While pregnancy is beautiful and fills you with all sorts of wonderful emotions, it’s not without discomfort! Here are some of the little aches and pains I’ve experienced, and the fixes that have worked (and are working) for me.
Backaches. Ow, ow, ow. As the little one grows, your belly becomes heavier and your back does ache. Stretching once in awhile and walking around helped ease the pain. I also try to remind myself to pull up my shoulders when I sit and walk. Poor posture just worsens the pain even though it’s much more comfortable to slouch!
Headaches. I was prone to this a lot in the early months. What worked for me was getting out of the office and getting fresh air. Or I’d turn out the lights and rest my eyes. I also tried eating regularly so my blood sugar level wouldn’t drop. A cold compress also worked wonders.
Brain drain. Eek! This is when you just totally space out and forget stuff. I experienced this as I entered my second trimester. I still have it once in awhile. When this happens, I don’t force myself to think. The pressure just makes me forget even more. Multi-tasking is not my friend. What works is I gradually ease myself into my tasks one at a time, then I’m back on the saddle again.
Heartburn and indigestion. Soooo uncomfortable. What worked for me is taking two tablets of Tums, and the pain goes away. I also drank a lot of water to wash away the acid. Chewing gum and sitting up after a meal also helped.
Nausea. I consider myself lucky I haven’t thrown up a single time during my days of morning sickness. Feeling nauseated was bad enough already. Munching on crackers helped ease the nausea. Walking and getting fresh air also helped a lot. I also discovered that oranges helped rid me of my nausea. I only had oranges in my early trimester though because towards the third month, they started giving me indigestion.
Frequent urination. There’s no way around this. You just really have to empty your bladder throughout the day to avoid infection. In fact, if I haven’t peed for over an hour, I’d try peeing anyway. Consider the frequent trips to the restroom as exercise.
Fatigue. You’re not only eating for two, you’re walking for two, talking for two… it gets really exhausting. It hits me unexpectedly too. I’d be energetic on a Monday, than so tired on a Tuesday. If you can afford to get off work, do so. REST. Chores can wait. Paperwork can wait. Your body and baby are calling out to you. Just rest.
So far, these are the pregnancy aches I’ve felt, and these are the fixes that have worked for me. Every pregnancy is different however, so what worked for me may or may not work for others. You may also want to consult your doctor for expert advice.
If you’re pregnant or plan to get pregnant, I hope this helps you! And if you’ve experienced the joys and aches of pregnancy, please feel free to share your fixes here. I’m certain you’ll be helping a lot of Mommies-to-be.