We are down to single figures! In only 9 weeks, (*fingers crossed*) we should be graced with the arrival of our beautiful blue bundle of joy. The anticipation and excitement is unbearable; I want to meet him sooner! On the other hand, I must admit to being responsible of not enjoying my pregnancy to the fullest. I'm not saying i've disliked being pregnant, there are many things I've taken full advantage of, such as:
- Having an excuse to have another biscuit. 'It's for the baby, not me(!)' is a phrase you'll often hear me utter as I reach hungrily for yet another chocolate digestive!
- Being able to sleep in and not feel guilty because I should be mopping the bathroom floor. I didn't realise just how shattered I would be. A previous early bird; I can now quite happily sleep in till 11.30am, telling Mr C that I am taking full advantage because I won't sleep when baby arrives!
- Not having to breathe in when wearing a tight t-shirt/maxi dress etc. I am making the most of being able to be 'fat' without actually being 'fat' and not having to don the control pants in a bid to hide my belly after a particularly heavy carb binge!
- Mr C's massages. Again this isn't for my benefit, it is solely to 'make the baby more relaxed!' Yes I admit, I am milking it for all it's worth!
However, it's not all a bed of roses. This week i've felt really 'pregnant' for the first time in the journey so far. If you're a woman who's been through it, you'll know exactly what I am referring to. Everything's got that little bit harder; the two flights of stairs to our apartment seem like Everest; the long day at work is never ending and the aches and pains leave me feeling like i've ran a marathon... twice!
Ailments like these are extremely common in pregnancy. Mummies-to-be may be suffering with back pain, leg cramps, heart burn, indigestion, trouble sleeping and can even be blighted by constipation. How I wish someone would have warned me of the glamours of pregnancy prior to baby C's conception!
Constipation in Pregnancy
Changes to your body during the early stages of pregnancy may cause you to become constipated. If it’s any consolation, constipation is experienced by over 40% of women in pregnancy. So don’t worry if you are suffering with constipation at the moment, it is completely normal. Liz the expert midwife at HiPP Organic, talks about this symptom in more detail and offers some practical advice.
The main causes of constipation are as follows:
· The pressure of your growing uterus on your rectum
· The pregnancy hormone progesterone which slows the transit of food in your digestive tract
· Iron pills prescribed to treat anemia
· Dehydration from morning sickness
What can you do to ease constipation?
· Drink plenty of fluids including fruit juices and fruit/veg smoothies
· Gradually introduce higher fiber foods
· Dried fruits such as apricots and prunes are useful and also are a good source of iron
· Exercise can help combat constipation obviously during pregnancy this needs to be gentle exercise
· Ask your midwife/GP about an alternative vitamin/iron supplement if you are taking one
If you feel these self help methods are not helping or you think you may be developing piles see your doctor or midwife.
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