Posts Tagged cramping and diarrhea
Dealing with Stomach Pain during Pregnancy
Posted by in Pregnancy on August 31st, 2009
Stomach pain is probably the most easily recognized symptom of pregnancy. From the moment you first notice something is different, to the moment your baby is born, chances are, and your stomach was causing you at least some measure of pain along the way. While it can be painful and uncomfortable, it’s perfectly natural to experience pregnancy stomach pain. This pain can show itself in several ways, ranging from mild nausea to severe stomach cramping and diarrhea and just about everything in between.
Fortunately, because pregnancy stomach pain is so common, your doctor will probably have some good ideas on how to deal with your particular symptoms. Some might also be temporary or short-lived. The nausea and vomiting that accompanies morning sickness often goes away after the first trimester. And even if it doesn’t, your doctor will probably know of some excellent remedies you can try to make it less difficult for you. You might try some cutting-edge prescription drugs, or you may find that a simple change in your diet does the trick.
Stomach cramping can make its appearance at any time during the pregnancy. It may very well be the thing that made you wonder if you were pregnant to begin with. You might have experienced some unusual cramping just days after conception, which can often be a tip-off that something has changed. If you find that your stomach is quite sensitive, you might have pregnancy stomach pain for the duration. You may find that cramping accompanies morning sickness. Very severe stomach cramping can be a red flag that something is not right, and you may be about to go into labor, even if it’s not yet time.
Pregnancy stomach pain can also manifest itself because the stomach is being squeezed into a smaller space as the uterus expands with the fetus’s growth. This pressure on you r stomach can cause pain, and is responsible for the more severe heartburn that many pregnant women face. Increased constipation is another common problem for pregnant women, and can also result in stomach cramping. The release of extra progesterone into your body can increase the likelihood of heartburn, and the need for the fetus to receive more nutrients results in digestive slowing, which can cause constipation.
Pregnant women may also find that they have a lot more gas, manifesting itself in flatulence and excess burping. Some of this can be remedied with some minor adjustments to behavior and diet.
While most of these problems are relatively common, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor if you are worried, or if something really seems abnormal. Keep in mind that a pain that is v very severe and unfamiliar might very well be a warning of something serious, like a miscarriage, or premature labor. The key is to be aware of the changes in your body, and to do whatever you can to remain active and healthy. The stronger you are, the stronger your baby will be, and the easier the delivery will be.
You can find helpful information about pregnancy stomach pain and everything you need to know about stomach cramping at Aha! Baby.
Article Source: Dealing with Stomach Pain during Pregnancy
Coping with Digestive Problems during Pregnancy
Posted by in Pregnancy on August 29th, 2009
Going through pregnancy will cause your body to experience many changes. Some of them may be positive, but many others may make you feel uncomfortable, and may also be quite unfamiliar to you. You might wonder if some things are happening as a result of the pregnancy, or if they are simply digestive problems you might experience normally. Every woman is different, but there are some common issues that come up frequently. Some of these include heartburn, constipation, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and burping during pregnancy.
Even though some of these problems might be familiar to you from before your pregnancy, you might find them exaggerated. Your body undergoes a great many changes during the course of a pregnancy, and these changes alone can result in any number of digestive problems.
Constipation is one of the most common problems. When you become pregnant, your body adjusts to the fact that the fetus will require additional nutrients to grow. As a result, your digestive system slows down so the nutrients in the food you consume can be more readily absorbed. Water is also absorbed to a greater degree to increase blood flow to the fetus. The combination of these things can lead to problems with constipation.
Another common digestive problem is heartburn. There are a couple reasons why pregnant women are more likely to experience it. One is that increased production of the hormone progesterone makes the cardiac sphincter muscle between the stomach and esophagus relax, allowing food and gastric acid to get back in to the esophagus. Another is that the expansion of the uterus pushes on the stomach, forcing food and gastric acid back beyond the cardiac sphincter muscle.
Pregnant women also experience a variety of digestive problems that originate with the nausea of morning sickness. Nausea can lead to abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Because constipation is a common problem, focusing on getting rid of it can also cause an opposite effect, resulting in diarrhea. Simply put, your body chemistry changes quite radically during a pregnancy and you may find that food you have always eaten no longer agrees with you, while at the same time you experience cravings for things you never cared for before.
Yet another problem you might experience is excess gas, which can lead to flatulence, or burping during pregnancy. You may find that gas builds up much more readily than before, and that you are far more sensitive to gas—producing foods. While food is being digested too slowly, you may experience gas bubbles moving through your colon, or back up your esophagus. It is the air that escapes up the esophagus that causes burping during pregnancy.
While a number of health issues may arise during your pregnancy, be assured that all of those listed above are quite common, and can usually be dealt with relatively easily. Just focus on being as healthy as you can be, look forward to having your baby, and your body will go back to normal before you know it!
You can find helpful information about burping during pregnancy and everything you need to know about digestive problems at Aha! Baby.
Article Source: Coping with Digestive Problems during Pregnancy
