Home Remedies for Common Pregnancy Ailments
Minor conditions can become major maladies when they are combined with the discomforts and other ailments of pregnancy, especially because you may not be able to take the over-the-counter remedies that you usually reach for treat your discomfort. Be sure to talk with your health care provider about the remedies you can use to care for some of these common ailments that occur during pregnancy.
Morning Sickness
Roughly half of all pregnant women suffer from periods of nausea and vomiting known collectively as morning sickness (although it can strike at any time of day). These are usually caused by a combination of low blood sugar, dehydration, and an overflow of hormones.
The best way to ward off morning sickness is to get plenty of rest and to eat a number of small meals throughout the day to make sure that your stomach is never completely empty. Place a few crackers on your bedside table to nibble on throughout the night and when you wake up in the morning.
It is also a good idea to eat slowly and avoid drinking and eating at the same time. Steer clear of greasy, spicy, or high-fat foods that might aggravate your nausea. Also avoid strong odors, overheating, and smoke. If nausea continues to be a problem, try one of these home remedies:
Sniff a fresh lemon peel.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon wheat germ in 1 cup of warm milk and sip.
Drink a mixture of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 cup cold water at bedtime.
Suck on a piece of ginger candy or sip ginger ale.
Drink peppermint, chamomile, or spearmint tea.
Wear motion sickness bands.
Although morning sickness is common during pregnancy, some pregnant women are affected by a more extreme form of the condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. This ailment is characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and dehydration. Talk to your health care provider if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
These tricks may help you through the temporary bouts of nausea that accompany your pregnancy. If morning sickness continues to be a problem, change the time of day you are taking you prenatal vitamin, talk to your health care provider about increasing your intake of vitamin B6, and take heart, for most women morning sickness dissipates somewhere around the fourteenth week of pregnancy.
Heartburn
It may be hard to imagine, but as your baby grows and develops inside your uterus, other organs in your body will get pushed around to make room. As your stomach gets pushed up from its normal position, you may begin to experience acid reflux, indigestion, and heartburn.
If this becomes a problem, trying eating smaller meals throughout the day and remaining upright for an hour or two after eating. Avoid spicy and/ or greasy meals and increase the amount of milk you drink throughout the day. Drink a cup of peppermint tea or eat a few spoonfuls of yogurt to settle your stomach. Also, talk to your health care provider about taking a natural, over-the-counter antacid to soothe you stomach as needed.
Constipation and Hemorrhoids
Hormonal changes can cause food to move through your digestive system more slowly than before, leading to constipation. The strain and pressure of constipation can, in turn, cause the development of hemorrhoids. Stress and poor diet can also cause or aggravate these conditions.
The best remedies for constipation are regular exercise, a high-fiber diet, and an increased intake of water. For hemorrhoids, try applying witch hazel and lemon juice to the area to reduce swelling or dissolve baking soda in a warm bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. Talk to your health care provider if you are bothered by these conditions for more than a few days or if your symptoms increase in severity.
Headaches
Even if you've never been bothered by headaches before, surging hormones can cause headaches to occur on a regular basis during pregnancy. They may even lead to migraines, which can cause severe discomfort, nausea, and vomiting.
Most of the time, resting and increasing your intake of water will help you soothe a headache naturally. You could also try drinking lavender or chamomile tea to help you relax and ease the discomfort of a headache. If headaches continue to be a problem, talk to your health care provider about the over-the-counter remedies you can use to alleviate them.
Stretch marks are caused by changes in the elastic supportive tissue that lies just beneath the skin. They start out pink, reddish brown, purple, or dark brown, depending on your skin color. They usually fade after pregnancy, but for most women they never totally disappear.
Stretch Marks and Dry Skin
Stretch marks are another nasty side effect of pregnancy. Seventy-five to ninety percent of pregnant women are affected by this common condition that typically occurs on the abdomen but may also appear on the breasts, butt, thighs and upper arms. In addition, many women are bothered by dry skin or the appearance of red patches that develop during their pregnancies.
Genetics play a large role in determining whether or not you will develop stretch marks or have other skin problems during your pregnancy. If you do, try nontoxic, coconut oil lotions to help moisturize skin and promote healthy stretching. Tea tree oil may also help to reduce the appearance of blemishes and spots that can occur during pregnancy.
