16 Mar 2022 | 4 min Read
Sayani Basu
Author | 607 Articles
Pregnancy is a time of excitement. It brings a lot of changes to your body apart from the growing belly. You might have already been expecting and even looking forward to some of these changes.
However, for an expecting mum, growing and supporting a child within her body is not an easy journey as some of the changes that pregnancy brings in are not as easy as it looks.
Riding the emotional roller coaster of pregnancy is tiring and all women have a different pregnancy experience. However, there are some common pregnancy issues that most pregnant women face and would relate to.
Here’s a list of things that mostly all expecting mums would relate to:
It can be due to low blood sugar or the rise in pregnancy hormones, such as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
It is advisable to avoid having an empty stomach.
Tip: Eating in small amounts every one to two hours can help relieve nausea.
These thoughts are very common amongst the expecting mums. As a result, they experience mood swings.
Tip: Don’t be too hard on yourself. Relax and get a good sleep. Eat well, take small power naps, meet a friend and do things that you like and make you happy.
While cravings for peanut butter, pastries, sweet and sour dishes are common, there can also be a weird food craving for toothpaste, chalk, laundry detergent, soap, sawdust, and even petrol.
The credit for craving non-food items during pregnancy goes to Pica. It happens when you get unusual cravings for eating non-food items. It is more common during pregnancy as the nutritional needs of the expecting mum are higher during this time.
Tip: To combat such cravings for non-food items, expecting mothers should eat a balanced diet, packed with proteins and vitamins.
Fatigue or loss of energy can begin in the first weeks of pregnancy due to hormonal changes.
As the body is working hard to adjust to the new physical changes, it is common for women to feel exhausted during pregnancy.
Tip: You can take a quick snooze whenever you feel tired.
Natural foot creams can be a saviour for swollen feet during pregnancy.
A universal problem amongst pregnant mums is sore breasts. You can try a new bra or breast pads. You can also opt for the natural nipple butter that soothes sore nipples.
Tip: Dermatologically tested products or some natural body butter can be helpful.
The slow process of breaking down food (due to progesterone) can also cause constipation, gas, and bloating.
Tip: Stay well hydrated; drink water, fruit juices, and include plenty of fibre in your diet to get relief.
In addition to these, it is common to have an urge for sexual desires during pregnancy. Many expecting mums experience increased libido. You can blame it on those hormonal changes!
During pregnancy, there’s an increase in levels of progesterone and oestrogen. Factors like vaginal lubrication and a hypersensitive clitoris due to extra genital blood flow increase your sexual appetite. Enjoy it!
Pregnancy is a period of mixed emotions. Take advantage of this time, maintain a journal and experience the joy of how your body is changing.
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