Nausea and Vomiting

Extreme nausea of pregnancy seems to be related to the very high levels of the pregnancy hormones some women experience during the first few months of pregnancy. And these hormones maintain their proper balance by about the fourth month of pregnancy.

A light full body massage oxygenates the body. I experienced nausea and vomiting during my second pregnancy with my daughter. Taking ginger capsule and eating crackers early in the morning before getting up from my bed helped me. The combination of walking, fresh air, avoiding greasy or highly seasoned foods, using the power of the mind, and relaxing also helped in controlling nausea and vomiting. Eat small, frequent meals and dry foods with fluids between meals.

I know of a friend who took birth control pills for a long time and then experienced extreme nausea and vomiting during her pregnancy. Sometimes taking birth control pills before pregnancy can deplete a woman of the B vitamins, so these need to be added to the diet .Vitamin B6 100 mg can be very helpful taken two or three times a day. My midwife's advice is to eat nuts since they stay longer in the stomach because of their high protein content.

In Europe, mothers apply ice cold washcloth to their eyes when nauseous. Drinking lots of water and eating something (in small amounts) every two hours also prevents nausea and vomiting. In China, acupuncture points on the wrists (or sea bands) can help in nausea. If vomiting persisits longer than 24 hours be sure you discuss this with your health care provider. They might have other suggestions, or might want to do some specific tests to rule out more serious conditons.

Universal Herbs for Nausea: Ginger and Vitamin B6 (Hawthorne, Licorice, Papaya), peach leaf, blackberries, red raspberry, peppermint, wild yam, anise, cinnamon, cloves, oregano. The lemon scent sometimes helps women get through this difficult time.

Heartburn and Gas

Eat small, more frequent meals. Lie down and do abdominal breathing. Try some pelvic rocks. Pay attention to which foods and spices bring on heartburn and gas. Check your food combination (fruit with heavy protein is not good) and avoid overeating. Avoid offending foods such as fatty and friend foods, beans, tofu, carbonation, etc. Eat papaya. If you get pain after eating spicy foods, perhaps your gallbladder is acting up. Again, persistent pain of any type needs to be reported to your health care provider.

Universal Herbs: Angelica, borage, cayenne, peppermint, valerian, wintergreen, holy thistle, papaya

Constipation

Caused by decreased motility of the digestive system, drinking lots of fluids and eating lots of fiber can help prevent constipation. Avoid laxatives. Try prunes, prune juice or carrot juice. Eat plenty of raw greens and bran which are high fiber foods and any fresh and dried fruits. Eat banana in moderation. Drink a lot of fluids especially water. Exercise daily. Squat on the toilet or use a box or stool for elevating feet to facilitate bowel movements. Develop regular bowel habits.

Hemorrhoids

Closely related to constipation is hemorrhoids. Some of the same suggestions apply: Rub Vitamin E oil directly on the anus. Eat lots of fruits. A mother in the Far East cautions from over eating spicy foods, intoxicating liquors, white bread, sugar, fried foods and all acid-forming foods which cause fermentation. Drink at least a pint of fresh fruit or vegetable juice each day.

Avoid taking ordinary purgatives that are on the market as they irritate the membranous lining of the bowels and intestines. Drink more fluids. Put feet on a small stool while sitting on the toilet for bowel movement. Do pelvic rocks and lots of pelvic floor exercises. Take sitz baths (shallow and hot for the parts of you where you sits). Apply witch hazel or a commercial preparation and rectal poultice of chamomile leaves and white oak bark powder. Try to lie down or at least get off your feet part of the day. Gently tuck the hemorrhoid back up into the rectum with a lubricated finger for instant relief.

Herbs: ginger, witch hazel (external), burdock, plaintain, yarrow

For external suppository, mix the following with glycerine, stiff enough to form suppository and insert it into the rectum at night and leaving it:

2 oz of powdered Hemlock Bark, 1 oz of Golden Seal, 1 oz of powdered wheat flour, 1 oz of Boric acid, 1 oz of Bayberry bark

Bleeding Gums

Be certain you are not anemic, and be very gentle on your gums during pregnancy. Use a soft toothbrush. Increase your intake of Vitamin C and calcium. Floss regularly and see your dentist. Try applying white oak bark powder to your gums or use white oak bark tea for swishing around on the inside of the mouth. Brush with equal parts of golden seal and myrrh three times a day.

Herbs: Shepherd's purse and wild alum root

Mild Blood Pressure

Lie on your left side and have someone massage you with slow, firm hand. Relaxation can help lower an elevated blood pressure. Eat foods containing garlic, ginger and onions.

Swelling/Ankle Edema

Lying on your side or elevating your feet can help relieve swelling and edema. Sitting or standing for long periods of time can promote edema. Dring lots of fluids to promote good tissue balance. Soaking in the bathtub can help relive the edema too. Putting your feet up, high fluid intake. Eating plenty of protein rich food. are important. Consult your health care provider if you have sudden edema, blinding headaches or there is protein in the urine coupled with a high blood pressure and swelling.

Insomnia

Do a facial (around the eyes, the jaw and the top of the neck beneath the occiput), head and neck massage before going to bed. Drink chamomile tea and use lots of pillows. Eat some protein and avioid sugary foods at bedtime. Some women find a cup of hot chocolate milk helps them sleep. Keep food at the side of your bed should you be hungry in the middle of the night.

Leg Cramps

Press the point in the center of the calf for relief. Also, flex the foot towards you with hard pressure or dorsiflex foot to stretch affected muscle. Eat calcium rich foods and take a calcium/magnesium supplement before going to bed. Sleeping on the right or left side helps (with lots of pillows for support) prevent leg cramps and doesn't impede the blood vessels responsible for baby's oxygenation.

Varicose Veins

Do not massage directly and deeply on a swollen vein. Superficial, general massage toward the heart is helpful and preventative. Red spiderlike veins are broken blood vessels not varicose veins and can be massaged. If the area becomes painful, tender or swoolen, notify your health care provider. Some women with varicose veins in the vaginal area are helped by wearing knit bicycle pants which provide good support for the vaginal area. Arrange frequent opportunities to put your legs up to promote improved blood flow.

Urinary Frequency

Continue to drink at least 8 glasses of water, and go to the bathroom frquently. Frequency is caused in early pregnancy by the uterus pressing on the bladder with a growing fetus. Towards the end of pregnancy, it's usually the baby's head

Dyspnea/Shortness of Breath

This is usually related to the increased levels of fluids your body is producing. At mid pregnancy you are carrying about 50% more fluids than when you are not pregnant. Some of this is within your body tissues, and some are contributed by your amniotic fluid. Maintain proper posture when sitting and standing. When sleeping on either sides, prop up on pillows on both sides. If you smoke, decrease or stop smoking, as this decreases good oxygenation to you and your baby.

Increased Vaginal Discharge