Now you are carrying your baby. Congratulations!

There are some women who experience a number of health problems during their pregnancy. You will read them along with the solutions in three parts of articles. Enjoy the reading!

1. Morning Sickness

Morning sickness refers to nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP). It occurs probably due to higher hormonal levels, higher odor sensitivity and certain physiological changes in the pregnant woman's body

Solutions

*Eat smaller meals frequently (every 2 to 3 hours) instead of three big meals in a day. *Avoid unpleasant or strong odors. *Try eating bland foodstuffs such as dry toasts or saltine crackers. *In some women, taking vitamin B6 supplements alleviates morning sickness. *Cut down the intake of fatty food, as they take long to digest so they stay longer in stomach. *Try taking ginger ale (ensure it has real ginger) or make your own ginger tea by grating and boiling some ginger in water. *Some women feel a relief on morning sickness by acupressure wristbands, commonly available with drugstores. *Avoid lying down soon after meals.

If the symptoms are too much unbearable, talk to your healthcare provider, he/she will prescribe you an effective and safe medicine to prevent nausea and vomiting.

2. Fatigue

Fatigue commonly occurs during pregnancy, especially at the early and late stages of pregnancy.

Pregnancy strains your whole body and makes you feel extremely tired. Your body undergoes various changes to sustain your pregnancy, particularly the hormonal changes, causing you to feel lethargic. Lack of adequate night sleep and exhaustion because of repeated vomiting and nausea also adds to tiredness. Furthermore, you might also be worried about pregnancy, which could be wearing.

Solutions

*Get 9-10 hours sleep everyday. In between work, taking 15-20 minutes catnaps also makes a big difference so whenever you get the opportunity, use a vacant lounge, office desk or empty conference room and get a nap. *Take healthy, nutritious diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, skim milk, whole grains to energize you. Drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated. *Engage in moderate physical activity like walking. *Stretch your body frequently and breathe deeply. *If possible, try regulating your schedule. Spare some work for the weekend and arrange to work at home so that you can leave your office early.

3. Frequent urination

Frequent urges to urinate is very common during early pregnancy, with some relief in second trimester.

During pregnancy, there is a considerable increase in blood volume so a lot of extra fluid is processed through your kidneys, which is eventually sent to the bladder. The increasing size of uterus also exerts a pressure on your bladder, leading to an urge to urinate.

During second trimester, the feeling might reduce because your uterus will grow and rise higher in the abdomen. However, as you approach the delivery, the baby will drop lower into the pelvis, bringing back frequent urination urges again.

Solutions

*Avoid diuretics such as tea, coffee and alcohol (alcohol is to be avoided during pregnancy anyway). *To avoid nighttime urination (as it may disturb your sleep), cut down the amount of fluid intake after 4 pm. However, you should compensate this by taking in plenty of fluids during daytime. *While you urinate, lean forward so that your bladder empties completely and the next urination is delayed.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you feel pain or get a burning sensation while you pee, or if the color and odor of urine changes.

4. Constipation

The major reason for constipation during pregnancy is the hormonal changes, which slows down the digestion of food by slowing down the movement of intestines.

Progesterone, the major hormone of pregnancy, is maintained at a high level throughout the pregnancy. This hormone is a muscle relaxant. Consequently, it slows down (or relaxes) the bowel (which is actually made of muscles) movements as well so the food that you eat moves slowly and waste accumulate in your body. Increasing amount of pressure from growing uterus on rectum also causes constipation. Iron supplements too add to constipation.

Solutions

*Take a diet rich in fiber. Fiber remains undigested and absorbs water, both leading to increase in bulk of feces. Consequently, there is a push on intestines to work more. Fiber rich food include vegetables (celery, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, tomato, pea, turnip, carrots, radishes); fruits (like orange, apples, pears, prunes); breakfast cereals; whole wheat bread. *Drink plenty of fluids. Fluids make feces soft, preventing constipation. *Moderate exercises like walking and swimming also stimulates the bowel movement.

5. Heartburn

Many women get heartburn during pregnancy. Although it is harmless, it can be painful and scary. You experience a burning sensation extending from base of your breastbone towards your throat.

Heartburn occurs during pregnancy because of increased progesterone levels, which has a relaxing action on muscles. Consequently, it relaxes the valve separating stomach from esophagus (food pipe) as well so that the acids in your stomach seep backward into your esophagus. During later pregnancy, as the size of your baby increases, it occupies most of the space in abdominal cavity, pushing the stomach. This also leads to heartburns.

Solutions

*Do not take foodstuffs that cause gastric discomforts, e.g., carbonated beverages; caffeine; acidic foods (citrus fruits, vinegar and tomato); spicy and highly seasoned food; chocolate; processed meats; fried or fatty foods. *Do not take large amounts of fluids with meals. Instead, take them in between your meals. *Avoid taking big meals. Eat small amounts but frequently (every 2 - 3 hours). Eat slowly, chewing the food properly. *Avoid eating anything at least 3 hours before you sleep. *Avoid bending your waist and instead bend your knees. *Try sleeping in propped up position, resting on several pillows so that your head is elevated. *Get yourself an anta acid, after consultation to your doctor.