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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 →

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 →

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 →

The Benefits of Acupuncture in Pregnancy

Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that many people find helpful for a wide range of conditions. Acupuncture has specific benefits during pregnancy as well. Practitioners believe that pain and illness are the result of an imbalance of energy known as qi or chi. In the first trimester, complaints such as morning sickness, fatigue and headaches are common. If the physical symptoms weren’t enough, the expectant mother also has to deal with emotional changes and mood swings. Acupuncture has benefits for all these early pregnancy discomforts. The procedure increases the feeling of well being while relieving the physical discomforts. … Continue reading →

Week Twenty Eight

The weeks are starting to fly by now. At twenty eight weeks, I am officially in my third trimester! With twelve weeks to go, I am feeling anxious for the birth of our daughter while also feeling the need to “cling” to my pregnancy. I only have twelve more weeks to enjoy this pregnancy and I know that I will be holding my baby girl before I know it. My mind is in planning stage especially for the holidays. I have Thanksgiving and Christmas on my mind as I am trying to plan pie baking, Christmas shopping and gift making, … Continue reading →

Halloween Costume Ideas for Pregnant Women

Last year I was only 17 weeks pregnant when Halloween came around, so I didn’t have too much of a bump to work with on my costume. I ended up dressing as an obstetrician and wore my sister’s scrubs. Some people ended up thinking I actually worked at a hospital and didn’t have time to change. The scrubs were pretty snug around my belly, though, so it was a cute costume anyway. When you’re well into your second or third trimester during the Halloween season, costumes are hard to come by. Maternity costumes are more expensive than normal ones, which … Continue reading →

The Linea Nigra

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Sixteen weeks out and I still have that pesky little brown line trailing up my tummy, cutting around my navel and fading away as it approaches my rib cage. It’s called a linea nigra, and it’s driving me nuts. When it first appeared, I was midway through my third trimester already. I actually thought I wasn’t going to get that classic badge of pregnancy. It was light at first; it darkened in the last few weeks before I gave birth. So what is the linea nigra anyway? Typically appearing during the second trimester, the linea nigra, which is Latin for … Continue reading →