vomiting. As such, a woman’s sense of smell is on hyperdrive during pregnancy; this can also increase irritability as well as the probability of vomiting.
Rejoice, for this doesn’t stay for the whole nine months. Usually the vomiting stops after the third month. And do not worry the vomiting doesn’t hurt the baby.To help with morning sickness, try not to eat large meals, instead eat small frequent meals so that the stomach doesn’t get “shocked.” studies show that a diet abundant in complex carbohydrates, like wholewheat bread and other starchy food brown rice and wholewheat pasta. Ginger tea or grated ginger root steeped in boiling water for 10 mins is very effective. Also avoid eating fatty food.
Shortness of Breath and Fatigue
Pregnancy can cause fatigue and other emotional changes in a woman. You should know that even while you sleep, your body is feeding another living being. During pregnancy, you body needs more rest. Fatigue is normal.
To prevent yourself from being more irritable than you are and more tired, try to get as much sleep as you can in the night. The ideal length of sleep for an adult is eight hours, try to get this much every night. Take a nap or two during the day, even 20 minutes with your feet up will make a huge difference.
A proper diet also helps with fatigue, after all you’re already feeding two people. One other reason for the fatigue may be the lack of vitamins and nutrients for the both of you. Take the vitamins that your doctor recommends and make sure you eat lots of nutrient-rich foods.
Exercise is also a big help. It doesn’t have to be hard exercise, a brisk walk can in sense practice your body for the extra work it will be doing. But remember, a balance of exercise and rest is needed. Too much exercise or too much rest can also increase fatigue.
Lightheadedness
During pregnancy the heart is pumping harder to provide extra blood to the legs and the uterus, as such a woman may experience dizziness due to the lack of blood flow into the brain. Low blood sugar levels can also contribute to dizziness. The best thing to do in this case is to make sure that you eat protein rich food and frequent smaller meals.
Frequent Urination
The rapid growth of the uterus presses on the internal organs, in particular the bladder. The frequency usually decreases when the uterus settles into the abdominal cavity. It may return during the third trimester when the uterus drops back down in order to prepare for birth.
Try leaning forward while urinating. This is to make sure that you empty your bladder completely and can help in decreasing the number of times you need to go to the loo.
These are the more common discomforts during pregnancy, others like varicose veins, cravings and heartburn are all normal. Being prepared early can help a lot during pregnancy. Be sure to have regular check-ups with your doctor as well as a proper diet, vitamins and exercise.
