| Things You Should Know |
Everyone expects pregnancy to bring an expanding waistline. But many
women are surprised by the other body changes that pop-up. Get the low-down
on stretch marks, weight gain, heartburn and other "joys" of
pregnancy.
Here are some basic tips to help you through pregnancy. Use these ideas
and tips to improve your eating plan and become more physically active
before, during, and after your pregnancy. Make changes now, and be a healthy
example for your family for a lifetime. |
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| Basic Tips for your pregnancy |
- Body Changes
- Digestive Difficulties
- Stretch Marks and Other Skin Changes
- Sleeping Troubles
- Weight Gain
- Is it Safe to have Sex?
- More Fact Sheets and Resources
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Body Changes
To ease some of these aches and pains try:
- Lying down
- Resting
- Applying heat
If you are worried or the pains do not get better, call your doctor.
Breast Changes
Try to these tips to stay comfortable:
- Wear a soft, comfortable maternity or nursing bra with extra support.
- Wash your nipples with water instead of soap. Soap can dry and irritate
nipples. If you have cracked nipples, use a heavy moisturizing cream
that contains lanolin.
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Hemorrhoids
Follow these tips to help prevent and relieve hemorrhoids:
- Drink lots of fluids
- Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods like whole grains, raw or cooked leafy
green vegetables, and fruits
- Try not to strain for bowel movements
- Talk with your doctor before taking any laxative.
- Talk to your doctor about using witch hazel or ice packs to soothe
hemorrhoids.
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Leg Cramps
Try these tips to prevent and ease leg cramps:
- Eat lots of low-fat calcium-rich foods.
- Get regular mild exercise, like walking.
- Ask your doctor if you should be taking a prenatal vitamin containing
calcium.
- Gently stretch the muscle to relieve leg and foot cramps. If you
have a sudden leg cramp, flex your foot towards your body.
- Use heating pads or warm, moist towels to help relax the muscles
and ease leg and foot cramps.
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Swelling
To keep swelling to a minimum:
- Drink 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of fluids (water is best) daily.
- Avoid caffeine.
Try to avoid very salty foods.
- Rest when you can with your feet elevated.
- Ask your doctor about using support hose.
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Digestive Difficulties
Try these tips to stay more
regular:
- Eat fiber-rich foods like fresh or dried fruit, raw vegetables, and
whole-grain cereals and breads daily
- Drink eight to ten glasses of water everyday.
- Avoid caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, colas, and some other sodas),
since caffeine makes your body lose fluid needed for regular bowel movements.
- Get moving. Mild exercise like walking may also ease constipation.
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Stretch Marks and Other Skin Changes
In the meantime,
try these tips to feel better:
- Use thick moisturizing creams instead of lotions on your skin.
- Use gentle soaps.
- Avoid hot showers or baths that can dry your skin.
- Avoid itchy fabrics and clothes.
- Try not to get over-heated. Heat can make the itching worse.
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Sleeping Troubles
Try these tips to feel and sleep better:
- When you're tired, get some rest.
- Try to get about eight hours of sleep every night, and a short nap
during the day.
- If you feel stressed, try to find ways to relax.
- Sleep on your left side. This will relieve pressure on blood vessels
that supply oxygen and nutrients to the fetus.
- If you have high blood pressure during pregnancy, always lay on your
left side when you're lying down.
- Avoid eating large meals three hours before going to bed.
- Get some mild exercise like walking.
- Avoid long naps during the day.
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Weight gain
The amount of weight you need to gain during
pregnancy depends upon how much you weighed before you became pregnant.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
women who have a normal weight before getting pregnant should gain 25
to 35 pounds. Women who are underweight before pregnancy should gain 28
to 40 pounds. And women who are overweight should gain 15 to 25 pounds. |
Is it Safe to have Sex?
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise,
sexual intercourse is safe throughout your pregnancy. For many women,
pregnancy increases their sex drive. For others, it has the opposite effect.
And almost all women need to try different positions when they start to
get large bellies.
If you have problems during your pregnancy or have had miscarriages in
the past your doctor may suggest you avoid sexual intercourse. Call your
doctor if you have any of the following problems during or after sexual
intercourse:
- pain in the vagina or abdomen
- bleeding from the vagina
- leaking of fluid from the vagina
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