Zippypedia

01/06/2011

The see-saw of pregnancy

There are situations where good things take importance out of the bad ones. This is one of those situations. Yet pregnancy's lesser hardships won't make you forget there's a baby growing inside you, and there's nothing more important than that!

Evidently, not everything in pregnancy is made of sunshine and lollipops. But mother nature has every last detail figured out, and believe us, there's a reason for everything. Times will come when, more than feeling like you're holding the world inside you, you'll feel like you're carrying it on your back. Still, pregnancy is temporary, as are all the changes to your body. As such, don't panic and try to keep a positive attitude in the face of pregnancy's typical problems.

After the first symptoms manifest themselves throughout the first quarter, usually consisting in an increasing need to go to the bathroom, nausea and vomits derived from an upsurge in hormone levels, it would be nice being able to say everything will be smooth sailing from this point on, yet, that's not quite the case...

In the second quarter you might begin to experience some backache, as your weight increases your centre of gravity moves and as a result of your body's attempt to balance it you'll suffer those infamous pains. If you can get someone to give you a massage that would be great, if not try to direct the shower to the areas which are more sore. You might suffer from backaches until you give birth.

It's normal for your nose to become clogged up, that's because your mucus membrane has become more sensitive and inflamed. Yet again, hormones are to blame.

If you were already prone to constipation, redouble your efforts. It's normal for the situation to worsen, as the intestines will function on a much slower pace. While this situation can also result in hemorrhoids flaring up, never use laxatives. Drink plenty of fluids, include fruits and vegetables in your diet and consult your doctor to get help.

In the last quarter everything bothers you, whether it's your belly's size, fatigue, your legs swelling up, still, you're almost there...

In the last few months there will be a bigger volume of blood flowing through your veins, which will make them prone to dilation. Watch out for varices. Avoid excessive heat and standing up for too long, put your feet up as frequently as possible. Try to rest as much as you can, you need to be ready when the time comes to give birth!