Baby Care

Posts Tagged ‘Mid pregnancy’

The middle months of your pregnancy, or your second trimester – which start around week 12 and continue to week 26 – are the best time to enjoy your pregnancy. Morning sickness, the bane of expectant mums begins to subside and resolve (in most cases), energy levels return and you get better sleep. The risk of miscarriage is also much lower in the second trimester.  And while the symptoms of early pregnancy are now behind you, the third trimester discomforts, when your growing baby puts increased demands on your body, are still some time away.

Even so, as you prepare to make the most of this golden trimester; head off on weekends away, shop for maternity clothes, attend childbirth classes – you need to continue taking care of health because the second trimester is not always hassle-free.

Here is the low-down on mid pregnancy discomforts and how to ease them.

Constipation:
You may notice your stomach looking bloated or experience constipation at this stage of pregnancy because of hormonal changes in the body that relax the bowel and stop food and waste products from moving through the system so easily. To avoid suffering from constipation, drink lots of fluids and eat fibre-rich foods. Piles can also pose a problem if you have constipation, so try not to sit on the loo straining for ages.

Stretch Marks:
As your body starts to change and adapt to your growing baby, you may notice stretch marks slowly appearing on your lower abdomen and sometimes your breasts. Unfortunately there is not much you can do to stop them occurring. Do ask your mother whether she had stretch marks because it seems some women are pre-disposed to them, especially if their mum’s had them. The good news is that they fade with time and are hardly noticeable after a while. The best way to tackle stretch marks, even if they have already started to develop, is to keep your skin super-hydrated by drinking masses of water daily and moisturizing your body with a safe skincare product.

Lower immunity:
You may find yourself suffering from colds and sniffles more frequently because your pregnancy alters your immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses floating around. The best way to protect yourself is to stay fit and healthy with a good diet and gentle exercise.

Breast Tenderness:
Your breast tenderness is not likely to last past the fourth month, when your hormones will stabilize a bit more; although it is possible that they will feel different for the rest of the pregnancy. It is best to stop wearing underwired bras in pregnancy because the wire could affect the delicate changes taking place inside your breasts. Instead invest in one or two non-underwired, comfortable and supportive bras.

Dizziness:
Sometimes in this stage of pregnancy you may start to feel dizzy from time to time especially if you lie on your back. This is because the weight of your uterus presses onto the veins that carry blood from the lower part of your body back to your heart. The flow of blood is then reduced slightly from your brain making you feel dizzy and faint. This can be dangerous for you if you faint and injure yourself or the bump. Avoid lying on your back during the second and third trimester. Instead lie on your left side or prop a pillow underneath you so that you are tilted when lying down.

Low blood sugar levels can also make you feel dizzy in pregnancy. So make sure you eat little snacks between meals to keep your blood sugar up. If you start to feel faint, have a sit-down and a snack. Bananas are great because they provide a rapid source of energy and their natural sugars and potassium can help to reduce swelling, another pregnancy feature that can start to happen soon. Make sure you drink lots of water to avoid dehydration, which can contribute to feelings of dizziness.

Aches and Twinges:
It is also about now that a few pregnancy aches and pains start to happen as your body supports the extra weight of your growing bump. You might start to develop backache from the pressure of your growing baby on your back. Pregnancy yoga can help, as can making sure you are sitting with a good posture at your desk (no crossing those legs).

If you experience slight twinges accompanied by other symptoms, for instance nausea or vomiting, it’s probable that you have gastroenteritis or food poisoning. Neither is likely to harm your baby, so don’t panic. The best thing to do is to get lots of rest and keep yourself hydrated. If you think you have food poisoning, you should consult a doctor just to make sure that you and your baby are fine.

You may also start to notice your feet and ankles puffing up and causing some discomfort. Rotate your feet on your ankles when sitting down, and avoid crossing your legs. Put your feet up whenever you can.

Urine Infection:
If you’re experiencing pain while you pass urine, you could have a urine infection. Don’t worry if it transpires that you are suffering from such an infection, as it can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics.

Round ligament pain:
During your second trimester, you may experience twinges called ’round ligament pain’ in your lower abdomen or groin area. These short, sharp stabbing sensation, or ache, will be felt deep inside your lower groin and abdominal area. You might feel somewhat uncomfortable when you experience these pains, but after 24 weeks, they should fade away. The twinges associated with round ligament pain are often intensified when you’re standing or moving about. It can happen when you are walking, if you cough, or change your body’s position (perhaps as you get out of a car).  To alleviate this, take breaks and when you’re sitting, try to put your feet up to take the pressure off your abdomen. You can also soak in a hot bath, put a warm heat pad on your groin, and sit down until it passes.

The pain should only last for a few seconds, so if you are experiencing a more continuous type of pain, such as a fever, vomiting, painful abdominal cramps, bleeding or backache, you MUST get in touch with your doctor or midwife immediately. In any case, it is probably a good idea to get a diagnosis from your GP to confirm that the discomfort you are feeling is in fact round ligament pain.

Clumsiness:
You may notice you’re more clumsy during pregnancy, knocking things over, stubbing your toes or wobbling slightly as you walk. The reason for this is that your center of gravity has changed because your uterus, baby and therefore most of your weight is focused on the middle of your body. Nothing much you can do here other than stay away from slippery flooring, wear proper footwear and be extra careful when handling delicate (breakable) items.

Breathlessness:
As you near the end of your second trimester, your uterus moves further up your ribcage, squashing your lungs, which may make you feel breathless. If you experience any acute breathing difficulties: shortness or rapidity of breath, seek medical advice immediately. In case of breathlessness, check with your GP that you are not anemic, as you may need an iron supplement.

Tiredness:
You may find you feel tired in the afternoon, a time when you are more bloated and your body retains more water. Pregnancy yoga can help to combat this with a series of stretches that will help to make you feel healthier and also help to stretch those ligaments, especially around the pelvis. The more flexible you are, the easier labour (should) be.  The afternoons are also when you’ll probably feel more tired after being on your feet all day. Try to schedule in an afternoon nap if you can, and if you are still at work, try eating fruit or raisins as a healthy but energizing snack around 3pm. Exercising in pregnancy keeps the blood circulating around your body so try to do a short walk every day.

When to call the doctor
Most women sail through their second trimesters without any major cause for worry other than the usual niggles. But do keep a watch for the following symptoms and tell your doctor or midwife if, at any stage of pregnancy, you get:
•    Flashes before your eyes,
•    Itchy or very swollen hands or feet,
•    Severe pain in your pelvis, abdomen or legs,
•    Nausea and vomiting that doesn’t stop, or
•    Bleeding.

Even if you do not get these symptoms, but feel unwell or sense something wrong, do not hesitate to inform your doctor immediately about it. Rest assured your doctor has been through this with other mums too, before you came along and he is not going to think of you as this over-reacting, hyper mum-to-be. When in doubt always check.
Also, gestational diabetes and high blood pressure are other common conditions which affect many women during pregnancy. If you have any symptoms of these, your doctor will closely monitor your health all through your pregnancy to ensure that everything is under control.