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Morning sickness is
common during preg-
nancy and can occur any time throughout
the day or night. |
Research studies
indicate 50-90% of pregnant
women will experience morning sickness. (5) It
is considered a first-trimester and early second-
trimester condition. Although morning sickness usually subsides at
approximately 17 weeks
of gestation, 15% of women are nauseous to full-
term. (68) |
Because your baby’s
daily nutritional needs can
only be met through your diet, it’s important to
be proactive in gaining control over morning
sickness. With morning sickness under control, you’ll
be better able to maintain your normal appetite and maintain the nutritional
intake important to your healthy pregnancy. |
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| Tips for
relieving morning sickness |
If you are
experiencing morning sickness, healthcare professionals often recommend changes
in diet and daily activities to help alleviate the symptoms. (check with your
physician) |
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When you wake up in the morning, stay in bed
for a little while and have a light snack
(i.e. dry toast, crackers etc.) |
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After you have something to eat, get up slowly,
and take your time moving around. |
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Avoid lying down immediately after eating |
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Eat smaller, more frequent meals spaced throughout the day
and avoid letting your stomach
get completely empty |
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Have light between-meal snacks of fruits, soda
crackers, or dry toast |
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Ask your healthcare provider about PremesisRx® for use
in conjunction with a physician-
prescribed regimen to reduce morning sickness |
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| Other
common discomforts
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| Constipation |
It is not uncommon
for women to experience constipation and stomach upset during preg-
nancy. This can be especially difficult during the first trimester when morning
sickness often
occurs. It’s sometimes unavoidable because hormonal changes cause food to pass
through
your body more slowly. If you are constipated, here are some things to try: |
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Drink
lots of liquids, including fruit juices like prune juice |
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Eat foods high
in fiber, such as raw fruits and vegetables and bran cereals |
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Follow a daily
exercise routine (simply going for a walk is great) |
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| Indigestion |
Indigestion, or
heartburn, may become worse during pregnancy because hormonal changes
slow digestion and relax the muscle that keeps digested foods and acids in your
stomach. To
help stop the burning: |
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Eat
five or six small meals a day instead of three large ones |
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Avoid foods
that you know cause gas |
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Sit up while
eating |
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Wait an hour
after eating before lying down |
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| Fatigue |
Feeling tired during
pregnancy is common. You will probably experience more fatigue at the
beginning and end of your pregnancy. You might feel a little better if you: |
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Increase
your energy level by eating healthy |
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Eating more
carbohydrates may give you an energy boost |
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Exercise daily
under your physician’s supervision |
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| Swelling |
Usually, you will
encounter some swelling, called edema, in your legs during the last few
months of pregnancy. It's possible to reduce the swelling if you: |
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Limit salty
foods |
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Drink plenty of fluids (at least 6
to 8 glasses of fluids a day) |
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