At a time when your body is as hormonal as when you were a teenager, it can be scary, frustrating, and embarrassing when you’re pregnant. Your body and hair seem to grow instantaneously, you have aches and pains, and you contend with mood swings, nausea, and fatigue - all before you’ve ever reached your second trimester! You then start to wonder: is it even possible to feel comfortable while pregnant?
Handling Fatigue
One of the first symptoms you might experience in your pregnancy is fatigue - some women have it throughout their pregnancies, others only have it occasionally. This can be tricky to beat, especially if you have to work full-time or already have your hands full with children and/or other family members. But even if you work, you can talk with your employer about some possible solutions. After all, you can work - so why not suggest a few changes in your work day? See if you are able to go in later or leave earlier, to allow you some extra snooze time. Check into the possibility of working from home - at least on the days when you feel the worst. Take advantage of any break times you have by putting your feet up. Keep things simple at home so that you are able to nap before or after dinner if you must.
Overcoming Nausea
Ahhh, yes…a combination of hormones and faulty taste buds can result in the dreaded morning sickness. It doesn’t help that when you are pregnant you constantly have the taste of metal in your mouth, tainting everything you eat and drink to some degree. That in itself would make you want to hurl! One good rule to follow is never to go long without having a meal or snack. As crazy as it might sound, having food in your stomach can in some cases lessen your bouts of nausea if it’s due to your body’s need for protein. And if you have accompanying heartburn that makes you gag, invest in some Mylanta or Pepto Bismol. Try sucking on hard candy, preggo pops (lollipops specifically for pregnant women), or eating peanuts. Of course, there are instances where nothing helps, and you spend more of your time vomiting than you do eating. If that is true for you, you might have to take anti-nausea medication.
Aches and Pains
Lower backache and foot pain are common complaints. It makes sense that as you increase your weight, your lower extremities pay the price. Aches or even swelling are normal, especially when joints are also looser, making you prone to injury on top of everything else. So do yourself a favor and invest in a good pair of walking shoes and insoles. Soak your feet, put your feet up, always use a body pillow while lying down, and wear comfortable clothing. Regular chiropractic care or massage therapy can also be very helpful.
Battling Moods
It is very disconcerting if you are not ordinarily an emotional person and are now able to cry or scream at the drop of a hat. Everyone around you tends to tread lightly, and you know you are feeling grumpier than usual. Think PMS from hell. Really. I’d like to say that you can control yourself, that it will all pass before you know it. But unfortunately, that is not always the case. During this time, you might feel like everyone is out to get you, no one wants to be around you (or help you), and you feel like a whale. You will probably have your fair share of arguments with your friends and loved ones. And if they’re smart, they’ll know enough to stand out of your way. If not . . . well, you need to be able to remove yourself from a stressful situation and not let everything get the best of you. So if you feel like your moodiness is taking over, take a deep breath and exercise in some way. Stretching, walking, or yoga can all be ways to help improve your mood (and consequently help keep you in shape so that you still can feel good about your body!).
One Day at a Time
If you focus on 40 weeks of misery, you’re bound to make yourself miserable throughout your pregnancy. But if you take each day as it comes, assessing how you feel and adjusting as needed, you will be less overwhelmed and more inclined to be in tune with what your body needs. And when you can do that, your baby will benefit. Know when to ask for help from your loved ones if you need some mental or physical assistance. Let someone cook you a meal. Book a spa day for yourself. Above all, keep the lines of communication open between you and your family and physician. That way, if ever there are persistent problems or you are having a hard time handling something with your pregnancy, you can get help when you need it without sacrificing your health or your unborn child’s.
