Morning Sickness during Pregnancy

Morning sickness is one of the best known symptoms of pregnancy. Three out of four pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting in the early months of their pregnancies. Unfortunately for most women – morning sickness does not restrict itself to the morning and can happen any time of the day.

Morning sickness is certainly not one of the nicer things that pregnancy brings along and can be irritating, incapacitating and depressing. It can leave Expectant moms feeling unhappy and gloomy. However, understanding what brings on morning sickness – can feel like a ray of light in the gloom.

What exactly triggers morning sickness is still unclear – but the prime culprits – it is believed – are hCG and Progesterone. High levels of these chemicals circulating in the blood cause morning sickness. Despite their seemingly tyrannical actions on the guts of moms to be however, these chemicals are in fact do-gooders and the nausea and vomiting that they cause is “good news”. These seemingly nasty chemicals are in fact the ones - that keep the pregnancy going and the growing baby healthy.

Of course severe nausea and vomiting are certainly not good news for either mother or baby – and warrant consultation with a doctor to prevent dehydration and malnutrition.

In spite of the fact that they are indicators of “good news” – nausea and vomiting remain undesirable.

Expectant moms suffering from morning sickness can do the following to minimise their symptoms;

• Eat small frequent light meals through the day
• When you wake up in the morning take a few minutes to sit up and step out of bed instead of springing up
• Slowly munch on a dry crunchy biscuit – like a Rusk or Marie or Cream Cracker – as soon as you wake up
• Stick to bland foods that are low on fat
• If food aromas are triggering your nausea – eat food cold rather than hot. Hot foods have stronger aromas
• Try to get rest. Nausea can get much worse when you are tired
• A stroll usually relieves nausea
•  Sip water between meals. Do not gulp
• Ginger added to food minimises gassiness and reduces nausea. However ginger in large quantities may be harmful to your baby – so use with caution
• Reduce your stress and anxiety

Do not panic about depriving your child of nutrients due to your poor diet. If you are terribly concerned consult your doctor and ask for a vitamin prescription.

Author Bio

Dr Debmita Dutta (MBBS, MD) is a Parenting and Wellness Consultant. She belives Parenting – is an Art that is deeply rooted in Science – Medical Science. It is impossible to Parent right without an understanding of how your child’s growing Brain and Body function – because his / her Brain and Body are what make him the person he is.

Lifestyle changes during Pregnancy

Pregnancy begins at that magical moment when the ovum from a Mom meets the sperm from a Dad. That is the precise moment in time when baby making actually begins. If it is happening inside you however – it is unlikely that you will know about it until many days – maybe even weeks later. Even if you are a really vigilant Mom – you would probably find out that you are pregnant – two weeks after baby making has begun – which is when you would miss your period.

In the time between the momentous event and your discovery of its occurrence – inside you – baby making would be progressing at a tremendous speed. Even though you don’t know about it – you are certain to want everything to work perfectly inside you to turn out that perfect baby.

And so – if you are planning a pregnancy – as soon as you decide – do the following –

• Begin taking Folic acid – ask your doctor to prescribe some
• Do not take any medicine – modern or alternative without consulting your doctor and letting them know that you are attempting to conceive
• If you are on Vitamin supplements or if you eat or drink foods fortified with vitamins – make sure you ask your doctor before you carry on taking them. Large amounts of Vitamin A are not good for Baby making
• If you smoke or drink – STOP – at once. It is a good idea to avoid places where you may be a victim of passive smoking as well
• Make an effort to eat a healthy balanced diet – rich in Iron and Calcium
• Aim at limiting your caffeine intake. Pay attention to the number of teas, coffees and colas you drink in a day
• Begin exercising if you don’t. Start something like a 30 minute leisurely walk every day. If you are into extremely strenuous exercise – look at toning it down a bit
• Steer clear of unpasteurized milk, dairy products and juices
• Eat hygienic food to avoid going down with stomach infections and food poisoning
• Use pesticides and cleaning agents with caution. Wear gloves and masks when you use them

Revel in the little changes that you make to give your baby the best chance possible from the moment you conceive. Enjoy your pregnancy !   

Author Bio

Dr Debmita Dutta (MBBS, MD) is a Parenting and Wellness Consultant. She belives Parenting – is an Art that is deeply rooted in Science – Medical Science. It is impossible to Parent right without an understanding of how your child’s growing Brain and Body function – because his / her Brain and Body are what make him the person he is.

How to sleep well through your pregnancy

If you are pregnant and tossing and turning in bed all night – you are most certainly not alone. It is difficult to slumber fitfully when one is pregnant – and 78% pregnant women suffer from sleeplessness. If you really want to blame your sleeplessness on something – you can begin by blaming the hormone Progesterone. Progesterone keeps your pregnancy going. It also makes you sleepy. But it makes you sleepy during the day and that then keeps you awake at night.

Then there is discomfort of every sort. No matter which trimester you are in – it is difficult to be comfortable. At first it is nausea, vomiting and vivid dreams that keep you awake and later it is your bulging belly, the rising gastric acid and the innumerable trips that you need to make to the bathroom that keep you awake.

As a tossing and turning expectant mom in bed at night – it may be reassuring to know that you have company in other tossing and turning moms-to-be the world over – but it is still very annoying to wait for sleep to envelope you when everyone else around you is fast asleep.

So do the following to sleep better.

• Get some moderate exercise during the day.
• If you are stressed – find someone you can offload to – before you go to bed
• Eat a balanced diet. Focus on having a light dinner that gives you enough complex carbohydrates and proteins, and eat this at least two hours before you go to bed
• Nibble on some dry fruit and/or drink a glass of warm milk just before you fall asleep
• Finish drinking your quota of water before 8 pm so that your trips to the toilet don’t keep you awake
• Minimize your caffeine intake
• Also minimize your chocolate intake – the combination of caffeine and sugar in chocolate can pep you up when you are dying to sleep
• Read something unexciting or listen to some slow music at bedtime
• Use pillows to make yourself comfortable
• When sleep eludes you – don’t keep lying in bed. Get up and do something until you feel sleepy again

Sleeplessness is just one of those things you will have to deal with if you are pregnant and tackle with natural measures. It is not advisable to resort to medication to catch up on shut eye. If at all you do take something for sleeplessness – always take it only after you consult with your doctor.

Napping during the day is a good way of catching up on sleep. Instead of counting the hours you slept at night – overcome your fatigue by taking a few short daytime naps. However, remember that if you sleep during the day you may not be able to sleep long hours at night. Concentrate on dealing with fatigue rather than counting the hours of sleep while you are pregnant.

Author Bio

Dr Debmita Dutta (MBBS, MD) is a Parenting and Wellness Consultant. She belives Parenting – is an Art that is deeply rooted in Science – Medical Science. It is impossible to Parent right without an understanding of how your child’s growing Brain and Body function – because his / her Brain and Body are what make him the person he is.

Backaches during pregnancy

Backaches are among the worst of aches. Although there is never a good time to have a backache - pregnancy is possibly the worst time to have an aching back. In addition to causing a lot of discomfort – a back ache when you are pregnant can be downright scary and weigh you down with anxiety and stress.

Any ache anywhere near the baby can bring on visions of something terrible happening to your baby and so it is important to understand why pregnancy causes you to have a backache – so that you are not needlessly worried.

As your baby grows inside you – it requires more and more space and your body tries to make as much space as possible within it to accommodate your growing baby. But there isn’t that much space inside your body after all.

There are bones that restrict the space inside and they are held together by tight ligaments to give the body shape and support. There is very little the body can do with the restricting bones. And so, during pregnancy - it uses the pregnancy hormones to soften the ligaments and make space by pushing the bones apart. This makes more room in the pelvis – through which the baby finds its way out when it is time for it to be born.

It is not easy to have a weighty baby inside you and cope with a loose pelvis at the same time and so you arch your back to compensate. This arching causes the backache.

• It may not be possible to eliminate backache altogether – but you can try to minimise it.
• Use a sturdy well supported chair with a straight back and arms. If possible use it with a foot rest
• Try not to sit for too long. Take a short stroll every half an hour
• Try not to stand too long either
• Wear well supported flat shoes
• Avoid lifting heavy weights but if you have to – place your feet wide apart and bend your knees to take the strain off your back
• Try some basic antenatal back exercises
• Try to reduce your stress and relax

Some amount of backache is expected and acceptable during pregnancy – but if you are in severe pain – make sure you consult a doctor. Also – as you near your due date – be wary of any new pain that you experience. Consult your doctor about new pains to be on the safe side.

Author Bio

Dr Debmita Dutta (MBBS, MD) is a Parenting and Wellness Consultant. She belives Parenting – is an Art that is deeply rooted in Science – Medical Science. It is impossible to Parent right without an understanding of how your child’s growing Brain and Body function – because his / her Brain and Body are what make him the person he is.

Mood swings of pregnancy

Even if you were really looking forward to your pregnancy – the first few months can be so difficult to handle that they leave you down and out really depressed at times. And these moments of depression can be punctuated by moments of exhilaration. Altogether- contributing to bewildering mood swings.

A large part of your swinging moods can be attributed to the surging hormones in your body and the remaining to the major adjustments you are compelled to make - as your body and energy levels change.

But whatever the cause - swinging moods are not easy to live with. They can make life miserable for you – and everyone around you. So it is worth it to try and minimise them.

• Eat frequent small meals that are rich in complex carbohydrates and proteins – so that your blood sugar does not crash
• Avoid sweets and chocolates.
• Minimise your caffeine intake. If possible eliminate caffeine from your diet altogether. This includes going slow on tea, coffee and carbonated beverages.
• Do not attempt a fat free diet. Take in moderate amounts of healthy fat – like olive oil. Good fats keep you happy.
• Exercise. Moderate exercise keeps the endorphins in circulation and you happy. Exercising when you can get some sunlight – can really pep you up.
• Make sure you also get enough rest. Rest that was enough before you got pregnant may not be enough now. Fatigue causes depression.
•  Try to minimise your stress. This of course is easier said than done. But attempt it nevertheless by offloading your problems and worries onto a sympathetic friend or relative.
• Try and explain to your spouse – what exactly you are going through and how hormones and not you – are to blame for your erratic behaviour. It may be an effort to explain calmly – what you are feeling and what you need. But having a supportive spouse on your side can really help when you are in the grip of a crazy mood swing.

If mood swings are not just mood swings – but blatant attacks of depression – make sure you visit your doctor and tell him/her about your problem. You could require medical help.

Author Bio

Dr. Debmita Dutta (MBBS, MD) is a Parenting and Wellness Consultant. She belives Parenting – is an Art that is deeply rooted in Science – Medical Science. It is impossible to Parent right without an understanding of how your child’s growing Brain and Body function – because his / her Brain and Body are what make him the person he is.

How to tackle constipation in pregnancy

Cajoling bowels to move and begging them to part with their contents is something pregnancy teaches most women. As Progesterone starts doing its rounds in the blood stream – it slows everything down. It makes you lethargic – and your bowel sluggish.

Now the first thing to remember about your bowels sluggishness is – that even though it may be inconveniencing you – it is good for the little one growing inside you. Because of the slow movement of the gut – the nutrients in the food that you eat - have a better chance of being absorbed and making it to your blood stream and through your blood stream to your baby. Unfortunately a side effect of this - is constipation.

However good your guts slowing down may be for your baby however - there is no denying that feeling bloated, gassy and clogged up – is a less than desirable feeling. And fortunately – there are things you can do – to feel better.

• Eat a high fibre diet – eating brown rice or broken wheat (dalia) can work wonders. Also whole fruits and fibrous vegetables
• Stay away from food made of refined flour (maida). So strike white bread, cakes and other baked products off your diet chart
• Sip water through the day. Sip warm water in the morning to stimulate the gut
• Try not to hold on when your bowels urge you to empty them. Go to the toilet when you feel the urge
• Eat a bowl of curd every day. The good bacteria in the curd really help your bowel along
• Get some exercise. Sitting around all the time makes the bowels even lazier than they would otherwise be

Some of these measures are sure to work for you – even if all of them don’t. But it is good idea to put as many of them into practice as possible. They are unlikely to harm you and will in all probability do you a world of good.

A word of caution – exercise restraint as you go about remedying constipation. Do not use laxatives without consulting your doctor.

The gut is meant to slow down. Unnecessarily and unduly hastening it can lead to insufficient nutrient absorption – that can be very harmful for your baby. So curb your enthusiasm to artificially treat constipation by reminding yourself that this is what your baby requires from you.

Adopt natural cures for constipation as far as possible. 

Author Bio

Dr Debmita Dutta (MBBS, MD) is a Parenting and Wellness Consultant. She belives Parenting – is an Art that is deeply rooted in Science – Medical Science. It is impossible to Parent right without an understanding of how your child’s growing Brain and Body function – because his / her Brain and Body are what make him the person he is.