Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy Beauty, Health, and Lifestyle Advice for the Modern Mother-To-Be

1 Oh! My Aching Pregnancy Solutions for Your Most Common Health Problems Whether you've just discovered you're pregnant, or you've known for a while that baby is on the way, chances are you have already begun to notice changes in your body. The most obvious, of course, will be in your breasts and particularly your tummy, both of which will take on a totally new shape and feel. As your uterus stretches to make room for your growing baby, and your breasts begin developing the milk ducts that will nourish and feed your newborn, your pregnancy clearly begins to "show." The closer you get to your delivery date, the more your "state of grace" will become obvious, not only to you but to the world around you. But long before that happens, there are a series of other changes that will take place as well. Most, if not all, will stem from the sudden increase in estrogen and progesterone--the hormones of pregnancy that began coursing through your body from almost the moment you conceived. For most of you, these sometimes dramatic and definitely abrupt changes will affect the way you feel, both physically and emotionally, often right from the start of your pregnancy. Morning sickness, fatigue, mood swings--these are just some of the problems that may seem to rob you of at least some of the joy you initially felt when you learned you were pregnant. As you go forward with your pregnancy, you may be focusing your attention on even more significant concerns, such as the risk of high blood pressure, preeclampsia, or high blood sugar--all real and frightening conditions that threaten not only your pregnancy but your personal health as well. The important thing to remember, however, is that for the most part, nearly everything you will experience is a normal and natural part of your pregnancy. What's more, most of these problems will gently pass as you move from one trimester to the next. And while each one may get you down for a little while, with a little bit of knowledge and some generous self-care, you can not only quickly resolve many of the problems you will experience, but in some instances, even learn how to prevent some from occurring at all. As a result, your journey into motherhood will begin with a new confidence--a state of mind that will not only help you to weather all the bumps in the road but to do so with infinitely more style and grace. Before you begin to explore the various problems that might occur--and the solutions that can help--it's important to remember that no two pregnancies run on the exact same timetable. So, while many of the conditions mentioned in this chapter are rooted in specific trimesters, don't be alarmed if what you experience occurs earlier or later, lasts longer or stops sooner, or doesn't occur at all! It's also important that you always check any new symptoms with your doctor, even if you're certain you know what's wrong. Chances are, whatever you experience will be a normal and predictable part of pregnancy. But only your doctor can know for certain--so don't skip getting his or her expert opinion on whatever problems come your way. The Five Most Common Pregnancy Complaints and How to Fix Them PROBLEM #1: MORNING SICKNESS Ever since that day in the 1950s when a blossoming and pregnant Lucy Ricardo announced to the television world that she was "nauseous," morning sickness came bounding out of the closet and into our everyday pregnancy vocabulary. But perhaps the greatest misconception about this common pregnancy concern is that it occurs only in the morning. In truth, the nausea and vomiting that are the hallmarks of this condition can actually occur any time of the day or night. It is often prompted by the smell or taste of certain foods, and usually occurs within the first four to eight weeks of pregnancy. It has, however, been known to develop as soon as fourteen days after conceBouchez, Colette is the author of 'Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy Beauty, Health, and Lifestyle Advice for the Modern Mother-To-Be', published 2004 under ISBN 9780767914420 and ISBN 0767914422.