Mums and Bubs
Pregnancy may bring a lot of adjustments to the changes that occur one after the other. Women will have to adjust to the emotional changes as well as to the apparent physical changes occurring in their bodies. There will be some discomforts that women will have to deal with during their pregnancy. They can apply some natural strategies that will help them cope with all of the changes and the discomfort without having to resort to drugs or medicines that can cause harm to their developing babies.
Women have to understand what their bodies are going through so that at least it would be easier for them to deal with any problem at this stage. Their bodies are producing more progesterone and as such, the smooth muscles found in their large and small intestines get into a relaxed mode. This may affect their digestive functions as the food is still able to pass but at a slower rate. They may also experience constipation because of the iron supplements that they are taking. As the fetus grows, their intestines may be displaced or it may be pressed.
Some of the best things that pregnant women can do to relieve them of the discomforts include hydrating themselves with sufficient amount of water and other liquids like natural fruit juices and herbal teas. They may also eat more chicken and fish instead of the red meat which is more difficult for them to digest. High fiber foods like fresh fruits, vegetable as well as whole grains are recommended too. Pregnant women who are experiencing constipation may take 1-2 Tbsp of blackstrap molasses (unsulphured) in warm water. They may also drink lots of prune juice every day in order to help them eliminate wastes without any problem.
Other foods that are safe for pregnant women to include in their diet are unrefined bran with whole grain cereals as well as ground flax seed or psyllium seed powder to be used as natural laxatives. They may also ask their doctors to recommend other brands of iron tablets if they have problems with constipation. Pregnant women may engage in regular exercises like walking and they also have to keep on changing positions while they are sitting down in order to relieve some pains and to keep their blood circulating properly. They may also try to sleep more on their sides especially during the latter stages of pregnancy.
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