While pregnancy can be a beautiful time in your life, it can also bring about pains and aches you did not anticipate. You may find it is less pleasant than you imagined and more strenuous on your body than you thought. While that is all perfectly normal (especially if you are one of the first of your friends to be pregnant), it does not make it easier or helps lessen the discomforts you need to deal with.

To sooth common pregnancy pains and discomforts, start with making sure you drink plenty of water, eat healthy and sleep (or at least rest) when you can. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference these simple, yet powerful elements can make! So don’t take it lightly when your doctor tells you that your fluid intake needs to go up or that you need to rest.

What you eat can affect how you feel when you are not pregnant, so it stands to reason that when you are, it can affect how you feel that much more. Not to mention the affects your nutrition has on your baby, its health and development, and your health, which is crucial to your baby’s.

Taking your prenatal vitamins can make a difference in how you feel, and how much energy you have. Make sure your prenatal vitamins include folic acid and iron, which are important for both you and your baby. If you are feeling extra exhausted all the time, these can help you get your second wind.

Exercising can make wanders to your body, especially when pregnant. Swimming can help with your back aches, and walking can give you that extra bust of energy and so desperately need. Pregnancy yoga can help with your discomforts as well. Speak to your OBGYN about exercising during your pregnancy and to a trainer to see what you can do (as well as what you should avoid) while pregnant.

Whatever pregnancy discomfort you are suffering from, speak to your doctor about and ask for solutions, and speak to friends who have been through a pregnancy to see what they did to get over their pains and aches. While not all remedies work for every woman, remember it is temporary discomfort that will pass shortly after childbirth.

Stay strong!

When you reach the third trimester you start thinking about the upcoming labor and birth. Many women, especially ones in their first pregnancy, are concerned about how they will know labor has begun, and when they should rush to the hospital. Well, there is no one answer or one indication you are in labor, but different signs. According to the signs, you’ll know what to do and when it is time to go yourself to the hospital.

One of the clues you are in labor, is when your water breaks. If you fear you water will break in public, you may be relieved to know that usually labor does not start with your water breaking. When it does, it is more likely to happen while you are in bed. In fact, most women report they initially thought they had a urine leak. After your water breaks if you do not go into labor within 12 hours, you will likely be induced, for the health and safety of your baby.

You may not be sure you are having contractions when they begin, but ones you are experiencing constant, regular contractions that grow longer and more frequent, it is safe to assume labor has begun. If contractions do NOT grow stronger and more frequent, you are likely having Braxton hicks contractions, which are more like a practice run, but aren’t the real thing.

A sign labor can start anytime within the next few weeks is when you pass your mucus plug. This clear looking discharge is what closes the cervix during pregnancy, keep it infection away from baby. When your cervix starts to soften and dilate the mucus is released from its hold.

As unpleasant as it may sound, diarrhea is a sign labor is around the corner. It is caused by the release of prostaglandins, which are a group of hormones that cause the uterus to contract as well as cause your stool to soften.

If you think you may be in labor, call your healthcare provider or the hospital where are scheduled to deliver. Better get there and have to return home still pregnant than be too late to the hospital…

While you may think of pregnancy as a magical time in a woman’s life, it is not all beautiful belly and excitement about the new life that is growing within. Like anything else in life, a pregnancy has its unpleasant sides as well.

Here are a few:

Even if you are just in the beginning of your pregnancy, you may already be familiar with the frequent trips to the restroom to empty your bladder. While you will most likely have an easier second trimester, those frequent urinations will likely return during the third trimester due to the size of your baby and his head’s (or other body part) vicinity to your bladder.

What you may not yet be familiar with is Bladder leakage, which usually occurs when you laugh, cough or sneeze. This leakage is caused by the growing uterus and the pressure it puts on your bladder. To avoid or minimize these occurrences, do your kegel exercises daily and empty your bladder regularly and frequently.

The large amounts of the progesterone hormone produced in your body during pregnancy, relax your muscles. That includes the gastrointestinal tract. Your growing uterus puts added pressure on your rectum and it all leads to, well, Gas. And it can be hard to impossible to control…

To avoid uncomfortable incidents as much as possible, eat smaller, more frequent meal. Try to eat slowly to avoid swallowing air. Relax and avoid foods that cause gas such as cabbage, beans and fried foods.

As your pregnancy progresses and your baby grows, space becomes limited in your body. Combined with the hormone progesterone that causes your muscles to relax, Burping may become inevitable. To avoid unpleasant occurrences (…), eat smaller, more frequent meal. Avoid carbonated drinks, fatty and fried foods.

Hemorrhoids are swollen rectal veins which can be painful or itchy. They are very common during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester and/or after childbirth (due to the pressure of pushing). If you suffer from hemorrhoids, take warm baths, use ice packs (covered) to reduce the swelling and/or avoid seating for long hours. Speak to your healthcare provider about topical creams that my offer relief. If you haven’t had them before, you are likely to be hemorrhoid free again sometime after childbirth.

Swelling (also called edema) is common during pregnancy. It is caused by the larger blood volume in your body, and usually affects the hands, face and legs (ankles and feet).  Swelling is usually gradual. If you experience sudden swelling, call your healthcare provider and get checked, for it may be a sign of preeclampsia.

To avoid or relieve swelling, rest with your legs elevated, don’t stand for long hours, and drink plenty of water. Also don’t wear clothes that are too tight.

While it may be uncomfortable, or just plain embarrassing, you’ll be relieved to know these symptoms will go away immediately or shortly after you give birth. So embrace them or try to avoid them with good nutrition and good health.

Before you conceive you may fanaticize about pregnancy, how your belly (and only your belly…) will grow and you will have that pregnancy glow people talk about. But pregnancy is not just about your belly growing and your skin glowing. Once you are pregnant you may find yourself thinking how little you knew about pregnancy and the symptoms you may have to deal with, and how little information about this journey you had.

Yes, pregnancy can be magical, and you may love your pregnant body and enjoy every minute of this journey. Though you may find pregnancy has a bit more to it, such as morning sickness, skin conditions other than glow, and other pains and aches.

Some of pregnancy phenomenons you wish you knew about:

Morning sickness has a misleading name, since it can occur at any time of the day and night. Many women don’t know that little fact. More so, while morning sickness is usually a symptom of the first trimester, it can last longer than 14 weeks.

Your bladder may feel like it shrunk during pregnancy, and you’ll find yourself running to the bathroom frequently. Frequent urination usually happens during both first and third trimesters. You may have a relief during the second trimester.

When you are pregnant, you may find you are more forgetful, frazzled and clumsy. Your body is working hard to nourish and grow your unborn baby. While your body is at work, it may feel like your brain is not all there. Well, remember you are not sleeping as well as before because you are uncomfortable and may be running to the bathroom a lot. Your mind is somewhere else, thinking about the future as a new mom and you may be worrying about different things. It is normal, and not permanent.

During pregnancy, you may find that your hair gets thicker. Enjoy it while it lasts, since a few months after childbirth you will be losing all the hair you did not lose throughout your pregnancy.

During pregnancy your teeth can be more sensitive. Many women report increased sensitivity in their gums and teeth. More so, it is usually not advised to have oral surgery during pregnancy unless needed. Speak to your dentist and OBGYN if you need to care for your teeth while pregnant.

Your breasts will change during pregnancy and after childbirth. You may want to get different bra sizes and make sure they are comfortable!

Even if you research pregnancy and what you should expect inside out, you may still e surprised, because there is no better way to know about pregnancy other than experiencing it yourself. Try to stay open to whatever the journey may have for you, and remember, it is only nine months long.

Before you fall pregnant for the first time, there is only so much you know about the changes to come, especially if you are first of your friends to go through pregnancy (otherwise you may hear or even see some of pregnancy affects on the body). Even if you did your research before and are better informed about what changes to expect, you may still be surprised throughout this journey.

What changes does your body go through during pregnancy?

Other than your belly growing, which is one thing you must have expected will change (…), you may find that your body is behaving differently than before, reacting in new ways (such as morning sickness, sensitivity to smells) to just about anything, and aching or developing sensitivities you were not used to before the pregnancy.

You may notice changes to your skin. While pregnancy glow is the more common skin change during pregnancy, other, less attractive skin changes during pregnancy include acne in earlier stages and stretch marks in later stages.

In earlier stages of the pregnancy, before the belly starts to grow and the pregnancy is apparent, most women experience their waist widening and breasts growing. Some women notice their keep waist and breasts keep changing throughout the pregnancy, while other may experience these change in the beginning, and then after childbirth again, when the milk comes in.

Another unpleasant, but usually temporary change is swollen feet and sometimes varicose veins. Some women find that their shoe size grows during pregnancy. That may or may not change back after childbirth.

Though you may not welcome the affects of pregnancy on your body, remember it is temporary, and when you hold your baby in your hands you will feel it was all worth it.

While we believe that pregnancy means glowing skin, in reality that is not always the case. In fact, more commonly, women experience other skin conditions during pregnancy, most of which are less attractive than a glow. You may experience some skin conditions, during the different stages of pregnancy, such as acne and stretch marks. You may experience itching, which comes with skin stretching and if it is mild, can be relieved with the simple use of body lotion. Pregnancy acne is also common and should not be treated with medication without consulting your healthcare provider first, even over the counter medication.

Not all women are faced with skin conditions. If you are one of these women or if you only experience acne and stretch marks, consider yourself lucky. Other pregnancy skin conditions include PUPPP, Prurigo gestationis and Pemphigoid gestationis.

PUPPP (pruritic uticarial pupules and placques of pregnancy) is a rear condition in which women develop an itchy, raised rash on her belly and thighs during the last trimester of her pregnancy. This condition, while unpleasant, is not harmful to the pregnant woman or the baby. There is no treatment, but the itchiness can be relieved with cortisone creams. The causes of PUPPP are unknown and it is not linked to any other pregnancy condition. Both rash and itchiness usually disappear prior to childbirth.

Prurigo gestationis is another harmless, but annoying pregnancy related rash. It looks like many tiny bumps or bug bites and usually appears on the hands, feet, arms and legs, but can also develop anywhere on the body. This type of skin condition can appear at any point of the pregnancy, but is mostly common during the second half of the pregnancy. There is no cure for Prurigo gestationis, but the itching can be relieved with topical cortisone or antihistamines and the rash usually disappears shortly after delivery.

Pemphigoid gestationis is a rear condition in which pregnant women develop itchy areas that initially look like hives, but turn into large, blistering lesions. The rash often begins on the belly, around the belly button, and may spread to the arms and legs. This condition may be associated with an increased risk of preterm labor and birth, as well as fetal growth problems. 5% of newborns born to women with this condition have a noticeable rash. While this condition usually begins in the last trimester, it can appear at any time, even shortly after delivery. Pemphigoid gestationis usually develops, again, in subsequent pregnancies and tends to be more severe.

Many women, near the end of their pregnancy, start wandering how they will know if labor has started and what contractions will feel like. Do they really hurt and how will they handle the pain of contractions and childbirth.

Labor contractions are the periodic tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscle. They are often described as a cramping or a tightening sensation that starts in the back and moves around to the front in a wave-like manner. Some women report that contractions feel like pressure in the back. During a contraction, the abdomen becomes hard to the touch.

Many expecting mothers describe early labor contractions as similar to menstrual cramps or as severe gas pains, which may be confused with flu symptoms or intestinal disorders. Imagine your contractions as a wave. Each contraction will gradually increase in intensity until the contraction peaks, then slowly subside and disappear. As your body does the work, during labor, the time between contractions will decrease.

As the strength of each contraction increases, the peaks will happen sooner and last longer. There should be some regularity or pattern when you time your contractions. Persistent contractions that have no rhythm, but are five-to-seven minutes apart or less should be reported to your physician or midwife.

A typical labor for a first time mother is eight-to-fourteen hours, and is usually shorter for a second or subsequent birth. For many women, rocking in a chair or swaying back and forth, during a contraction, assists them with this relaxation.

You can check for contractions by feeling your uterus tightening and softening. Lie down and use your fingertips to feel the uterus. During a contraction your abdomen harden, then become soft again.

While you know and understand that pregnancy will bring about changes to your body, you may not expect your breasts to change so dramatically or to be effected by your pregnancy to such an extent. You may be expecting changes closer to the end or after the birth, when your body will be getting ready for breastfeeding, but you may not be aware that your breasts will start changing as early as your first trimester.

Some women report tenderness and hypersensitivity so early, that this was the first clue to their pregnancy. Other women suspected they were pregnant due to a darkening of their nipples and areolas (the skin around the nipple.) This change in color is caused by hormones which effect the skin’s pigmentation. At the same time, many women notice these types of changes to their breasts much later in the pregnancy or not at all.

Other changes to your breasts, other than their growing size, may include the appearance of green or darkened veins (due to the larger volume of blood in your body during pregnancy.) You may find that your nipples are leaking. This clear/yellow thick liquid is called colostrums and is extremely nutritious for your baby. You may also notice that your nipples stick out more and/or the areolas and nipple areas are larger in size.

These changes are caused by hormonal changes due to the pregnancy and effect different women differently. To handle some of these changes better and avoid being uncomfortable, get a good supportive bra, with an adjustable closure and no underwire.  Do not get a nursing bra before you give birth, as you will not know your final cup size. It is better to wait with this purchase, until about a week after childbirth, when your milk comes in and your breast size has reached its maximum.

After childbirth, if you choose to nurse, you will experience more breast related changes including the difficulties and challenges of breastfeeding, as well as, the joys and satisfactions like giving your baby the best, most suitable nutrition. You should know and accept, now, that your breasts will most likely NEVER return to their original shape. Who said being a mother is easy?

While pregnancy is a time of excitement and anticipation, it can sometimes also be filled with unknowns, worries and concerns. While pregnant, you are more aware of your body as you follow the changes it is going through.  If this is your first pregnancy, you may be wondering how you will know when labor has begun. You may also wonder what, of all the new symptoms you are experiencing, is normal. You may wonder how your baby is developing, is he doing well or is there a reason to be concerned.

A healthy, low risk pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. If you go into labor after the 37^th week, it is considered a full term pregnancy and there is no reason to be alarmed. However, if you go into labor before the 37 week mark, it is considered a preterm labor.  A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered premature and can be at risk with regard to health problems.

Preterm labor is usually common in pregnancies with multiples, women with previous premature birth experience and women with certain uterine or cervical abnormalities.

Warning signs that you may be experiencing premature labor include 6 or more contractions an hour, leakage from your vagina indicating your water broke, cramps in your lower abdomen, back pain that comes and goes, pelvic pressure and/or an increase in vaginal discharge.

If you think you may be experiencing preterm labor call your healthcare provider immediately. To help prevent preterm labor, take these precautionary actions – lie on your left side, avoid lying on your back (it can cause contractions to increase), empty your bladder, drink plenty of water (dehydration can cause contractions) and count your contractions per hour.

If symptoms continue or worsen, go to triage. At the hospital you will be checked for the frequency of the contractions and your cervix will be examined to see if it is dilated. If your cervix is opening premature labor could be starting.

To stop or prevent premature labor, magnesium sulfate is given, via IV, at the hospital. If birth is unavoidable or seems to be near, corticosteroid is given to help mature the baby’s lungs and brain. While it is usually better for the baby to stay in the womb longer, birth is sometimes unavoidable. In these cases the baby may be admitted to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) for special care.

You may not realize it, but it can be easy to get caught up in your daily routine and forget that you are carrying another tiny human inside. Life is busy and staying on top of it all (work, your partner, friends, household chores, etc.) takes much of your time and energy. You were always able to handle it before and you see no reason why your home or social life should suffer now. When you have reached your third trimester, you must start thinking like a very pregnant woman and cut yourself some slack.

Your home does not have to be spotless, or if it does, getting someone to help (your husband or hired help) is not a crime when you are that pregnant. Eating out sometimes rather than having to cook every day should be an option. Leaving the laundry for tomorrow is not the end of the world.

While pregnancy is not an illness, overdoing it may lead to complications, which you can easily avoid. At this point in your pregnancy you should not stand on your legs for too long without a break. The weight of the pregnancy causes extra stress on your body. If you cannot avoid standing for long periods of time, when possible put your legs up and let your body rest.

By now your body may already be signaling to you when you need to slow down and rest. And while you may think, “it is only 6 / 7 / 8 pm,” your body is telling you it needs the rest because it is not only busy with your daily activities, but also working on the development of your baby non stop. In other words, if you are tired, take a break, rest, let your energy rejuvenate. Your top priority right now should be taking care of yourself and your unborn child. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.

You will soon be busy with your little one and will not get much time to rest. Take this opportunity, before your pregnancy is over, to rest up when you can. Later, it will most likely be harder to find the time for it.