Pregnancy may be an "expected", "magical", or in any case extraordinary moment, but it can also lead to small everyday problems. The well-known nausea, the difficult acid reflux, the impossible constipation, the annoying water retention... Let's review these worries and their tips.
Nausea
Generally present during the first 3 months of pregnancy, this phenomenon can range from daily discomfort (often in the morning), or simply due to odours, to untimely vomiting (sometimes even linked to weight loss in the first months).
- To prevent or alleviate the symptoms, avoid staying on an empty stomach for too long; you may want to carry a snack to help with this.
- Splitting meals can be a solution: make meals lighter in terms of composition and plan a snack and/or one or two snacks for the rest of the day, as needed. For example, you can save the cheese/yoghurt and/or fruit/compote for a snack or mid-morning or mid-afternoon or even evening snack. As a snack, you can also have a nut or olive roll, a cereal bar (not too full of sugar: read the labels to choose), a handful of oleaginous fruit (almonds, various nuts, etc.).
- You can trywaiting a few minutes before getting up in the morning, by having a rusk/bread/cookie or full breakfast brought to bed.
- Avoid meals that are too rich or too large, or too much time between meals.
- Sudden aversions to smells or tastes can also trigger nausea and even vomiting.
- In order not to overfill your stomach either, don't drink too much during meals; hydrate a little throughout the day.
- Avoid drinking too much coffee as well, which can trigger nausea.
- The same applies to stress, which can be a trigger. For anxiety and stress, seeing a psychologist or doing hypnosis, meditation or yoga can help.
- Fatigue is also an aggravating factor in nausea, so why not take naps or a little time off whenever you can?
- Heat exacerbates odours, so ventilate your kitchen and your entire home (which is also good to do in general to renew the air and remove any harmful substances). Eating cold food helps you to deal with uncomfortable odours. Get some fresh air regularly.
=> Other little things that can help:
- Drink 1 teaspoon of baking soda, with or without the juice of a lemon mixed with water;
- Sometimes just smelling lemon can reduce nausea;
- Lemon or ginger decoctions (boil lemon peel or ginger pieces in water);
- Ginger capsules are also available - ask your doctor, pharmacist, micro-nutritionist, naturopath or dietician trained in this, in pharmacies or in practice;
- Vitamin B6 is said to help combat nausea (especially bananas, which are rich in it);
- Thyme, lemon balm and chamomile can calm nausea;
- A magnesium deficiency can also explain nausea. It can be found in food supplements, but also in legumes (chickpeas, white beans, peas, split peas), dried oleaginous fruits (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts) and dried fruits (apricots, figs, prunes), bananas, oily fish, brown rice, wheat germ, cocoa, pumpkin and flaxseed, broccoli, aromatic plants
herbs... ; - Some women are relieved by eating mashed potatoes or brown rice, others by bread, others by apples or other simple foods; you have to try it... Plain yoghurt is a matter of debate (because it apparently relieves some women, but as an acidic dairy product it may cause other discomforts in other women...);
- Sparkling water can be anti-nausea: you can drink bicarbonated water (such as Badoit);
- Acupuncture offers good results;
- Acupressure performed on the wrist, 3 fingers from the wrist crease between the tendons;
- The Niromathé method (reflex and neuro-cutaneous tissue osteopathy) can provide relief through precise pressure on the skin;
- Homeopathy offers solutions - consult a specialist;
- Compression stockings can reduce this nausea...
In short, as they are all different, perhaps some solutions will work for some and others for others.
If youare vomiting, remember to keep well hydrated. You can also consult your doctor, midwife or pharmacist for an electrolyte-based rehydration solution.
If you vomit often, you can rinse your mouth with a glass of water, or with 1 tablespoon of baking soda diluted in a glass of water, in order to neutralise the acidity remaining in the mouth, to protect your teeth.
Caution: if your nausea causes you to vomit a lot, do not hesitate to consult your doctor or midwife.
Acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
This acidity, or even gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can cause a lot of discomfort.
- Make your meals less rich, less heavy. Avoid things that are too fatty, too sweet or too spicy.
- Split your meals: save the yoghurt and/or fruit at lunchtime for snacks. Do the same for other meals, depending on when your nausea usually occurs.
- Chewing your foodfor a long time will allow you to take your time when eating and not fill your stomach too much at once.
- Do not lie down directly after a meal.
- Raise the head of your bed. Try to sleep on your back instead.
- Don't bend over or fold in half after a meal, but rather stand up straight afterwards.
- Do not exert yourself immediately after eating.
- Avoid tight-fitting clothes.
If GERD is too uncomfortable, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor or midwife.
Constipation
Constipation can be the result of either a lack of ingestion (due to a lack of appetite, nausea, or poor management or difficulty in composing or timing meals), or a lack of fibre or hydration.
can be worrying and even painful for some.
- Eat enough fibre: vegetables, fruit, cereal products (especially wholemeal products) such as pasta, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, spelt, oat flakes, bread, but also pulses (lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, etc.). These fibres enable a natural regulation of transit.
- Drink enough water (1.5L per day) to keep your stool hydrated.
- From time to time, you can use a mineral water rich in magnesium (such as Hépar, Mg>50mg/L).
- Make sure that you remain physically active, if there are no contraindications: household chores such as DIY, gardening, cleaning, cooking, but also walking or walking to work (at least 30 minutes a day is recommended) or, finally, practising a sport (adapted to your pregnancy and to the physical exercise you were already doing before your pregnancy)
- We advise against "exonerating", i.e. pushing hard when you have a bowel movement, as this can lead to haemorrhoids.
If constipation persists or causes you pain, do not wait to consult your doctor or midwife.
Do not take a laxative without first discussing it with your doctor or midwife.
Water retention
Water retention during pregnancy is normal, especially in the last trimester. If you are suffering from oedema, we can give you the following dietary advice:
- Stayhydrated normally and regularly (water, herbal tea, water-rich fruit and vegetables), but do not drink too many diuretic drinks (tea, coffee, broths, etc.);
- Continue to salt your dishes normally (salt has important roles in the body), i.e. salt your dishes reasonably during preparation and do not re-salt them at the table (and avoid eating commercial dishes too often);
- Eat fruits and vegetables rich in potassium (banana, fennel, spinach, cabbage, artichoke, dried fruits, avocado, legumes, cocoa, whole grains, potato, sweet potato): potassium helps regulate sodium and therefore water retention.
In addition
- Wear compression stockings (you can have them prescribed);
- Do leg and foot massages, or get a massage;
- Stay active: walking, swimming, usual sports activities, prenatal yoga, etc;
- Elevate your legs;
- You can approach a herbalist or homeopath to see what solutions they can offer.
Of course, the first thing to do if you have water retention and excessive oedema (and therefore rapid weight gain) due to the risk of pre-eclampsia is to consult your doctor or midwife.
Flore Delatouche
Dietician-nutritionist
Aix-en-Provence
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