7 Pregnancy Issues that Are Common when You Are Expecting

7 Pregnancy Issues that Are Common when You Are Expecting

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.

Things You’ll Relate To if You’re Pregnant

Here’s a list of things that mostly all expecting mums would relate to:

  1. Morning sickness: Morning sickness can strike at any time of the day. Studies show that it is common in 70% of pregnancies.

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.

  1. Mood swings: The hormonal changes in your body would leave you with heightened emotions, both positive and negative. You will probably swing between these emotions. You might wonder whether-
  • Your baby would affect your relationship with your partner.
  • The baby would be healthy.
  • You would be a good mother.
  • You would be able to manage work amidst parenting.

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.

  1. Food cravings: Food cravings are quite common during pregnancy and can be a result of a number of things including fluctuating hormones, a heightened sense of smell and taste, and even nutritional deficiencies.

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.

Inadequate sleep and fatigue during pregnancy are common due to the changed levels of hormones. | Image Source: freepik

  1. Inadequate sleep and fatigue: Some of the factors like changing hormone levels, anticipation, and anxiety can make sleep a distant possibility at times.

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.

  1. Physical changes like swollen feet and sore breasts: The weight of the uterus and foetus puts extra pressure on the feet and can reduce circulation and increase fluid buildup. This causes swelling in the feet.

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.

  1. Stretch marks: Stretch marks are common during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. According to research, eight out of 10 pregnant women have stretch marks.

Tip: Dermatologically tested products or some natural body butter can be helpful.

  1. Constipation: Daily prenatal vitamins are recommended by the doctor during pregnancy that contain iron. However, the iron in the vitamin can lead to constipation.

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.

Factors like vaginal lubrication and hypersensitive clitoris increase your sexual appetite during pregnancy. | Image Source: freepik

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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