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Vitamins
are vital for healthy growth. They help your baby build up a store
to fight infection. That's why vitamin supplements, containing vitamins
A,D and C are advised for all mothers-to-be. They are available free
under the Welfare Food Scheme.
Cow's milk is also free. It is an excellent food for pregnant women. |
Symptoms
of Early Pregnancy
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Symptoms
of late Pregnancy |
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| Am
I Pregnant? This is a favorite question of everyone who is trying to get pregnant and a good question. There are many signs and symptoms or pregnancy. |
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Missed
Period |
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| Morning
Sickness This lovely affliction affects many pregnant women, but by no means all. it's estimated that only 50% of women will experience morning sickness. It is not very well named either. Any variation of sickness is applicable. Some women are sick only in the night, some are sick all day, other women it comes and goes with its own pattern. There is also a difference in whether it's merely a queasy feeling or actual vomiting. Some women will actually have a severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum. This can lead to dehydration and other problems. |
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| Breast
soreness Ouch! Don't touch that! Breast tenderness is experienced by many women, both during the second trimester, or it may be experienced as a heightened sensitivity. This can be a good thing for some women. |
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| Headache Headaches are more common in pregnancy due to the changes in hormones. This may be a pregnancy symptom, but it is not necessarily a pregnancy sign. There are many things that could cause this, including stress. |
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| Bloating Some women do begin to bloat nearly immediately. Again, this is a symptom of pregnancy, but not necessarily a sign. There are also women who will have bloating prior to a period. |
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| Vaginal
discharge Vaginal discharge, without itching or burning, may be a sign of pregnancy. The cervix is building your mucous plug to block the opening of the cervix to help protect your baby from infections,etc. You might notice a slight increase in vaginal secretions. Again, it shouldn't smell, burn or itch. These would be signs of infection that would require proper medical treatment. |
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Sorting
it all out |
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| Insomnia Not being able to sleep is really annoying. It comes in a couple of forms: being exhausted and not being able to sleep and just not able to sleep but feeling fine. At least with the latter you can be productive. Advice is to try some form or exercise earlier in the day, avoid caffeine after early evening, relax before bed and even the old standard of a glass of warm milk. |
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| Back
Pain OUCH! Seriously, try the massage route, it you can't find anyone to help here, pelvic tilts work really well. Also stretching and using warm compress, like a rice sock or warm bath work really well. Another thing to try is to shower on hands and knees allowing the water to hit you in the back. |
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| Leg
Cramps Stretching prior to bed and not pointing your toes are great starts. Some also claim that nutritional deficiencies like lack of potassium contribute to this problem |
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| Shortness
of Breath As the baby grows and compresses your diaphragm you have less room to breathe. Stretching and doing pelvic tilts to allow baby to settle works for some women. Another good piece of advice is to try sleeping sitting up. Just double over a pillow and lean it on the headboard. Other women find that a recliner or a rocking chair is better for them. |
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| Exhaustion Believe it or not growing a baby takes a lot of energy. Best advice is hard to follow, but a gem ...nap! Seriously it you can get in a brief nap or rearrange your schedule to allow you to sleep when you are the most sleepy, life will be much easier. |
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| Heartburn & Other
Gastrointestinal Delights Heartburn,belching and gas, all very lovely and all a result or the baby growing healthily! Avoid offending foods, staying upright after meals and just a plain sense of humor are about all you can do here. Sometimes a glass of milk with honey will help with heartburn and sometimes your practitioner can recommend something to help as well. |
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| Contractions These delightful things are great for practising everything you learned in childbirth class, and even give you a run for your money at times. Best advice is to ignore them as much as possible. Real lab our won't let you sleep. Try Napping, changing positions, taking a bath and relaxation. Usually these will help. Sometimes women will have periods of contractions that return at a certain point each day or some will seem to have non-stop contractions for the last few weeks. Both are fairly normal. Talk to your midwife if you're concerned, or ring your local maternity unit. |
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| Pubic
Bone Pain First off, it's not really a bone, but it sure can hurt. Often described as being a plastic doll and getting your legs ripped of sideways. You can no longer stand on one leg to put your pants on and even lifting a leg to get into the tub becomes interesting. A rice sock or other warm compress can feel really good for this odd sore spot. |
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| Urinary
Frequency You remember this from the beginning? Well the good news is that as the baby prepares to be born s/he comes down further into the pelvis. The bad news is that this means more time in the bathroom passing urine. Try to watch what you drink just before bed and to always know where the toilet is located. |
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| Pressure Another delight of baby dropping down into the pelvis is the feeling of constant pressure. Short of hanging upside down there's not a lot to do but take comfort in the fact that it's a good sign that baby will be here soon. Swimming or simply being in deeper water can help, as can pelvic tilts. |
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| Kicks
in Odd Places While feeling baby move is great, it's also a pain at times. Babies find your ribs and delight in kicking you until you're sore. Some women have reported bruising from their babies. Usually place a hand firmly on the sore spot and have a little conversation with baby. Pelvic tilts can be effective in getting baby to shift to a bit, as can creative positioning of your body. Some mums choose the route of using ice on the sore spots. |
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| Balance
Problems Umm, don't use it! Seriously, balance problems can be quite annoying. Try to avoid positions where you know you'll be stuck unless you have help around. And just laugh when you have to have someone pick you up off the floor. In the event of a slip, remember that the baby is really well cushioned in the amniotic sac. Calling your midwife for reassurance is a great thing too! |
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How
to avoid infection from food and from contact with animals
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 Wrap
soiled litter well in newspaper and dispose in the dustbin. Afterwards
wash your rubbers gloves and then your hands very thoroughly.
Wrap
soiled litter well in newspaper and dispose in the dustbin. Afterwards
wash your rubbers gloves and then your hands very thoroughly.
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