Exercise and a healthy diet are two keys to good health during pregnancy. These ideas will help you stay fit and feeling good during this critical time.
While pregnancy is a time of joy and wonderment for many
women, it can also be a confusing, and sometimes frustrating, time for others
as their bodies and hormones kick into overdrive. While various parts of your
body are growing without your consent or control, others (like your bladder)
seem to be shrinking, and simple things you once took for granted, like keeping
down your breakfast, sleeping through the night, for fitting into your favorite
pair of jeans, are now a monumental task.
The wonderful new is that by keeping a few principles in mind, you can
navigate the sometimes rough waters of pregnancy with less difficulty and keep
both your baby and yourself healthy through it all.
Nine Months and Counting
For some women, the first trimester (the first twelve weeks)
of pregnancy can be the most difficult. Food cravings and food aversions begin
to dictate what they can and can’t eat, while kidneys working overtime send
them running to the bathroom on a regular basis. Certain senses (like smell and
touch) often become heightened, while changing hormones may create unstable
emotions. On top of it all, many women struggle with morning sickness. Named
for the nausea that often strikes first thing in the morning after a woman’s stomach
has been empty all night, morning sickness can occur at any time of day or
night and with varying degrees of severity.
For mild to moderate cases, many doctors recommend some tried and true
remedies:
Keep
crackers and peanut butter near the bed so you can eat a few immediately
after waking. The crackers help absorb the excess acid in an empty
stomach, while the protein in the peanut butter settles the nausea. Lie in
bed for several minutes after eating your crackers to let your stomach
settle.
Ginger
is often recommended to tame upset stomachs. Both ginger tea and ginger
ale can help quell feelings of nausea, and some women even nibble on fresh
slices of ginger. While some women prefer their ginger ale flat, others
find that the carbonation actually helps their nausea. You may have to
experiment to find out what works best for you.
Sucking
on hard candies, particularly ones with strong flavors like lemon or
cinnamon, often help to keep food where it belongs. Drinking water spiked
with a few drops of lemon juice can help cut the sour taste and feeling of
nausea.