So you’re expecting a baby — congratulations! Pregnancy is a unique time in your life. Your body is going through many changes as it prepares to nourish and deliver the baby. Unfortunately, some of these changes cause unpleasant symptoms. Alleviating these can be tricky since you have to be careful about not taking medications that may harm your unborn child. You may be able to ease at least some of the symptoms with non-pharmaceutical measures such as pre-natal massage Quincy MA. Here is a general overview of what you may encounter.
1. Gastrointestinal Complaints
You’ve probably heard about morning sickness and maybe experienced it already. Keep in mind that despite the name, some women experience nausea related to pregnancy at varying times of the day, so you may actually have “evening sickness” or “afternoon sickness.”
Mothers-to-be often report other gastrointestinal complaints in the first trimester, such as excess gas or constipation. In the second trimester, when the body starts releasing muscle-relaxing hormones to make delivery easier, you may start experiencing heartburn.
2. Muscle Aches
During the second and third trimester, you may experience aching pain and sometimes sharpness in your low back, legs, hips, and abdomen. This is due to multiple factors, including the muscle relaxation, the extra weight, and the shifting of abdominal organs to accommodate the baby growing in the uterus.
3. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Pregnancy can cause you to retain fluid. This can put pressure on the nerves of your wrists, resulting in the numbness and tingling of carpal tunnel syndrome. Women are at greater risk of developing carpal tunnel in the first place because they tend to have smaller, narrower wrists than men. Pregnancy can compound the risk. Though symptoms may resolve after the baby’s birth, you should look into carpal tunnel treatment while still pregnant to avoid permanent nerve damage.
Not all effects of pregnancy are unpleasant, however. As your body stocks up on extra nutrients, your hair, skin, and nails may be stronger and shinier than ever before. Especially during the second trimester, you may find that you have increased energy and an elevated mood.
