I’m one of the lucky ones. I had a happy and relatively smooth pregnancy, with minimal morning sickness and no major mishaps. Even so, I still had my fair share of prenatal pains, many were rather predictable but a few were new and unexpected. For instance, I had my first ever migraine attack during my first trimester. The terrible throbbing headaches I got each time I bent forward knocked the wind out of my sails for a whole two days.
Due to the potential effects of drugs on your unborn baby, the first line of defence against any pain when you’re pregnant should be lifestyle adjustments, healthy living habits and home remedies. Nothing like a pregnancy to help you understand how your body works and to take you back to basics! Fortunately, there are many things you can do before a visit to the pharmacist or a physician is even necessary.
With migraines, you just need to avoid your known triggers, such as specific foods, as much as possible. For my migraine, chocolate (unfortunately) appeared to be a culprit. Containing myself in a quiet, darkened room free from sensory stimulation also helped. In general, having many small regular meals (it’s important to fill yourself up even if you can’t keep the food down), eating fresh fruit and vegetables, drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of rest are also good rules to adhere to when you’re expecting. Warm baths or showers can be great sources of relief too. Even small changes in your routine like taking your prenatal vitamins (often a common source of queasiness) at night when you feel less nauseous can be useful, as your body doesn’t care really when the nutrients arrive.
Fall back on the natural instead of the medicinal. A kind friend gave me some doTERRA lavender essential oil that’s supposed to be safe for use during this period. Dabbing this on my temples at bedtime soothed me to sleep in spite of my discomfort. Acupressure firmly placed on the P6 point (the inner side of your arm, in line with your middle finger and one-sixth of the way between your wrist and elbow) can also help relieve nausea for some women.
You might want to check with your mum if she knows of any good home remedies. Mum gave me some starchy water made by boiling rice to help me get over a case of food poisoning. Her other suggestion of drinking water boiled with Chinese celery stalks also surprisingly helped to reduce the swelling I experienced in my ankles. A small amount of ginger, when grated fresh into hot water, can also relieve morning sickness. Do some research on credible medical websites like this before embarking on your planned course of action. That said, it’s probably safest to check with your doctor or midwife if you intend to take any herbal remedies in pregnancy.
I never used to pay a great deal of attention to my posture. However, this changed after I got pregnant. I had to become more conscious of the way I stood, walked, sat and laid myself down to ensure that the least amount of strain was placed on my back. Like many pregnant women, I initially adopted a real makcik (“old aunty”) type stance as my tummy grew bigger and my walking became reduced to a waddle – one where the pelvis and tummy are tilted forward, with hands on the hips. This alignment isn’t natural and can actually hurt your back. You should ideally keep your shoulder blades pulled back and buttocks tucked in; sucking your stomach in and up as much as possible.
Even if the temptation is to slouch, try to sit up straight and whenever possible, sit with your legs elevated. I tried to keep myself active with chores like cooking, but was advised that if I needed to stand for a period in the kitchen, I should elevate one foot by resting it on a stool or a box and switching my foot position after several minutes. If you’ve never scrutinised the way you sleep, pregnancy will also force you to do so. A special pregnancy pillow may just become your best friend. You may also find it more comfortable and not to mention safer for the baby if you sleep on your left side whenever you can help it (see here).
The right exercise activity can also improve your quality of life as a mother-to-be. Pregnant women who exercise consistently often sleep better and wake up feeling more rested. A stronger set of core muscles is the best protection against back and other prenatal pains. In addition, your mood will improve as exercise causes your brain to release endorphins. Stretching can help with muscle cramps in the legs and elsewhere. Regular prenatal exercise can also help your postpartum recovery. The more you stay fit during pregnancy, the faster you will recover physically after childbirth and the sooner you will fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes!
According to the What to Expect series, babies are apparently stimulated by the sounds and vibrations they experience in the womb during workouts. Babies of mums who exercise during pregnancy are born at healthier weights, are said to be better able to weather labour and delivery (they are less stressed by it), and recover from the stresses of birth more quickly. Your workout may boost your muscle power, but it can also boost your baby’s brain power as research shows that babies of moms that exercised throughout pregnancy score higher, on average, on general intelligence tests by age five. Plus babies of pregnant exercisers are supposed to sleep through the night sooner, are less prone to colic, and are better able to soothe themselves (I really believe this to be true based on my own experience).
Prenatal yoga was a lifesaver for me as it encourages relaxation, focus, and paying attention to your breathing – these things make it perfect for pregnancy and good preparation for parenthood. It also increases oxygenation (bring more oxygen to the baby), and flexibility, making your pregnancy and eventual delivery easier. My prenatal yoga instructor Angeline from Sun Yoga KL gave us great tips not only to help ease our prenatal aches but also for issues like heartburn and carpal tunnel syndrome.
So, do try to explore these alternative avenues for alleviating your prenatal pains before you pop that Panadol. The best thing is that some of these lifestyle changes have actually positively impacted my daily living in a permanent way. It just took a pregnancy to discover them!
Do you have any remedies to share?
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Li-Hsian recently left a career in corporate communications to become a full-time mum to twins. She is learning new things daily as she tries to balance the romance of motherhood with the messy realities of her latest role.
Image Credit: Massage Mag
