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“NAUSEA
This is also known as morning sickness, but can strike at anytime of the day. These symptoms of nausea and vomiting generally go away by the end of the first three months. Things that irritate the condition: low blood sugar, low blood pressure, hormonal changes, emotional ambivalence, deficiency of vitamin B6 and iron, or excessive amounts of grease or certain spices. Vomiting that is excessive needs medical attention.
Suggestions:
Deep breathing may help, as well as relaxation exercises
Eat a high protein breakfast
Get up slowly out of bed
Take a walk everyday
Sea bands on both wrists for acupressure points
Anise, dried peach tree leaves, fennel seed, red raspberry leaf or ginger teas
A teaspoon of cider vinegar in a cup of warm water
Infusion of ginger root
Smelling ground ginger
Increase iron rich foods in your diet
Slippery Elm tablets, two before each meal
Aromatherapy: lavender, rose, or chamomile for a massage oil
HEARTBURN
Hormones released during pregnancy allow the softening of the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach. This lets stomach acids back up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation. This may also occur in the latter months of pregnancy as your baby pushes all of your organs upward.
Suggestions:
Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Remain upright for an hour after eating, lying down can irritate the problem
Eating yogurt high in acidophilis can help
Avoid spicy or greasy foods
Try a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm milk
FAINTING AND DIZZINESS
Fainting is common during pregnancy. the blood may pool in the lower body and the brain may become temporarily deprived of oxygen, causing fainting or dizziness.
Suggestions:
Avoid standing for long periods of time
While standing practice contracting and relaxing your leg and buttocks muscles to help blood return to your head
When resting lay on your left side as opposed to your back
When sitting return to standing slowly
Don't get out of a bath too quickly
Keep cool in hot weather
If you feel faint, immediately sit to avoid injury and place your head lower than your body, kneeling on all fours works too
Take a few drops of Bach Rescue Remedy as soon as your start to feel faint
Make sure you blood sugar isn't low, eat small protein rich snacks throughout the day
CONSTIPATION AND HEMORROIDS
Constipation can become a problem in pregnancy due to hormonal changes affecting the digestive system. However, iron tablets can also lead to constipation as well as a lack of fiber in your diet. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins of the rectum which are associated with pregnancy. Preventing constipation is a good start to preventing hemorrhoids.
Suggestions for constipation:
Regular exercise, especially squatting
Flax seed in smoothies and salads, and flax crackers will make you poop!
Plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet
Drink plenty of fluids
Drink prune juice
When you have to go..GO! Do not delay the urge to defecate.
Avoid straining your bowels (This will also help prevent hemorrhoids.)
Suggestions for Hemorrhoids:
Avoid straining
Apply baking soda wet or dry to take away the itch, even add some to your bath water
Witch hazel or lemon juice to reduce swelling or bleeding
Comfrey or Yellowdock Root ointment
LEG CRAMPS
Cramps in your muscles are common during pregnancy. They may be caused by the weight you are carrying, circulation changes, or calcium deficiency.
Suggestions:
Regular exercise
Adequate calcium-magnesium intake
When the cramp begins, bring your toes towards you, and massage the muscle
Eat celery leaves and parsley leaves, and beet leaves
BACKACHES
Backaches can be particularly annoying. They can be caused by poor posture, inappropriate lifting techniques, lack of exercise, or the weight of the baby and the stretching ligaments.
Suggestions:
Utilize good posture
Use proper lifting techniques
Pelvic rocking
Massage
Sleep with pillows supporting your legs and back
Wear flat heeled shoes that offer good support
Heat (bath, shower, pad, sock)
Swimming
Don't move in a jerky fashion
Yoga daily
Herbal Liniments may help
St. John's Wort tincture, 15-25 drops in a glass of water every few hours as needed
For severe pain add 3-5 drops of Skullcap tincture to the above
Chiropractic help may be of use as well
VARICOSITIES
Pregnancy causes changes to the blood volume and hormone levels. The increased flow of blood and the relaxation of the muscular walls of the blood vessels leads to a more difficult return of blood from the lower body. They can appear in the legs, vulva, or rectum (see hemorrhoids) The varicose veins that area a result of these changes can be painful, itching, and unsightly. However, heredity does play a part in this process. Here are some ideas to help.
Suggestions:
Massage may help prevent, but avoid if varicosities develop
Avoid standing for long periods of time
Exercise regularly (Swimming, yoga and walking are great)
Eat well, including plenty of fiber, Vitamins A, C, E and B complex
Eat raw garlic, onions and parsley to increase the elasticity of your veins
Never cross your legs
Avoid tight clothing
Support stockings may help if you raise your legs up before putting them on
Raise the foot of your bed 3-4 inches
Put your legs up whenever you can
Exercise the pelvic floor and inner thigh muscles
Horse chestnut, nettle, yarrow, St. John's Wort and Shepard's Purse help improve blood flow
Ointments of comfrey, yellow dock root, plantain or yarrow may help stop bleeding, reduce pain and ease swelling
SKIN CHANGES
Skin changes abound during pregnancy. Some are pleasant, others are not. Most of these changes will go away shortly after the birth of your baby. Here are some ideas for the not so pleasant changes that pregnancy can bring.
Suggestions:
Pigmentation:
Use a sunblock when in the sun
Never bleach your skin
Use St. John's Wort oil to help prevent discoloration
Eat foods rich in PABA and folic acid
ITCHING
Changing laundry detergents to a dye free, perfume free natural brand
Wear cotton clothes
Oatmeal baths help with itching
Chickweed ointment
Bach Rescue Remedy Cream
Lime Flower teas before bed can be soothing
STRETCH MARKS
Contrary to popular belief, stretch marks cannot be prevented. Your best defense is healthy skin, and good genetics behind you. These marks will fade and turn silvery after the birth.
Suggestions:
Eat the proper diet to help your skin be healthy
Drink plenty of fluids (Skin that is well nourished stretches better)
If you have itching, use a cream to moisturize the area, some people prefer a Vitamin E oil
Recipes:
Stretchmark Oil
dark glass 50 ml bottle
50 ml of wheatgerm oil, or mixture of wheatgerm and almond oil
essential oils of lavender and neroli
Fill the bottle with wheatgerm oil, or the mixture of wheatgerm and almond oils for a thinner solution. Add 15 drops of the essential oil of lavender and 10 drops of the essential oil of neroli. Massage daily after bathing.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
High blood pressure may be physiological or a reaction to stress or anxiety. Your blood pressure will be checked regularly throughout your pregnancy. There are many things you can do to help maintain a health blood pressure.
Suggestions:
Exercise regularly
Maintain a healthy, balanced diet, containing plenty of raw fruits and vegetables
Protein is very important in preventing high blood pressure and ecclampsia, you need at least 80 grams of protein daily
Limiting red meat can help you maintain a lower blood pressure, make sure you are getting protein from other sources
Salt your food to taste, do not eliminate salt from your diet
Cucumbers help reduce blood pressure
Avoid stress where possible
Instead of coffee, tea, or colas, drink: raspberry leaf, nettles, limeflower or dandelion teas
Juice of half a lemon or lime plus two teaspoons of cream of tartar in a half a cup of water once a day for three days, lowers your blood pressure, if needed, repeat after a break of two days
2-4 capsules of Passionflower daily, or 15 drops of the tincture three times a day, continue for several weeks for the most benefit
PRE-ECCLAMPSIA:
Include potassium rich foods into your diet (bananas, and lightly cooked potato peel)
A minium of 2400 calories a day are required
Drink Raw beet juice to balance the sodium/potassium ratio in your blood, about 4 ounces daily
Take a B complex taken daily with 100mg B6 or brewer's yeast
Young dandelion leaves are excellent sources of calcium and potassium, this will vitalize your kidneys and reduce edema
PELVIC PAIN
As your pregnancy continues, the weight of the baby and your changing form may cause pain when your pubic joint expands in preparation for birth.
Suggestions:
Regular exercise
Rest when you need it
Warm compresses at the site of pain
May worsen after walking or standing a lot--do stand with weight even on both legs
May be worse when you are tired
IInsomnia
insomnia can be caused by a lot of factors: restlessness, the need to urinate, worry, overstimulation, discomfort, etc.
Suggestions:
Avoid stimulants
Eat a few hours before bedtime, making sure your meal is easily digestible
Try drinking chamomile tea before bed, or limeflower
Try warm milk or a calcium and magnesium supplement
Make sure that your room is well ventilated and your bed comfortable
Use extra pillows as needed
Do some pelvic rocking before bed, followed by a warm bath
Massage of the head and neck may relieve tension
A few drops of Bach Rescue remedy in water will help you if your are restless
Add two or three drops of essential oil of lavender to a base oil and use it with a massage before bed
BLADDER ISSUES
Cystitis, an infection of the bladder, is not uncommon during pregnancy. This is due to the added stress placed on your bladder because of the increased volume of fluids in your body.
Suggestions:
Avoid junk food, refined starches, sugar, coffee, tea and foods high in acidic content
Eat live yogurt daily
Drink plenty on fluids, especially water
Wear cotton underwear
Avoid using soap to wash your genitals or using bubble bath or bath salts
After intercourse emptying your bladder and washing with water may help reduce the risk of infection
Wipe from front to back after using the bathroom
Include garlic, leeks and cabbage in your diet
Blend unsweetened cranberry juice with parsley three times daily
Barley water, chamomile, marshmallow and raspberry teas are effective
Try taking 500g daily of Vitamin C until symptoms improve
HEADACHES
Resulting from hormonal changes or stress, headaches can be familiar during pregnancy.
Suggestions:
DRINK MORE WATER
Get plenty of rest
Exercise regularly
Excessive caffeine can cause headaches, as can caffeine withdrawal. If you have been totally avoiding caffeine, a cola or cup of caffeinated tea may help
Try relaxation exercises
Soak a washcloth in cold water containing a few drops of essential oil of lavender. Apply to forehead and rest in darkened room
Massaging the neck and spine may help
ANEMIA
Anemia is very common during pregnancy. Iron tablets can be ineffective and actually cause other problems. Here are some other methods of getting the iron you need.
Suggestions:
Eat lots of iron rich foods (liver, leafy greens, beets, oysters, heart and tongue)
Avoid caffeine, it prevents absorption of iron
Avoid excessive bran, alkalinizers and phosphates, they inhibit absorption
Drink something with vitamins C with your iron supplements (tablets or herbal), Vitamin C aids in the assimilation
Cook with cast iron
Good herbal sources of iron: Parsley, Nettles, Amaranth greens, Dandelion root, and Kelp
Yellow Dock root
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
This syndrome affects a lot of us. I am assuming since you are probably reading this on a computer that you type quite a bit. This puts you at a higher risk.
Suggestions:
Use a wrist rest by your computer
Sleep with your arm on a pillow at night
Massage: Have a partner massage your shoulders which is where carpal tunnel begins, down into your wrist
Kneel on hands and knees, lean your body forward stretching your wrists, hold for a few seconds
Hold your hand above your head and wiggle your fingers
A splint on your wrist at night may also help
Acupuncture
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