DISCOMFORTS OF PREGNANCY
Backache
This condition may be due to many things, as I explain in Chapter 22. If it is caused by unusual muscle strain because your heavy abdomen is pulling on unused muscles, it will be relieved by rest.
Constipation
Most women are no more prone to constipation during pregnancy than they were before. Usually, it can be corrected by diet. Avoid irritating bran, however. A mild laxative like milk of magnesia is not harmful; but do not get into the habit of taking laxatives, and never take any stronger laxative without consulting your doctor. It is not necessary for you to have a bowel movement every day.
Heartburn or indigestion
Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. It is caused by your intestines. Omitting gas-forming foods, such as cucumbers and cabbage, often helps. Try cutting down on desserts and rich foods, too. Heartburn can sometimes be prevented by taking a tablespoonful of cream half an hour before a meal. You may find relief after taking a level teaspoonful of milk of magnesia. It works far better than bicarbonate of soda, which is not recommended during pregnancy.
Haemorrhoids (piles)
These may appear or become exaggerated during pregnancy. Your doctor can help you.
Nausea and vomiting
Morning sickness, the nausea and vomiting that usually, but not always, appear in the morning, is very common in the early months of pregnancy, although more than a third of all pregnant women escape it completely. Sometimes it consists of little more than a mild intestinal uneasiness or indigestion. In severe cases, the pregnant woman vomits and feels miserable. It seldom lasts beyond the third month, although in rare cases, it can persist or be so extreme as to require hospitalization.
There are many ways to prevent or minimize morning sickness. If possible, try not to think about it, and it may pass. Here are some suggestions of a more concrete nature for you to try:
Have some dry biscuits, a thermos of weak tea, or whatever appeals to you, on your bedside table ready for you to eat or sip before you get up. Lie still afterwards for a while. Then get up and have breakfast. Or, if possible, have breakfast in bed.
Eat small meals frequently, six or seven times a day, instead of three big ones.
Although you need fluids, they may not stay down on an empty stomach, so eat dry foods first, sipping fluids in small quantities.
Rest after eating. Lie down for 20 minutes or so after even a small meal. If nausea keeps recurring every day, try getting more rest.
Avoid sights and smells that seem nauseating to you. If you used to like cigarettes, they may disturb you now.
Greasy foods, butter and fat are apt to cause distress. Plain baked potatoes often turn out to be least offensive. Wheat germ may help nausea, so try to eat some whole-wheat bread or cereal. Cucumbers, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, and onions are foods to be avoided.
Shortness of breath
If this becomes so extreme, at any time during your pregnancy, that you cannot climb a short flight of stairs without discomfort, be sure to see your doctor. If a mild case interferes with your sleep during the later stages of your pregnancy, use several pillows so that you are half sitting and half lying. You may require a mild sedative, which the doctor will give you, in order to prevent insomnia from this or similar causes during the last two months.
Swelling of the feet and ankles
If this does not disappear after you have taken extra rest and remained off your feet for a day or two, your doctor should be consulted.
Avoid wearing anything that restricts the circulation in your legs. Get off your feet as often as you can, and avoid standing still for any length of time. If these veins are marked or troublesome, your doctor may recommend a bandage, or he may treat them by means of injections.
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