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| Photo by Stuart Miles |
Over the past few days, there have been:
- A sudden decrease in energy
- Piles
- Swelling of the fingers
- Overly tired feet
- Extreme backache
- Lack of sanity
The last leg before -that- painful bit. So yes, I'm tired, hurting and otherwise cranky. My friends say I'm glowing - actually I'm red in the face from walking up a very small, almost non-existent hill. I say I'm currently fat - my friends kindly remind me that I'm pregnant and therefore won't be forever. But discreetly, they don't disagree. Friends - aren't they just great for sugar-coating everything?
Anyway, I thought I'd list a few common late-pregnancy gripes and remedies for them - if not for the information of anyone that might stumble across this blog (as it's still a wee baby) but for my own sanity and to refer back to should I need to :)
- Fatigue/Tiredness - The easiest and best thing to do is take a nap. Or grab an early night. I know from personal experience how tough this can be - especially when you already have kids or work a lot. Unfortunately it's pretty much all you can do to help yourself. Delegate as much as you can - you'll need to do this for several months now, so you might as well get used to it!
- Swelling of hands/feet (oedema) - There isn't much you can do about this one either! It's caused by the excess fluid that circulates your body during pregnancy. Resting with your feet up can help, as can avoiding caffeine, alcohol and salt. Drinking more water is advisable. You might also consider light exercise. Warning: Occasionally the swelling can relate to pre-eclampsia. This is a very serious condition. Other symptoms include headaches, raised blood pressure, visual disturbances and protein in the urine. If in doubt ring your midwife or health professional. In an emergency always ring 999.
- Braxton Hicks - A lovely tester of what's waiting for you at the end of the tunnel. Essentially, false labour pains. Completely harmless, but very painful towards the end of the pregnancy. There isn't anything you can do, if you get them it's tough - much like real labour. In my own personal experience they only seem to happen at night, this is probably different for everyone. Try not to confuse Braxton Hicks with real labour and vice versa. If you wake up in pain, chances are it's Braxton Hicks. Take some paracetamol and go back to bed. Real labour will not let you get back to sleep.
- Heartburn - Contrary to seemingly popular belief (you would think so too if you heard the other mums on the ward the day I gave birth to my son) this is NOT a sign of a hairy baby. This is caused by acid from your stomach flowing into your oesophagus. Pregnancy hormones relax the valve between the stomach and oesophagus, and as the baby gets bigger more and more acid will flow upwards. Lovely! I personally did not get on with any over-the-counter remedies. Milk helped a lot until right at the end of the pregnancy, when even drinking a glass of water would give me vicious heartburn. Again, this was my second pregnancy (I blame my fiance). If you can pinpoint your heartburn to a specific food, then avoid that food.
- Forgetfulness - Also known as loss of sanity or "mummy brain". Have you started calling your daughter by your cat's name? Did you just wander into the kitchen for the fifth time today only to have no idea why you're there? Don't worry, you're not mad - just pregnant. Thought to be caused by tiredness, there really is nothing you can do about this one except, of course - stop being tired. Fat chance, I know! But rest assured there are plenty of expectant mothers out there going through the same as you. Or are there? I can't remember...
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