Pregnancy Symptoms Relief

Updated: September 4, 2018 by MomsWhoThink Staff

A lot can be done to lessen the discomforts of pregnancy, making life much more manageable while you are pregnant.

Are pregnancy symptoms really dimming the joy of this, the most magical time of your life? Well, that is a big fat dose of reality. Pregnancy may be joyous, but it is not necessarily the most comfortable time of your life.

Fortunately there really is a lot that can be done to lessen the discomforts of pregnancy, making life much more manageable until baby arrives and total relief from pregnancy symptoms is found.

Eating Often

Most people are aware of the benefits of eating small, frequent meals as a way to ward off morning sickness. The benefit does not end when the nausea does. In fact, small frequent meals should become a way of life for the nine months of pregnancy and during lactation following the birth.

Infrequent meals can cause stomach upset, shakiness, light headedness and fatigue.

Eating Well

Eating small meals comprised of candy bars and bags of chips is not going to help anyone stay healthy, no matter how happy you make your taste buds!

Your mini-meals need to include selections from the healthier categories on the food pyramid. Fruits, veggies and grains in a balanced variety are a must. To really pack a powerful punch each mini meal should include a healthy source of protein.

Apples and peanut butter, or jerky and carrot sticks, and cheese on salad greens are all great examples.

Exercise

When feeling large and totally exhausted the last thing you want to think about is exercise, but regular exercise really will chase away many of the most troubling pregnancy symptoms. Take a walk, go for a swim or visit the gym. Exercise now will also make delivery easier.

Water: Drink Up

Dehydration plays a role in 80% of preterm labor. Not getting enough water also makes mom feel not quite right, resulting in headaches and lowering the amniotic fluid levels.

Dehydration also causes a 20% drop in energy levels. When pregnant it is best to skip other forms of liquid refreshment if they get in the way of your daily water intake.

Carry a sipper bottle with you everywhere and keep it filled!

Getting a Nap

Fatigue is a common pregnancy symptom which only seems to grow as your body becomes larger and more uncomfortable at night. Offset a crummy night’s sleep by taking regular naps.

The art of power napping will help keep your energy up during pregnancy, as well as aid you in changing your sleeping schedule while baby is still learning the difference between night and day.

Massage

Getting a regular massage during pregnancy can do your body a world of good. Massages can help relieve back pain, lessen stress, swelling and all sorts of other discomforts.

If you are not used to pampering yourself, now is the time to start. Getting the knots worked out of tired pregnant muscles will go a long way toward upping the ‘joy’ quotient of your pregnancy.

There is nothing that can be done about the size of your belly bump, or the heaviness in your back. A massage is a small thing you can do to make these symptoms less overwhelming while you wait for baby to appear.

Pregnancy Symptoms by Trimester

Sort out pregnancy symptoms one trimester at a time to up the comfort quotient as you move through this exciting time in your life.

First Trimester

Nausea: Morning sickness is a very trite term that describes sickness which encompasses morning, noon and night for some mothers-to-be. The severity ranges from mild to severe. In most cases vomiting is minimal, but the feeling of an unsettled tummy can be constant and all encompassing.
- Getting through: To get past morning sickness moms should eat regularly. Skipping meals triggers a drop in blood sugar which creates the feelings of illness. To help keep blood sugars steady include protein at every meal and snack.
Fatigue: Feeling tired is one thing, but an inability to function even when getting good rest at night and eating balanced meals on a regular basis is quite another. Feelings of nausea are intensified when mom is tired.
- Getting through: Extreme fatigue can be caused by low blood pressure and anemia. Taking an iron supplement will help restore healthy levels of iron in the blood.
Moodiness: Crying at the drop of a hat or irrational rages against the evils of toilet paper rolls installed backwards? That sounds like the first few weeks of pregnancy.
- Getting through: Hang in there. Just knowing about the pregnancy will help mom keep her emotions in check. Getting a nap, soaking in a warm, not hot, bath, relaxing and taking a walk for exercise all act to improve mood during pregnancy.

Second Trimester

Energy Levels: Moms almost universally report a surge in energy and feelings of well being during the second trimester. The morning sickness is gone, mom doesn’t feel like 2 pm is national nap time and moodiness is leveled off.
This second three months of pregnancy is the calm between the storms. As baby grows and pregnancy progresses, moms move back into feelings of discomfort caused by the heaviness and awkwardness of advanced sizes in late pregnancy.
- Getting through: Just enjoy it! The feeling of having loads of energy to burn and giddy pregnancy joy doesn’t usually last. The best thing to do is use that extra energy to hit the gym. Keeping those muscles tone and in shape will help speed labor and birth. A toned body will also help mom shed the pregnancy pounds once baby has vacated the premises. Lastly, when mom is buff under the baby belly, it doesn’t feel so heavy and uncomfortable.

Third Trimester

Food Cravings: Does the idea of eating everything sight, seem like a great idea? Now, is your body demanding combinations of dissimilar flavors such vinegar and ice-cream or corn dogs and chocolate sauce? Well, enjoy it while you can. It will not always seem like such a great meal choice.
- Getting through: Generally, food cravings are the body’s way of asking for one nutrient or another. This does not mean mom needs to drink the pickle juice. Making certain to take your prenatal vitamin daily, and pay better attention to balanced meal choices which will mitigate or even banish cravings altogether. That said, doctors agree that as long as your cravings involve food, you can indulge a bit.
Feeling Huge: Well, there isn’t much space left for baby in mom’s belly and mom is feeling the squeeze. Mom hasn’t really reached full term until she can’t remember what her shoes look like anymore.
- Getting through: At some point, there is nothing to relieve the discomfort but delivery. It is often said that moms need to become so uncomfortable during pregnancy to willingly welcome labor. This heaviness doesn’t last long and usually lasts just a few weeks, in the period nearing the due date.

Just keep thoughts focused upon the baby and the nearness of his or her arrival and the last few days will fly by. Then all the discomforts will be but a memory.