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Medication and the First Trimester

At the beginning of the week I cautioned against going off medication when you get pregnant.  Now I want to write a follow-up, because it actually is important to know any potential dangers with medicine and the first trimester. As a rule I’ve avoided reading lists of dangers, side effects, and rare pregnancy and birth problems.  They’ll just cause me unnecessary stress, and since pregnant women usually see their doctors at least once a month, I trust mine to keep me informed about anything that will actually/is actually affecting me.  But it is important to know that the first trimester … Continue reading →

Pregnancy And Dreams

When you are pregnant, sleep does not always come easily. When you do get some rest, you may awaken to find that you had some very, very strange dreams while you were asleep. Strange dreams are par for the course during pregnancy, and it should come as no surprise that there is a connection between these dreams and all of those hormones that have flooded your system. In addition to an increase in the amount of dreams that women have during pregnancy, women are more likely to remember the dreams that they have while they are pregnant than they are … Continue reading →

Exercise in the First Trimester

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Exercise is hard regardless if you are pregnant or not. It just is. It takes commitment, will-power, and education. For pregnant women exercise is absolutely imperative. Exercise along with diet can almost guarantee a pregnancy free of major complications, manageable labor, and natural delivery. Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to engage in some form of exercise daily during pregnancy. As to the intensity and type of exercise: this depends entirely on the individual pregnant woman. If she is active and has been exercising regularly before pregnancy, she can continue her regular exercise routine until it becomes uncomfortable at which point … Continue reading →

Pregnancy Awareness Month (Part I)

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May is pregnancy awareness month! In honor of the 4 million + babies born in the United States each year, P.A.M (Pregnancy Awareness Month) and O.N.E Coconut Water have teamed up to provide pregnant women with helpful tips for a healthy pregnancy. According to P.A.M., there are five things pregnant women want. Number One: Easy Uncomplicated Labor Easier said than done in some cases. I too desire and easy and uncomplicated labor. With my first pregnancy, I wouldn’t say labor was easy. Labor is hard and largely painful work. There are certainly factors that can make labor more difficult. For … Continue reading →

Treating Headaches During Pregnancy

Reacting to whatever life throws you is so much more simple when you are not pregnant. But when you’re expecting, suddenly you have to consider every decision in a whole new light. This never more true than when you’re deciding whether to take a medication. When your head is pounding, is it okay to just take a pain reliever like aspirin or ibuprofen? Should you consult your doctor? Are there safer ways to cope with a headache? Between the surge of hormones and the extra blood flow associated with pregnancy, headaches are not that all uncommon. They are especially prevalent … Continue reading →

Exhaustion During Early Pregnancy

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All the sleep I’ve lost over the past three months is finally catching up to me, so much so that I actually took a pregnancy test today to make sure I wasn’t about to have “Irish twins” this next spring. When I was pregnant with my son, the fatigue was so prevalent that I was basically a worthless lump on the couch for the first 12 weeks of my pregnancy. I’m very close to being a worthless lump again, but it turns out that the only thing keeping me down during the day is what (or who) is keeping me … Continue reading →

Cramping in Early Pregnancy

Finding out you are pregnant is an exciting time. It can also be stressful and frustrating, particularly if you are having symptoms that are causing worry. One common worry in early pregnancy is feeling cramping. Often, this is nothing to worry about and completely normal. Many women experiencing cramping around the time of a missed period. This may lead some to think they aren’t actually pregnant, but just a little late. Often they are surprised to learn a few weeks later that they are pregnant and the cramping had to do with the pregnancy and not an impending period. There … Continue reading →

Pregnancy Stages: The Third Trimester

Once you’ve reached the third trimester, you’re in the home stretch. The third trimester of pregnancy begins in the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy and ends when the baby is born. Although your doctor or midwife has given you a due date, this is really just an estimate. The baby can come any time from thirty-eight to forty-two weeks. This is a busy time for most expectant parents, as you are preparing for baby’s arrival. Some women have a baby shower, especially if it’s the first baby. Childbirth classes, breastfeeding classes, decorating the baby’s room and shopping take up more time … Continue reading →

Pregnancy Stages: The Second Trimester

The second trimester of pregnancy includes weeks thirteen through twenty-four. You will begin to show during this time and most women start wearing maternity clothes at some time during the second trimester. You will become more aware of the baby’s presence and feel movement at some time during these weeks. This varies widely among women, so don’t get stuck on an exact week to feel the movement. Many women find the symptoms of pregnancy subside somewhat in the second trimester. Some report this trimester is the most comfortable, since morning sickness has generally ended. Also, while the stomach is expanding, … Continue reading →

Nausea in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Nausea and “morning sickness” is often associated with the first trimester of pregnancy. For some women, this can really interfere with daily life and is just plain miserable. However the problem isn’t confined to the first trimester, nausea is also fairly common in the third trimester. In the late stages of pregnancy, nausea is common after eating. There are a few potential causes of nausea in the third trimester. Hormonal changes occur throughout pregnancy. They can get you in the first trimester, as is so common, or can happen later in the pregnancy as levels continue to fluctuate. Nausea after … Continue reading →