Early Pregnancy and Insomnia - How to Cure Your Early Pregnancy Sleep Problems

Of all the discomforts an expectant mother has to face sleep problems can be the most frustrating. Early pregnancy and insomnia unfortunately do go hand in hand for many pregnant women. But it is possible for you to get a good night's sleep during pregnancy.

There are many reasons why pregnant women have difficulty sleeping. Here are few of the more common ones:

Frequent urge to urinate: Your kidneys are working extra hard to filter the increased amount of blood during pregnancy. This increased filtering activity results in increased urine. Your growing baby also puts extra pressure on your bladder.

To help with this try to drink most of your fluids in the morning and early afternoon. Drink fewer fluids in the later evening before you go to bed. This should help to reduce the late night potty breaks.

Heartburn and Constipation: Heartburn is very common in pregnancy. It is caused due to the fact that the digestive system tends to slow down when you are pregnant. This leaves food in the stomach for longer periods of time leading to both heartburn and constipation. Heartburn worsens in pregnancy as the growing size of the uterus presses on the stomach.

To combat heartburn take an antacid like Tums or Rolaids. Check w/ your OBGYN before taking OTC heartburn medications like Prilosec or Zantac.

Body Aches and Pains: The number one cause pf problems sleeping in pregnancy is the growing size of the fetus. As your baby grows inside of you it can be very difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. Pregnant women who sleep on their backs for extended periods of time can experience backaches and leg cramps. Doctors recommend that pregnant women sleep on their left side for comfort and to maximize blood flow to the placenta.

To be more comfortable sleeping in pregnancy consider getting a maternity pillow. These full body pillows are specially contoured to perfectly support the body of a pregnant woman. They offer not only support to keep the expectant mother in the side sleeping position; they also offer maximum comfort leading to a good night's sleep.

Maternity pillows not only relieve early pregnancy and insomnia they also help an expectant mother s to sleep well throughout their entire pregnancy. They become even more valuable later on in pregnancy when the growing size of the baby makes it even more difficult to be comfortable sleeping.

Early pregnancy and insomnia do not have to go hand in hand. A good maternity pillow can be your best friend in pregnancy to get the healthy sleep that both you and your baby need. Learn more about the top rated maternity pillows that mothers to be recommend the most at http://www.happymotherandbaby.com/sleeping-in-pregnancy.html.

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Abdominal Cramps During Early Pregnancy

It is not uncommon to have abdominal cramps during early pregnancy. Many women become frightened and fear that they may be having a miscarriage. This is normally not the reason for abdominal cramps during early pregnancy. The embryo is embedding itself in the lining of the uterus. This is what makes you feel cramps similar to those felt when you're having your period. The cramps may last for several days and you may suffer the way you did when having a period on a normal basis. Please do not be afraid of those cramps as they are a normal part of the pregnancy.

Abdominal cramps during early pregnancy are a normal happening that all women experience. A more serious problem is when you are suffering lower abdominal pain. Then it is best that you consult your physician. It is not uncommon for many women to suffer the lower cramps which are referred to as sporadic abdominal discomfort. These sporadic abdominal cramps are similar to those pain felt during a normal period. It is a sign that your uterus is preparing to carry your baby through the next nine months. If you are suffering the pains with other symptoms then you will need to immediately contact your physician.

Women, who suffer from chills, fever, spotting along with abdominal cramps during early pregnancy maybe suffering from other more harmful conditions, when a fertilized egg attaches outside of a woman's uterus then this condition is referred to as Ectopic Pregnancy. The egg usually will attach itself to the fallopian tube. Normally this condition is caught in the first few weeks and treated right away. If for some reason it does not get noticed and treated it could be very dangerous as the fallopian tube may result in rupture. The signs and symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include spotting, abdominal pain and tenderness. These signs are accompanied with lower back pain, shoulder pain, dizziness or faintness. If you suspect an ectopic pregnancy please contact your physician right away.

Abdominal cramps during early pregnancy unfortunately can occasionally mean that you are about to have a miscarriage. Typically, the symptoms for a miscarriage are bleeding that might be light or heavy, menstrual cramps that gradually increase in intensity. Some women suffer from back pain.

If any of these symptoms arise please contact your physician immediately.

Remain calm because it does not necessarily mean that you are in the process of having a miscarriage as other things maybe going on that are lesser by nature. Some ladies suffer from lower back pain due to kidney stones, gallbladder disease or even pancreatitis. When you suffer from one of these diseases it is debilitating and in some cases warrants surgery. An abdominal cramp during early pregnancy usually happens to just about all women who are pregnant therefore please do not panic. It is always for the best to contact your physicians.

There is good news, however, women who have abdominal cramps during early pregnancy find it occurs from uterus stretching, from gas or even constipation. It is true that you might be suffering from round ligament pain which may result in short stabbing and sharp aches in one or both sides of the abdomen. This pain can be relieved very quickly simply by changing your position or simply just relaxing.

When you do feel abdominal cramps during your early pregnancy the best thing for you to do is set down, put your feet up, and relax. Normal abdominal pain may be caused by the simplest of things.

* Gas pains and bloating caused by hormones that slow your digestion process down.

* The pressure of your growing uterus.

* Constipation *note contact a doctor before taking any type of laxative.

* Heartburn caused by something that you ate that did not agree with you or the baby.

A lot of women do have abdominal cramps during early pregnancy which is normal as the embryo is embedding itself in the lining of the uterus. Cramping in the last weeks of the pregnancy is a sign that labor is almost ready to start. At the start of your labor you will have very strong cramps that are severe in nature and about five to ten minutes apart. This is time to contact your physician and go immediately to the hospital for the delivery. The early part of your pregnancy these cramps can be mild to severe so it is up to you to check with your physician and make sure that it is just the natural part of your pregnancy and not anything to worry about.

Pregnancy and Arthritis - How Pregnancy Affects Arthritis

A look at how pregnancy affects arthritis, and how arthritis can affect pregnancy. Whether or not to have a baby is a major decision, even more so if you have arthritis. Arthritis does have the potential to complicate pregnancy at every stage, but with extra precautions and proper medical care most women with rheumatic disease can still have a successful pregnancy.

As everyone may well know, rheumatoid arthritis is systemic and also chronic and an autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting the joints that can affect women irrespective of their age. And, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy, women will undergo an alteration in their immune state that can change into an autoimmune disease, and there have also been ameliorating effects of being pregnant on a woman with rheumatoid arthritis, which has been confirmed by some recent studies on the subject. Nevertheless, there are as many as seventy to eighty percent of such patients that will experience remission while they are pregnant, though one quarter of these patients will suffer from rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy and in some cases, the disease may worsen thereby needing to be treated even when the patient is pregnant.

Temporary Improvements

Whatever improvements are felt in rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy are generally of a temporary nature with patients soon relapsing during postpartum period, and why there is improvement in rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy has yet to be fully discovered. However, theories have been put forward such as it could occur due to changes in hormones during pregnancy, effects of pregnancy on immunity that is mediated by cells and alteration to neutrophil function during a pregnancy.

If you look at the figures related to rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy, you will find that though rheumatoid arthritis does affect only one to two percent women, rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy is not as rare a condition as one might expect it to be and women who are at an age of reproduction are most likely to be affected. There have also been studies on the effects of rheumatoid arthritis on pregnancy, and it has been found that majority of women in the US having rheumatoid arthritis may be relatively unaffected by their pregnant condition and the maternal morbidity rates among women with rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy are about the same as for those who have rheumatoid arthritis and are not pregnant.

Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy have any effect on fetal outcome, though there are some reported instances of premature birth and even reduction in growth due to rheumatoid arthritis, while other reports do not suggest any change in fetal outcomes at all.

Thus, it would be safe to assume that there are no real long term effects on a woman’s health condition as far as rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy is concerned, and studies also point out there is no appreciable changes in the outcome of pregnancy in women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

In some cases, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are relieved during pregnancy. This can occur at any time during the pregnancy. In most women, the improvement occurs by the end of the fourth month. Although joint swelling may decrease, joint pain and stiffness can still persist due to existing joint damage. Unfortunately, the improved symptoms do not continue after the pregnancy is over. A flare in the disease can occur approximately two to eight weeks after the baby is born.



Read out Pregnancy calculator. Also check out for home remedies for sore throat

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Disorders that can occur during your pregnancy

The nine months of your life are crucial; it launches a new episode of your life. Therefore you must act seriously enough to cut down on unhealthy food habits. Most importantly you must make yourself aware of the different disorders that might occur. If precautions are not taken at the proper time, these can lead to complications and even unfortunate miscarriages.

Say No to Alcohol and Drugs

Consumption of alcohol during this period of nine months is risky. Alcohol is said to cause several birth defects. You must be aware of the different medicines you take; for certain antibiotics can have adverse effects on your body and especially on the developing fetus. You must stop smoking cigarettes and relying on drugs for temporary satisfaction. These can terminate pregnancy and also lead to birth defects.

Common Disorders

Disorders that are likely to occur during your pregnancy are anemia, thomboembolic disease and several urinary tract infections. The common symptom of these disorders is high fever.

Fever might seem to be a less harmful term but for a pregnant woman it might pose as a serious threat. If you feel feverish during the first trimester, act spontaneously. This is because fever as high as 103°F not only enhances the chances of miscarriages but may also affect the fetuses developing brain and spinal cord. Fever at the advanced stages of your pregnancy may cause irregular labor pain. German measles, viral infections like mumps, jaundice, chicken pox, protozoan infections and bacterial infections in the vagina may have dire effects on the fetus. On the other hand, thomboembolic disease of blood clotting may cause fateful injuries at the time of the birth of your child. Anemia is a common problem in pregnant women. Anemia may make the mother to be extremely tired, gasping for breath at times. It can also make her feel light-headed. It is therefore advisable, that you keep in touch with your doctor, and go for check up regularly for the safety of your child and of course for yourself.

Aaron Nimocks is a frequent blogger at Pregnancy Hut and has written a guide on 17 weeks pregnant and 18 weeks pregnant.

Pregnancy Complications - Need for Immediate Attention

Complications - Premature Labor

Premature or preterm labor is when a woman goes into labor before the 37 th week of pregnancy, or three weeks before her due date. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the earlier pre-term labor is spotted and treated, the better chance of stopping it. When symptoms go untreated, the cervix may open and cause an early birth of the baby.

Premature babies need intensive care in the hospital to help with breathing, feeding, and regulation of body temperature. Any woman can have pre-term labor, but some women have a higher risk. Problems with the uterus or placenta and a history of pre-term birth with another pregnancy increase the risk of preterm labor. Dehydration also boosts the chances of pre-term labor.

So make sure your spouse drinks plenty of water especially in warm weather and after exercise to keep from becoming dehydrated. Call your doctor right away if your spouse displays any of these signs of premature labor:

* Contractions - She may or may not feel pain, but her abdomen or stomach will get very hard (feel like it is tightening) and then relax, on and off.
* Menstrual-like cramping - she may or may not be uncomfortable with these cramps that feel like menstrual cramps.
* Gas-type pains - Sharp pains in her stomach, diarrhea or nausea may be a sign of trouble.
* Low pelvic pressure - She may feel like the baby is putting a lot of pressure down very low inside.
* Low backache - She may have a very strong ache in her lower back or could just feel a dull ache in that area.
* Blood from her vagina - Light spotting or a significant amount of blood should be reported to the doctor right away. Blood can be red or brown in color.

Increased discharge from her vagina - Much more discharge than what she is used to during her pregnancy can be a sign of preterm labor. A sudden gush of a lot of water, or a small trickle that is continuous should also be reported to the doctor. Discharge can be watery, pinkish, or brownish in color.

Complications - Some Pregnancy Problems without Symptoms

Some Pregnancy Problems without Symptoms Some health problems your spouse may have during pregnancy do not have warning signs. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, one of these is Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection. GBS is a common infection that rarely makes adults sick. The bacterium lives in the gastrointestinal system, along with many other harmless bacteria.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, between 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women carry GBS in their vagina and rectums. But, if GBS is passed to the baby during delivery, it can cause serious health problems in the newborn baby, such as pneumonia, blood infection, or infection of the tissues around the brain.

Because there are no symptoms of GBS, she will be tested at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy. The simple test involves swabbing the vagina and rectum for a sample of cells that are sent to a lab to look for GBS. If she is infected, she will be treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor and delivery to make sure the baby is protected.

Another problem is anemia, or having below-normal levels of iron in the blood. Iron is needed for hemoglobin (a protein in blood that helps take oxygen to body tissues for energy and growth) for your spouse and your baby. Iron also helps build bones and teeth. Most women do not have any symptoms of anemia. For those who do, extreme fatigue is often the only sign. Your doctor will check for signs of anemia using routine blood tests during different stages of the pregnancy. If your spouse has anemia, she will be given iron supplements.

Also an ectopic pregnancy is left untreated, the embryo will continue to grow till it ruptures the fallopian tube. This could result in complications, and may even be fatal for the expecting mother.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, you can help her prevent anemia by getting her to eat lots of iron-rich foods like lean red meat, potatoes with skins, raisins, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, whole-grain breads and iron-fortified cereals.

Diabetes During Pregnancy

Diabetes is an age old disease, which is recorded as early as Greek civilization. This disease is characterized by excretion of large amount of very dilute urine. Diabetes can also be explained as a syndrome characterized by disordered metabolism and inappropriate blood sugar level.

On the basis of symptoms diabetes can be classified into two types - a) diabetes mellitus b) diabetes insipidus.

While diabetes mellitus is characterized by high blood sugar level, resulting from low insulin (hormone which controls the sugar level in blood) level, the characteristic symptoms are excessive urine production (polyuria), excessive thirst, and increased fluid intake (polydipsia) and blurred vision.

On the other hand, diabetes insipidus is characterized by excretion of large amount of severely diluted urine, which can not be reduced when fluid intake is reduced, leading to severe inability of kidney to concentrate urine.

World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes three main forms of diabetes mellitus; one of them is termed as gestational diabetes which occurs during pregnancy. Early diagnosis can cure the disease.

The basic cause of diabetes during pregnancy is that, mother's body is the sole supplier of glucose (sugar that results from the digestion of food) to the baby. This glucose is delivered to the baby through placenta. in return placenta produces certain hormones which helps the baby to develop, but on other hand these hormones prevents mothers body to use insulin and at later stage placenta increases these anti-insulin hormones which blocks the movement of glucose from the blood stream to the cell of the mother's body. This condition is termed as insulin resistance which leads to gestational diabetes.

There are several factors which increases the chance of developing diabetes during pregnancy, which includes the parents may have a family history of diabetes, obesity, the mother being over age 25 and the mother have a previous record of giving birth to a stillborn child or to a baby weighing nine pounds.

Though there are no obvious symptoms of gestational diabetes, but American diabetes association recommends all women to be screened for gestational diabetes between 24th and 28th week of pregnancy.

The following are the names of such screenings a) blood glucose test b) glucose tolerance test.

There can be many cases that the woman may have pre existing diabetes. In that case the mother must be warned against the complicacies that may arise during pregnancy. Careful planning and preconception care can allow the diabetic woman to have a problem free pregnancy.

Aaron Nimocks is a frequent blogger at Pregnancy Hut and has written a guide on 11 weeks pregnant and 12 weeks pregnant.