Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

Pregnancy Discomforts: Natural Relief

Along with the joy of expecting comes pregnancy discomforts. There is a whole list of pregnancy symptoms that can be no fun - luckily many of them have natural ways of relieving the discomfort. If you don't see a complaint listed, or if you've used a remedy not mentioned please let me know!

Pick your symptom or discomfort below to jump to some suggestions:

• Morning Sickness (links a full page on morning sickness)
• Fatigue: During the first trimester you feel exhausted. Each day can leave you feeling literally "wiped out." Some women feel guilty about this, because they feel like they haven't been "doing anything." But your body is working very hard on all levels. Your baby's vital systems are all forming at this point and your body is adjusting itself to pregnancy.

  Many women find relief in the second trimester (though some do not!) Then the third trimester rolls around and again they are exhausted. In the third trimester fatigue often comes from carrying around so much extra weight all day long. You'll also find that you don't sleep as well.

  It is important to get enough sleep. The most natural thing you can do is rest when your body is tired! Go to bed earlier if you need to. Take a nap every day. If you can't nap during the day simply taking a few minutes to close your eyes and relax completely will do wonders for you.

  At night a guided relaxation can help you fall asleep if you find that you have trouble (Hypnobabies childbirth course includes the best). A warm bath (not hot!) may also help you relax and unwind. A hot cup of herbal tea may soothe you as well.

  Eating well will help you keep your energy levels up. You might find that a snack helps, especially if morning sickness is preventing you from eating your regular meals.

  If you feel like you are excessively tired, or if your fatigue does not let up in the second trimester, you may want to ask your care provider to test you for iron anemia.

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• Heartburn: Some women get horrible heartburn during pregnancy! If you are one of them you may be wondering what natural options you have for relief.
  • Papaya Enzymes may be an option for you. Many midwives and pregnant women swear by them.
  • Foods like plain cheerios or plain popcorn may help. These can soak up excess stomach acid and many women find them helpful.
  • Coating your throat and stomach with sips of milk or cream may help. Some women also find yogurt with live active cultures to be helpful. This simple remedy works for many women, but others find in ineffective or don't like milk. Some women find it makes heartburn worse.
  • Almonds may help.
  • Peppermint tea helps some women - this may also help if you have gas (Peppermint makes heartburn worse for some women)
  • Chewable calcium can also help if you take it when you get heartburn; consult your doctor or midwife about this, especially if you find yourself needing heartburn relief often.
  • Chamomile tea may help. This can also help to soothe you if you're feeling uptight, nervous, or having trouble sleeping. You can also choose a tea blend designed to soothe heartburn for quick relief.
  • Marshmallow root capsules may also help. The root forms a soothing gel when mixed with water.

  Try eating smaller meals - "graze" - don't you feel like you keep hearing that term during pregnancy! Also remain upright or propped up in bed for about twenty to thirty minutes after you eat.

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• Tender Breasts: For some women the first sign of pregnancy is tender breasts. You may be familiar with this if your breasts get tender around the time your period is due. The tenderness may simply be "tender," or you may wince if something even brushes up against your breasts. Your nipples may be very sensitive too.

  Some women find that breast tenderness disappears after the first trimester. Others have it all through pregnancy. If you do, wearing a supportive bra or a sports bra may help. Wear a bra a night if it helps you. If you find that play with your breasts or nipples before or during lovemaking is painful or hard for you, talk with your partner.

  Sore breasts and tender nipples due to pregnancy hormones go away in the immediate postpartum period. You may find that your breasts are tender postpartum due to your milk coming in. The early days of breastfeeding may have some helpful suggestions.

  If you are nursing another child and tender breasts and nipples are affecting your nursing relationship, you might want to look over nursing during pregnancy.

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• Rollercoaster emotions: During your pregnancy you may find that one minute you are ecstatic and the next you're crying inconsolably. This is very normal. Many women find the same thing happens to them. The best thing may be to simply take your emotions in stride. Allow yourself to be more sensitive.

  Ignore people who make rude comments about being "hormonal." Or laugh with them if you want to! Talk to your partner or someone you can trust if you are upset by someone commenting about your emotions.

  If you are feeling very depressed and having a hard time being positive at all, you might be dealing with prenatal depression. Depression during pregnancy happens - it's not just post-partum! Seek help if you feel like you need someone to talk to about persistent depression.

  An excellent book to read is Spiritual Midwifery. It discusses positive attitudes and how they influence pregnancy and birth in detail. It also has plenty of inspiring birth stories.

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• Dizziness: Feeling a little dizzy during early pregnancy is normal. Change positions slowly. Eat frequently - you guessed it - graze! If you feel dizzy upon first waking, eating something (like a banana) when you get up at night to go to the bathroom may help.

  Drink plenty of water and don't stand or sit in one place for too long. Moving help keeps your blood moving well and can prevent you from feeling dizzy or faint.

  If you feel dizzy, especially in later pregnancy, you will want to let your care provider know. Feeling dizzy along with high blood pressure and/or protein in your urine can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. You will want your midwife or doctor to rule this out, or get you the help you need to make sure you and your baby are safe!

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• Constipation: Constipation occurs when pregnancy hormones make your bowels more sluggish - some think this allows you to absorb the maximum nutritional content from your food. It doesn't make constipation any less miserable, though! Constipation can also be aggravated by the pressure the baby puts on your bowels and by iron supplements.

  Be sure that you are eating well. Get a lot of fiber, lots of leafy green vegetables, and fresh fruits. These will help with constipation (too many bananas can make constipation worse - go for variety.) Drinking 8 or more glasses of water every day can also help keep things moving.

  Getting plenty of exercise is also beneficial. A gentle prenatal yoga routine can help with constipation as well as many other pregnancy discomforts. A brisk walk every day will also help and you will feel better after taking it!

  Don't push hard when you're trying to use the bathroom. Be gentle and patient (take a book or magazine to the pot with you!) If you're having trouble relaxing your bottom, allow your mouth to hang open a little. Relaxing your mouth like this helps your bottom stay loose (I recommend Ina May's Guide to Childbirth to learn more about how a loose mouth equals a loose bottom! It'll help you during birth) Pull up a small stool for your feet as well - this can help you relax and open so you don't need to strain.

  Don't hold back if you need to use the bathroom. Find a bathroom and go!

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• Swelling: Some swelling during pregnancy is normal. Many women find that their fingers swell some, as well as their feet. Keep drinking plenty of water and sit with your feet up.

  Some women find that avoiding additives like MSG and artificial sweeteners helps to reduce swelling. It is disputed whether limiting salt intake does any good and that it may even be harmful. In late pregnancy your blood volume expands dramatically and salt helps your body keep up with the fluid needed to sustain this. So some experts think women should salt to taste. Talk to your midwife or doctor.

  A foot soak may help your feet to feel better and reduce swelling at the end of a long day. It can help you relax and sleep better as well!

  Please have any swelling looked at by your midwife or doctor. If you start to swell in your hands or face call immediately! Lots of swelling can be an indication of pre-eclampsia and you will want to be checked out.

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• Varicose veins: These occur when the valves in your veins weaken, making it harder for the blood in your legs to move back up towards your heart. It backs up and pools in the veins. These occur most often after multiple pregnancies or if you are overweight.

  Try not to be stationary for too long. Walk around if you have been sitting or standing in one place for awhile. A brisk walk daily can help. When you do sit, prop your feet up. Also remember not to cross your legs when you sit, as this makes it even harder for the blood to move up your legs. Do not rub varicose veins.

  Maternity support hose help many women with varicose veins. Put them on first thing in the morning - even before you get out of bed. Lift your leg up and pull the hose down for the best support.

  Vitamin E can help with varicose veins. 400 IU is considered a safe supplementation amount for pregnancy - be sure to check your prenatals for the listed amount.

  Hamemelis, a homeopathic remedy may help some as well. It is made from witch hazel and used in treating weak veins. A 3X potency works well for many women.

  Some women report that dandelion or nettles teas help them.

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• Gas: Gas can of course be a problem even outside of pregnancy, but during pregnancy it can be very painful if you are unable to pass it. Your baby belly gets in the way of being able to massage to help the gas move down.

  If you are finding that you have a lot of gas, the first thing to look at is your diet. If you are eating a lot of dairy or beans, these may be the cause. Cruciferous veggies and onion family veggies may cause gas for some people. Getting your dairy from yogurts, kefir, or other cultured products may help. Soaking your beans overnight and changing to the soaking water a few times can help "de-gas" your beans. Eating a fermented food, such as kimchee or sauerkraut, along with meals including gassy foods may also help.

  Getting exercise every day can help your digestive system to keep working well. Again, a brisk daily walk can be a blessing multiple pregnancy discomforts. There are three yoga positions that can help with gas. All are done on all fours:

  • The pelvic rock, or "cat" position. This position is done when you arch your pelvic area up like a cat, and then gently drop it down to make a hollow in the small of your back.
  • A side-to-side pelvic rock, or "tail wagging" style position. You arch sideways to the right, bringing your head and your bottom close together, then gently arch sideways to the left, as if you were wagging a tail!
  • A circular rock position. In this position you roll your pelvis around as if you were belly dancing, but from the all fours position. This position can feel very good and really help to move gas out.
  • Doing these three positions one after the other gives you a good stretch, and it can help gas move out of your body. Be relaxed when you do them.

  Papaya enzymes may help gas. Peppermint has also long been used to help with gas. You can find peppermint caps that are enteric coated - these have a special coating that allows them to pass through your stomach and into your intestines before dissolving, giving you the peppermint where you most need it. You can also make a tea with peppermint leaves.

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• Peeing a lot! You will need to go to the bathroom a lot. During the early weeks of pregnancy, and again during late pregnancy, this need will be very apparent. There isn't much to do to relieve this annoyance. Do Not decrease your water intake to try and go to the bathroom less. Your pregnant body and your baby need that water!

  You can cut down on sodas and other carbonated beverages. This may not help much, but it is good for you and good for your baby.

  Go to the bathroom frequently, whenever you feel the need. Don't hold it, as this can increase your chance of developing a painful infection. Getting up to go to the bathroom also gives you a chance at movement which will beneficial to your body.

  As your hormones balance out during the second trimester you may be relieved to find you need to pee less. But then you may find yourself running for the bathroom again in the third trimester. This is because your baby's bigger body is now pressing down on your bladder.

  The first several days after delivery you will probably be going to the bathroom a lot as well. All the fluids stored in your body during pregnancy will be mobilizing, causing you to need to pee and possibly to sweat a lot. After this water moves out, you will not need to pee so frequently.

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• Shortness of breath: In late pregnancy it is normal to find yourself short of breath sometimes. This happens when your baby is taking up so much room inside you that there isn't as much room for your lungs to expand.

  Changing positions may help you breathe more fully. You may want to lie on your left side for a little while, or do some stretches on hands and knees. These positions allow your heavy uterus to fall away from your lungs. You may also want to eat smaller meals more often (graze!), so that your stomach feeling full doesn't make you more uncomfortable.

  If your shortness of breath is persistent and you feel like you aren't getting enough oxygen, call your care provider. If you have symptoms of illness along with the winded feeling, call your care provider. It's good to mention shortness of breath at your prenatal appointment so that your midwife or doctor can rule out any complications.

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• Braxton-hicks: These are called "practice contractions." They are small contractions usually felt in the front of the belly (named for the doctor who "first identified" them.)

  Braxton-hicks contractions are good for your body. They help to prepare your uterus and cervix for labor, even if there is no visible change in dilation or effacement.

  If you are finding them uncomfortable, they provide an excellent time to practice relaxation techniques for labor. Relax and breathe, allowing the contraction to peak and ebb away.

  You might also find comfort from placing warm (not hot!), moist heat over your crampy belly. A warm rice sock can be used to soothe cramps (you may like these in labor, too.) Braxton-hicks contractions go away when you change positions. They don't continue for a very long time. If your contractions are persistent and do not go away when you change position or activity, call your care provider.

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• Backache: As your uterus grows to accommodate your baby, you may feel backaches. Try to have good posture. Sit and stand straight, don't slouch. And pull your belly in some, don't let it "all hang out!"

  You may find that doing yoga helps your back. Gentle stretches to flex the back may be especially helpful. Some women find the pelvic rock to be the most effective stretch. Taking a walk every day may also help.

  Sleep on a firm mattress if you can. Applying heat to the sore area may help (use that labor sock I suggested for Braxton-hicks); as try a soak in a warm bath (hot baths are not good for your baby). You may ask your partner to apply pressure to your back if you find that helps.

  Take things easy and remember that backache is only temporary. A literal pain! But a temporary one.

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• Leg cramps: Let cramps are painful. They can be caused by poor circulation and lack of calcium, magnesium, or B vitamins. Be sure that you're moving around a lot during the day. Walking is a great way to keep circulation going.

  When you sit, prop your feet up to ensure good blood flow to your legs. Don't cross your legs. If you get a cramp, lift your leg and flex your foot towards you to relieve it.

  If you are taking a prenatal, you may want to check to be sure it has a 2:1 calcium:magnesium ratio. If you supplement calcium, be sure to take a supplement that includes both calcium and magnesium. If you eat a lot of dairy products, you may want to ask your midwife or doctor about supplementing some magnesium.

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• Stretch Marks: These occur when your skin stretches during pregnancy. It is believed that they are influenced by heredity. Nutrition, skin elasticity, and how quickly you gain weight can also influence stretch marks. They appear on the abdomen, and some women get them on their breasts and thighs.

  Eating well may help with stretch marks. You can also try a oil-based formula stretch formula. I prefer a body butter for stretch marks personally! Some women will get stretch marks no matter what they do.

  Looking at your stretch marks as signs that you have given life to a child may help you. Let them remind you that your body is amazing and it has nurtured your child within. Eventually some stretch marks will fade.

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• Hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids are a vein or veins around the anus or rectum that are swollen and tender. They are very uncomfortable and can make using the bathroom painful.

  Hot baths may help. You can try and push the vein back while in a hot bath or sitz bath. Sometimes they will stay. Witch hazel ( available over the counter at the drug store, is a natural astringent. You can soak a cloth with witch hazel and apply a compress to the hemorrhoids.

  As with constipation, don't strain when you use the bathroom. Holding your mouth slightly open and relaxed is a good way to relax your bottom. A low stool to put your feet up on can also make going to the bathroom easier.

  Eat lots of fiber, fruits, and veggies to help keep your stools soft.

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• Bleeding gums: Also called "pink toothbrush," bleeding gums may be distressing to you. It's a common pregnancy discomfort, however. Your excellent nutrition may help. The best thing to do is to use a soft toothbrush and brush your teeth very gently. You may also want to switch to a very gentle toothpaste.