If you’re pregnant, then you might find that everyone is congratulating you while you feel physically uncomfortable most of the time! Here are a few suggestions that might help. 

It can be a little unnerving when people react to news of your pregnancy by getting hysterically excited and telling you how wonderful and amazing it is, especially if you feel under pressure to pretend everything is okay if it isn’t. Think about it, that never happens before pregnancy, does it?!

Every pregnant mother who goes through an uncomfortable pregnancy will tell you that it’s 100% worth every minute of it once the baby arrives. But are there ways in which you can be more comfortable through your pregnancy? Yes – let’s have a look at what you can do!

Swelling and blood circulation

As your pregnancy progresses, the increased weight that you carry affects your blood circulation, which can slow down due to the increase in body weight, resulting in the swelling that most women experience in their ankles, feet and legs. This swelling can be extremely uncomfortable and can unfortunately last throughout your entire pregnancy. 

The best way of combating the extra swelling is by keeping your feet and legs elevated whenever you possibly can. For example, if you’re at work, place an upside down bin, or a box under your desk to rest your feet on this. When you’re at home avoid sitting down with your legs crossed at any time! This is guaranteed to make your blood circulation slower and increase your discomfort from the swelling.

Body aches and physical activity

Regardless of whether it is your first pregnancy or not, your body will be more prone to aching – specifically in your muscles, joints and bones. (For some women, that means everywhere!) Counterintuitive as it might seem, low impact exercise is actually a good way of reducing your joint and muscle pain. Safe exercise such as gentle swimming, pregnancy yoga and walking are good examples of physical activities that can help you to feel more comfortable. In the case of swimming, remember to take extra care around slippery surfaces. Staying mobile and active is important in countering any discomfort from body aches, but it is important to remember to listen to your body. Don’t push yourself beyond what your body needs for comfort, and make sure you’re resting as much as possible.

Water, water, water!

Even though women in the later stages of pregnancy feel the need to pee more often (due to the pressure the baby puts on the bladder), most healthcare professionals agree that staying hydrated is one of the most important factors in having a safe, comfortable pregnancy. Some even say that by the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. As you can imagine, your baby is relying on you to keep up your water consumption and stay hydrated, in order to help grow, develop and have healthy organs. Around 8-10 glasses a day will give you the hydration you need. 

Take more rest, even if you don’t want to!

UAE life means that we’re used to being on the go, juggling work demands with family life and personal goals. So, the idea of anyone telling you to take it easy and rest up, especially if you don’t feel the need, might seem unnecessary. But the fact is, when you’re pregnant, it is important to allow your body to rest. Sleep is the time when your body does its building, repair and maintenance work, but it becomes even more important in looking after yourself when you’re pregnant.

Stay in balance

The reality is that you will likely feel pain and discomfort at some point during your pregnancy in the most vulnerable parts of your body, including your back, neck, head and legs. Women who are feeling physical discomfort during the three trimesters of their pregnancy can benefit from a visit to a chiropractor in many ways. These include:

• Reducing your morning sickness and feelings of nausea in the first trimester
• Providing significant relief from back pain that results from curving the spine in an effort to compensate for the distribution of pregnancy weight
• Helping you to achieve an easier and smoother labour and delivery by gently adjusting the alignment of your spine and pelvis
• Helping your baby get into the optimal position for birth and ensuring the little one has sufficient space to move into the head-first position
• Helping women who are overdue (past the 40 week stage) to induce labour naturally through gentle realignment, and without the need for any invasive medical interventions to induce labour in hospital.  

Remember to always get your doctor’s approval before seeing a licenced chiropractor during pregnancy.

Prioritise your needs

Getting comfortable being pregnant means taking things slower and putting yourself first when you need to feel more comfortable, happy and relaxed. Make time for relaxing lunch dates with friends, visit a spa that specialises in relaxing pregnancy massages, spend some afternoons watching a good movie, join a pregnancy yoga class, let the salon take care of your nails, or treat yourself to a long, soothing bubble bath with candles. 

Whatever you do in the name of putting yourself first, remember that as a miracle-maker, you deserve to put your best interests first. You’ll have plenty of time after the baby is born to keep up with your baby’s sleep, feeding and cuddle schedules, but right now, this is YOUR time!

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