Little things that will make you feel better

Eating properly is just as important as looking after your body during the changes and discomforts that are common during pregnancy. We will give you some advice on the most common discomforts, as well as little tricks that may help make you feel better.

• Don't use the hair dryer if possible.
• Avoid colour dye based on ammonia and/or other oxidizing chemical compounds that get absorbed through the skin.
• You should neither use chemical products to give shape to your hair or to curl it.
• Wash your hair gently and massage the shampoo so that you help with blood circulation.
• Brush it gently as you would normally do.
• Use a brush with rounded tips, as that will help with the scalp's microcirculation.

• Continue to eat food rich in vitamins B, A, and C, minerals (iron, calcium, and iodine), and amino acids, such as cystine.
• Use special skin and cosmetic products, such as shampoos and nourishing hair masks, to strengthen your hair and hinder hair loss.

It is highly recommended to bath or shower daily due to an increase in sweating and fat secretion during pregnancy. Baths also have a relaxing and stimulating effect on the blood circulation that will help you feel better.

It is essential to maintain your teeth and gums clean during pregnancy, as the change in hormones and the increase in the need for calcium might affect them and provoke gingivitis, tooth decay, or other problems. What can be done? Some advice:

• Brush your teeth after eating at least twice a day (morning and night).
• Brush them thoroughly but gently, and massage your gums. This way you will strengthen them and avoid bleeding, as well as loss of sensitivity.
• Use dental floss or interproximal brushes and toothpaste that contains fluoride, as well as mouthwash, and other products suitable for sensitivity or bleeding. Seek advice from your dentist of pharmacist.
• Visit your dentist periodically during pregnancy.
• Eat food rich in calcium and vitamins A and D to give your baby the quantities she needs without having to take them from your reserves, which are located basically in your teeth and bones.

You should take good care of your intimate areas during pregnancy due to an increase in vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea), which affects both quantity and consistency. You will find it also acquires a darker colour. Some advice:

• Drink plenty of water.
• Choose gentle liquid soap appropriate for your intimate areas. You will avoid infections, such as yeast and thrush.
• We recommend a minimum of one or two washes a day.
• Carefully dry your intimate areas to avoid germs.
• Use comfortable intimate clothing made from natural fibres such as cotton.
• Avoid vaginal douching, as it alters the beneficial flora and increases the risk of infection.
• If you feel an itchy or burning sensation, visit your specialist.

• Keep your skin moisturized for the whole duration of your pregnancy, especially during the final months and then during the first days after giving birth (external hydration).
• Eat healthy food and drink plenty of liquids to help your internal hydration.
• You can resort to a specific cream for stretch marks, as they make the skin more resistant.
• If the stretch marks have already appeared, keep following the above pieces of advice, as you might be able to conceal them or make them look better.
• Seek advice from your gynaecologist or pharmacist, as they will be able to give you more detailed information, and keep in mind that some of the stretch marks from pregnancy will be less visible after you have given birth and have returned to your normal weight.

• Always use high-factor sunscreen when sunbathing.
• Don't sunbathe for extended periods to avoid darkening the patches.
• The patches will probably disappear after giving birth. If they do not, visit your specialist.

• Keep them moisturized during pregnancy, as this is an area prone to stretch marks.
• From the sixth month, if you start producing colostrum, use pads to avoid staining your clothes and wash your breasts with soapy water to avoid irritation.
• After giving birth, keep your nipples moisturized to avoid marks. Some pharmaceutical products may help.
• When you stop breastfeeding you can compensate the loss of firmness with dermatological products, but remember that you have to be persevering to notice any effects.
• During pregnancy and later when you breastfeed use bras that firmly hold your breasts without squashing your nipples and choose comfortable loose-fitting clothes.

• Move or go for a walk. Try the Kegel exercises.
• Take sitz baths, as this will help your blood circulation, and combine them with the use of cold moist sanitary towels, as this will help reduce inflammation and the sense of pain.
• Keep the perianal area clean (the area between the vagina and the anus).
• If the discomforts do not go away, seek professional advice from your doctor, who might give you a cream for the treatment of hemorrhoids

• Avoid standing for prolonged periods of time.
• Don't sit down with your legs crossed.
• As often as you can, keep your legs positioned above your hips.
• On a regular basis exercise your feet.
• Ask your specialist about the possibility of using compression stockings for improving the blood circulation of your legs after giving birth.

A source of positive influence on the health of the mother and the baby. It improves the cardiovascular and metabolic systems, it helps lose weight after giving birth, it reduces anxiety, it improves mood, and helps establish sleep patterns. It can also help in alleviating discomforts that are common during pregnancy, such as constipation, backaches, fatigue, swelling of the legs, and varicose veins. Some studies conclude that exercise contributes to shorter labour and a reduction of labour-inducing medication and epidurals. If your pregnancy is low-risk, you can exercise on a regular basis as long as you stick to the following rules:

• Do relaxation and stretching exercises before and after each session.
• Drink enough liquids before and during exercise to avoid excess heat generation.
• Eat fruit, vegetables, and carbohydrates, such as pasta and cereals.
• During the second and third quarters, try to avoid exercises that have to be done lying on your back, as that will limit the flow of blood to your womb.
• Don't reach a point of excessive tiredness, as that means your baby and your body are receiving insufficient oxygen.
• Keep your balance! Your centre of gravity has shifted, so you might not be as agile as before.
• Avoid sports where there is a risk of being hit by a ball or an object, such as hockey, football, and basketball, as well as sports where balance is key, such as gymnastics, skiing, or horse-riding.
• What sports are recommended? Any sport that does not require a lot of effort or lifting weight, such as swimming or going for walks.
• Exercising inside the water is a good idea, as you will feel lighter and more flexible.

• Your diet should include food types that are rich in fibre, such as wholegrain bread, wholegrain cereals, fruit, and vegetables.
• Drink plenty of liquid (water, fruit juices, soup, and stews).
• Exercise regularly and avoid a sedentary lifestyle, as this will help bowel transit.
• Create a schedule for visits to the bathroom.
• Lift your feet up when passing stools, as this position relaxes the anal sphincter.
• If your constipation does not get better after following these pieces of advice, seek advice from your gynecologist. He might think it necessary for you to take a laxative, but do not attempt to self-treat your condition, as not all laxatives are suitable for pregnant women.

• Choose comfortable shoes during pregnancy.
• When bending down, keep your back straight and bend your knees.
• To keep your back straight when sitting down, place a cushion or rolled-up towel on the kidney area, and keep your back straight and your hips forward.
• When lying down, place a towel between your legs to keep your back in the right position.
• Exercise to strengthen your back and buttock muscles. Ask your specialist what exercises are suitable.
• Keep warm by placing a hot-water bottle or a heat pad on the area of your contractures, as this will have soothing effect.
• If the pain is intense, ask your gynecologist whether you can take a mild painkiller, but do not take any medication prior to asking him.

• Avoid standing for long periods of time.
• If your feet get swollen, sit down and lift them up as high as possible.
• Put yourself in a comfortable position with your feet up in the air and rest.
• Try one of the following exercises:
  • Lie down on your back and lift your feet up in the air. Draw circles with your feet and then make a cycling movement.
  • Bend your knees, lift one of them up, hold it with both hands by the calf and pull it towards you as much as you can.
  • Lying on your back, cross and bend your legs towards your tummy and relax in this position.
• If the feeling of liquid retention is strong, it might be a sign that you have high blood pressure (hypertension). If the swelling is severe or if you notice a swelling of your hands and face, seek advice from your gynaecologist immediately. 

• Do relaxation exercises to reduce stress.
• Make your environment comfortable by ensuring that the temperature in your bedroom is pleasant. Use comfortable clothing and cushions for your back or abdomen.
• Take a bath or a shower before going to bed, as this will help you relax.
• Try not to get up during the night.

• Avoid tobacco.
• Eat little but frequently. You should eat at least five times a day.
• Avoid fried food and fatty foods, spicy food, caffeinated drinks, citrus drinks, and chocolate.
• After meals, rest in a semi-sitting position.
• After dinner, don't go straight to bed. Allow for some time.
• Sleep with enough pillows to allow for lying in a semi-upright position.
• Drink between meals to keep hydrated. This is better than drinking great quantities during meals.
• Use comfortable clothing. Close-fitting clothes may press against your tummy and increase the sense of pain.
• If you continue to have heartburn, talk to your gynecologist.