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10 Pregnancy Pains and Their Solutions
Pain during pregnancy is usually nothing to be worried about unless it is associated with preeclampsia or pre-term labour. These body aches and pains are usually due to the body changes that take place and also due to the increase in body weight during pregnancy.
Common Types of Pains and Aches Experienced during Pregnancy
Pregnancy has its share of woes. It comes with a whole lot pains and aches. Listed below are some of the common pregnancy pains and aches that one may experience while pregnant.
1. Abdominal Pain
Usually, this kind of pregnancy pain symptoms is absolutely normal. It could be due to gas, heartburn, constipation and even due to the growing baby inside. The pain could also be due to implantation cramping when at the very beginning of pregnancy. Another reason could be due to the stretching of round ligaments that support the uterus. False labour or Braxton-Hicks contractions, an 8th month pregnancy pain can also be one of the reasons for abdominal pain. During true labour too, most of them experience severe cramping.
Solution
Abdominal pain during pregnancy due to minor issues can be reduced by avoiding quick waist movements, bending towards the pain, drinking water as much as possible, stretching a little or walking around to release gas.
When to Consult a Doctor?
If pain persists for a long time, with or without vaginal bleeding or white discharge, you should consult your Gynaecologist.
2. Back Pain
There are two types of back pain that can occur during pregnancy. One is the Lumbar or lower back pain, and the other one is the Posterior pelvic pain. A backache during pregnancy can be for a number of reasons like weight gain, bad posture, hormonal changes, separation of the muscles due to the expansion of the uterus and of course stress.
Solution
Back pain can be managed with proper posture while sitting and standing, exercises which are appropriate at that stage of pregnancy, and sleeping on your left side with a pillow in between the two legs. Acupuncture can also be effective in relieving pregnancy-related back pain. Applying hot and cold pads on the affected area can also go a long way in curing the pain.
When to Consult a Doctor?
If your backache during pregnancy is accompanied by fever, it could be a sign of infection. A pain that goes from bad to worse or severe pain which makes it difficult for you to even urinate should be discussed with your doctor right away.
3. Vaginal Pain
Vaginal pain is one among the few early pregnancy pains. The reason could be the expanding of your uterus and the increase in the volume of blood in the pelvic region. Even constipation (which can be a result of pregnancy hormones and the iron vitamins prescribed during pregnancy) could be a reason behind the pain.
Solution
If constipation is a concern for you during pregnancy, include more of fibre-rich food in your daily diet and also drink as much water as you can. You can also ask your doctor for pregnancy safe stool softeners. Practising few pelvic exercises can help you to ease the pain. Get pregnancy safe massages from a trained therapist and also take a soothing warm bath. You can also try out pregnancy support garment which supports the belly thereby taking away the pressure from the pelvic region, hips and lower back area.
When to Consult a Doctor?
You should look for danger signs of vaginal bleeding along with pain, severe pelvic pain that walking around becomes difficult, severe headache, light-headedness, body swelling, fever or chills. If you find any of these symptoms along with vaginal pain, consult your doctor.
4. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Pain in the wrist, finger joints along with numbness in the fingers with a tingling sensation are the common symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. During pregnancy, this usually occurs in the second, third trimester and can even continue post-delivery. At times, the pain becomes so severe that it is almost impossible to hold the baby!
Solution
Getting a massage by a trained therapist could help in healing the pain. Cold and hot compresses on the affected area, rotating and shaking the wrists time to time or wearing a splint while doing activities that increase the pain are some other reasons that can give some relief from the pain and numbness of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
When to Consult a Doctor?
Severe pain in the wrist or extreme numbness which makes grasping or holding things difficult can be a thing of concern. Therefore, in conditions like this, consult a doctor. You can also call on your doctor if the symptoms persist way post delivery.
5. Headaches
It is common to suffer from headaches during the early pregnancy phase. However, it becomes infrequent or completely stops in the last two trimesters.
Solution
Cold compresses, head massages, drinking lots of water, getting good sleep, going for walks and relaxing to be stress-free are some of the ways to cure a headache during pregnancy. You may also take some painkillers but only after consulting your doctor.
When to Consult a Doctor
At times headaches during pregnancy could mean something serious. Therefore always consult your doctor when with a severe headache you have blurred vision, flashes in your eyes, severe pain below the ribs, nausea, and body swelling. These could be signs of preeclampsia.
6. Leg Cramps
Leg cramps is a stinging pain that shoots up all of a sudden. At times you may even need help from someone to straighten your leg. These cramps cause pain in the calves and even at the back of the thigh. Bad circulation in the leg and thighs could be the reason behind such sudden cramps.
Solution
As soon as you get a cramp, get up and try to stretch your leg. You could even ask somebody to help you to do so. Then stand and try to move your leg and foot while holding onto something or someone. It is also suggested that magnesium supplements can help in reducing muscle cramps. You can take food rich in magnesium instead of the supplements.
When to Consult a Doctor?
You can call on your Doctor if you have frequent and extremely painful leg cramps.
7. Sciatica
The hormone relaxin starts preparing the pelvis for childbirth. As a result, the ligaments loosen, and the sciatic nerve gets squeezed in between. This is when there is shooting pain down the buttocks and the back of the legs.
Solution
Homoeopathy can give relief from sciatica pain. Other than that, you can take a bath with warm water or apply heating pads on the affected area.
When to Consult a Doctor?
As soon as you experience a shooting pain down your buttocks and the back of your legs, you should go visit your doctor.
8. Haemorrhoids
One of the reasons of Haemorrhoids during pregnancy is the common and severe constipation problem due to hormonal changes.
Solution
The first thing that one should do to cure haemorrhoids is to prevent constipation. It can be cured by drinking lots of water and including lots of fibre-rich food in the diet. The food should be healthy and less spicy. Taking warm baths with baking soda can increase blood circulation in the area. In order to get relief from the itch in the haemorrhoids, you can apply baking soda paste in the area. Witch Hazel and lemon juice can cure the swelling and bleeding in the Haemorrhoids.
Non-surgical solutions include Bipolar coagulation, Haemorrhoidal Arterial Litigation, Rubber Banding, and Freezing. Surgery may be required when bleeding from the Haemorrhoids cannot be controlled, or there are multiple haemorrhoids, both internal as well as external.
When to Consult a Doctor
Consult a doctor when you experience severe pain and bleeding.
9. Rib Pain
It usually occurs during the last trimester. However, some may experience it in the early trimesters as well. The pain is a result of the baby getting bigger and pushing against the rib while trying to adjust itself.
Solution
You can get some relief from rib pain only after the 36th week when your uterus and baby drops slightly. Till then, one has to make do with temporary pain relief by wearing loose clothes, maintaining correct posture, using pillows, walks, yoga and warm baths.
When to Consult a Doctor?
You should consider talking to your doctor and ask for medication if you have severe pain in your rib cage.
10. Breast Pain
Breast tenderness can occur in any of the trimesters or all of the trimesters. This is basically due to the hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy. The pain during the third trimester is also on account of the milk glands preparing themselves to manufacture colostrum.
Solution
Breast tenderness is common during pregnancy, and there is no permanent way to relieve the pain. However, the pain can be reduced by wearing a supportive bra and gently washing instead of vigorously scrubbing the area during baths.
When to Consult a Doctor?
When the breast feels extremely sore with reddish skin or rash, you should consult a doctor.
Almost all the aches and pains that you experience during pregnancy are normal and nothing to be worried about. However, some might require medical intervention. Therefore, if you feel a hitch, always make sure to share your concern with your doctor. Read more
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How to Cut the Umbilical Cord of a Baby
The umbilical cord is the primary source of nutrition and oxygen for your baby in utero. It is a membrane that connects the baby and the placenta. It is also the vital connection between the mom and the baby. However, once your baby is born, cutting the umbilical cord is a must.
What is the Right Time to Cut the Umbilical Cord?
You may have heard many opinions on when you should have your baby’s umbilical cord cut. Worry not, as we help you understand when it should be cut. Since the cord acts as your baby’s lifeline until he is born, and it has helped your little one growing inside you, it is natural for you to want to do the right thing.
The cord consists of vital cells such as stem cells, red blood cells, and white blood cells that help in building your little one's immune system and enables him to fight off any infections. The cord even contains T-cells that are now being used to fight cancer.
To preserve all of this, it is highly recommended that parents must choose to wait at least one to three minutes before having the doctor cut the cord.
How Does the Doctor Cut the Umbilical Cord?
Once your baby is born, there is always an excitement to cut the umbilical cord. In most cases, the parents let the doctor carry out this procedure, keeping the newborn’s safety in mind.
The doctors follow very simple, yet careful steps to ensure the cutting goes smoothly.
The doctors first check for the pulsating rhythm of the cord. Only once that has come to an end, the doctors can proceed for clamping the cord. This delayed clamping of the cord is beneficial for your baby’s health.
While clamping, the doctor will place two of clamps along the umbilical cord.
He will then proceed to place gauze under the section of the cord that will be cut.
Then he will use sterile scissors to cut the cord that has been positioned between the two clamps.
Once the cord is cut, the doctors ensure that all the excess blood is dabbed off.
The doctor will then recommend not disturbing the clamp that remains on your baby’s cord until it naturally heals.
Why is Small Umbilical Cord Section Left?
Once the cord has been cut, the clamp is left on, and the cord naturally dries up in less than a week. Once the clamp is removed, you may notice slight bleeding, but that is absolutely all right.
The remaining portion of the umbilical cord that is dried up is called the ‘Stump’. This part will eventually, over the span of 10-15 days, dry up as well and fall off! But the utmost care to the stump must be given until that occurs, as the wound is highly susceptible to infections during the healing period.
Does Cutting the Umbilical Cord Hurt Your Baby?
It is natural for new parents to protect their baby from any harm, especially when you see the doctor clamping down and ready to snip away at your baby’s umbilical cord!
The anatomy of the umbilical cord is basically two arteries and one vein that is surrounded by a jelly material known as Wharton’s Jelly. Despite all of this, cutting the umbilical cord doesn’t hurt your baby because the umbilical cord does not contain any nerves. So, cutting the cord would have the effect of cutting your hair or nails. Thus, new mommies and babies feel nothing when the link is cut.
Reasons Not to Cut Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord
We can see there is a huge rush in the request by parents to delay the cutting of the umbilical cord. Some even prefer to keep the placenta and cord until they naturally fall off, even though that could be a tedious task to care for new parents.
There are multiple rationales that we have listed that will help you understand why you should delay or not cut the umbilical cord.
Babies have a noticeable rise in blood volume as compared to babies whose cords were clamped and cut off without delay.
With more blood that re-enters your baby through the cord, the chances of them developing any deficiency are lowered due to the increase in Iron.
This will also help your baby have a better immune system and reduce the risk of anaemia.
With the delayed cutting of the cord, your baby will also have a significantly good chance of a having a higher weight at birth.
A major plus point of delaying is reducing the chance of intraventricular haemorrhaging in babies and/or the chance of sepsis setting in.
Babies who do not have their cord cut or have a delayed cutting of the cord have seen to have very few or no requirement with transfusions.
Babies depend on the umbilical cord while in-utero to provide nutrition, but mainly, it is their main source of being provided oxygen
Mommy’s touch! As your baby is born, rather than rushing or worrying about cutting the cord, make sure to have your baby experience skin-to-skin touch. This is important; as this is the first bond, your baby will create in the physical world.
As your baby’s umbilical cord is cut, you can request for the storage of the cord blood. There have been many benefits from this cord, the only source of life for your child, helping him protect for any potential health risks.
Cutting your little one’s cord can be a joyous moment. It is symbolical to the effect of having babies break the link with you to begin their own journey in the outside world.
Also Read: Delayed Cord Clamping Read more
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