Common health issues in pregnancy

When you find out you are pregnant, for most people, it’s a wonderful time. After all, you are bringing a new life into the world. However, pregnancy isn’t an easy time for a mum-to-be. Your body is going through so many changes which can bring you a lot of discomfort. Here are some common health issues pregnant women face, and ways to deal with them.

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Excessive burping

Although not something I struggled with during pregnancy, when you are pregnant, you may need to say a lot of ‘excuse me’ to friends and family, because of the excessive burping some women will face when pregnant. The higher levels of progesterone in your body, when you are expecting, causes you to get excessive gas. It tends to get worse as you get further in your pregnancy. The best way to deal with it is to change your diet. Decrease your intake of common culprits such as beans and whole grains. Also, cut back on fizzy drinks and juices which contain fructose corn syrup. Also, slow down your eating when it comes to meals. If you rush down your food, you will suffer from gas later!

Painful bleeding gums

Our teeth can be terrors when we are expecting a baby. The changes in our hormones can cause us to have sensitive teeth which get worse after eating food. As well as this, the hormones changes can often lead to pregnancy gingivitis. If you are suffering from this, you will find your gums are swollen and will bleed when brushed. Mine did this each pregnancy and each pregnancy they were worse than the one before. The best way to deal with this is to ensure you clean your teeth regularly with a good fluoride toothpaste, and make sure you get a good mouthwash which will rid your mouth of acid after morning sickness. Just make sure you get mouthwash which doesn’t contain alcohol. You can find a range of good ones from dental suppliers such as BF Mulholland. I also found inter-dental brushing helped, although it got worse before it got better. 

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Swollen feet and ankles

Again, for me this was something that got worse during each pregnancy. A lot of women struggle to get into their favourite pair of shoes during pregnancy. It’s because a lot of us suffer from swollen feet and ankles while expecting our babies. The body is retaining more water than usual which causes the uncomfortable swelling, and it can affect how much you can walk during your pregnancy. However, a lot of women don’t realise they can get free compression hosiery from their doctor. As I discussed before, they look like regular tights, but they help to improve circulation and will reduce swelling! These can prevent varicose veins which are common during pregnancy. Ensuring feet get elevated at some point everyday helps as well, as does drinking LOTS of water – the downside of that is you end up moving in to the toilet!

Severe headaches

I didn’t have this issue but I know lots of mums who did. Some women end up with severe headaches while they are expecting a baby, especially while they are in the first trimester. The tension headaches are blamed on the increased blood in your body. To help you reduce the number of headaches, make sure you are getting enough sleep and stay away from stressful situations as much as possible – can be easier said than done if you already have children or perhaps a stressful job. Here are some other natural remedies for getting rid of headaches.

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While you are going through all these perils, keep thinking about your little one growing inside you. After all, once you see their face, all the pain and discomfort will be worth it!

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