How To Survive Being Pregnant

4 min read

Congratulations. You’re growing a new life inside you. But during the next nine months, everything will not be sunshine and rainbows. Your body will go through the biggest challenge, and the very thing that creates a new life could take yours away.

Dying from pregnancy complications sounds like something from the Middle Ages. Although medical advances and hygiene practices have improved a lot since then, women still die from pregnancy. The World Health Organization estimated that in 2017, over 800 women died from pregnancy-related causes every day. And most of those deaths could have been prevented. So if you or someone you love is pregnant, you might want to know:

How can you relieve your back pain? Which silent but dangerous condition could you develop? Why is rubbing your toe so important?

Step 1. Beware of Never-Ending Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is one of the most common symptoms when you’re expecting a baby. Don’t get tricked by the name, this awful nausea doesn’t just occur in the morning. Making a few changes in your habits can help you reduce it. Try eating several small meals throughout the day, and don’t lie down immediately after eating.

If the sickness continues you might have hyperemesis gravidarum, extreme nausea that causes significant weight loss. You might get admitted to a hospital since you’ll stop absorbing essential nutrients. Intravenous fluids could provide the nutrients you and your baby need.

Step 2. Correct Your Posture

We all slouch over the computer from time to time. During pregnancy, good posture can help avoid pain in your back. Your body releases hormones that relax the pelvic ligaments and gets them ready for giving birth. But the hormones also relax the ligaments around your spine. That, plus carrying the extra weight of your baby, would be like torturing your back.

To minimize the pain, avoid over-tilting your pelvis and maintain good posture. Don’t lift heavy objects or stand for too long. Also, leave the high heels in the closet and reach for that comfy pair of flats.

Step 3. Focus on Your Toes

You won’t have to wait for the baby to be born to lose sleep. Insomnia can creep in as you’re reaching the last weeks of pregnancy. Don’t just brush it off. Instead, understand what’s causing the insomnia so you can treat it. Trust me, you’ll need every second of sleep before your crying baby wakes you up each night. Expert reflexologists recommend a massage on your toe to help you sleep, as it can stimulate the release of melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep cycles.

Step 4. Drink Up

When you’re pregnant, you’ll have extra blood circulating in your body, which causes fluids to build up and stay in your body. To ease the swelling it causes, take walks or sit with your feet up to increase circulation around your ankles. Do not restrict your fluids as they help your circulation, and your kidneys need water and fluids to work effectively.

Step 5. See Your Physician

See your doctor regularly for checkups. It can be the difference between life and death. You may not know or notice some complications. If you miss your prenatal appointments, you might not know something is wrong. That can increase the risks you and your baby face. One of these complications is gestational diabetes, which prevents your body from effectively breaking down sugar. Your baby could develop macrosomia and grow much larger than normal, so its shoulders could get stuck during birth.

There are no obvious signs or symptoms, so doctors screen for it in the 24th-28th weeks. You survived the most challenging nine months of your life. Now, the big day has finally come. But you’re stuck in traffic on your way to the hospital, and your baby won’t wait. Could you safely give birth in your car?