Essential Items That Will Help You Through Your First Pregnancy

Your pregnancy can be an exciting time in your life, but it also comes with a lot of stress. That is why you need to prepare yourself properly for this new journey by stocking up on the essential items that will help you through your pregnancy. The following post will provide some helpful advice and suggestions about what you should buy before your pregnancy begins.

Get your prenatal vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are a great place to begin because they cover many different aspects of prenatal care all at once while being affordable enough so that everyone can afford them. They contain folic acid, which reduces the risk of congenital disabilities such as spina bifida while going easy on your stomach, so there’s no upset or discomfort involved during digestion like other kinds of supplements might have. In addition to this, they have a high concentration of iron which is essential for pregnancy as it helps your body with oxygenation and blood circulation. This will keep you from getting tired or winded during those long days at work or running errands around town.

How to Improve Your Pelvic Health During Pregnancy — .

Invest in a maternity pillow

A Maternity Pillow is an excellent investment for your pregnancy because it will help you with many different things, such as blood circulation, heartburn, and even breathing when you sleep. They come in all shapes and sizes depending on what works best for you, but most essentially, they allow ample support to the back while also helping relieve pressure off of areas like your hips and legs that can get swollen during pregnancy. This way, no matter how uncomfortable or tired you are at nightfall, you’ll be able to sleep better than before by simply adjusting to a more comfortable position without any strain or discomfort involved.

Comfortable maternity clothing

Maternity clothing is a must-have in your closet when you are pregnant because it provides the right amount of comfort and support to keep you from feeling bloated or uncomfortable all day long. The material used for these kinds of clothing also keeps out any sweat, moisture, or dirt, so they’re not only comfortable but just as easy to clean too. In addition, these clothes are usually stretchy, which makes them easier to put on while also containing elastic bands around areas like the waistline and hemline where there might be some loose fabric due to bloating. Proper clothing are essential items for your growing body during pregnancy.

Morning sickness soothers

Morning sickness is probably one of the most complex parts of pregnancy, but thankfully there are ways to help ease your suffering. Many different products on the market can be used for nausea, such as little candies and mints that work well in treating it because they’re easy to keep around all day long. Another option is a ginger root which works excellent at settling an upset stomach you might have while also providing relief from those nasty bouts of vomiting and dehydration. You should also invest in a small cooler with an ice pack, so if and when these feelings come up again, you’ll be able to quickly grab something out of your bag without having to worry about needing anything else too cumbersome.

Pregnancy comes with a lot of excitement, but it can also be an overwhelming time in your life due to all the changes and stress that come along with it. With these essential items, your pregnancy can be more comfortable and therefore, memorable. By following these tips and advice, you will quickly learn what works best for you during this trying period, so they should always be kept close by when needed most.

Tips for Talking to Toddlers About a New Baby

When expecting a new baby, telling anyone can be daunting, let alone the toddler you already have at home. The biggest struggle with talking to toddlers about a new baby is that your little one probably won’t understand what you’re talking about. Even if they do, they’ll probably have a range of mixed emotions about it:

Confusion – “What does being a big brother/sister mean?”
Excitement – “Yay! Someone to play with!”
Anger – “I am not sharing you!”
Apprehension – “Will you love me the same?”
Apathy – “Whatever. Now, what about a snack?”

This short guide should help you when it’s time to have that conversation.

Talking to Toddlers About a New Baby — *This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that we only work with companies and individuals that we trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.

Getting Toddlers Excited

Pretend baby. A good way of getting your toddler excited about the new baby is to have them practice what it might be like. For example, they can hold a bottle to a doll’s mouth or put them in a bassinet and show them pictures from a story.

Belly bonding. At around 16- to 18-weeks, you’ll probably be able to feel the baby starting to move. Encourage your toddler to lay their hand on your stomach so that they can feel too. At 24-weeks, your baby can hear sounds, so have your little one read or sing to them through your belly.

Discuss baby names. You don’t have to take the ideas from your toddler for a name for your new baby, but involving them in the discussion will make them feel important in the situation.

How to Prepare for Another Baby after Postpartum Depression — .

Breaking the News

Timing is key! When talking to toddlers about a new baby, wait until the second trimester if you can. That way, you’ll know that all is well with your baby, and you’ll be starting to show signs of pregnancy. There’s no point in worrying your toddler until then unless you have bad morning sickness or fatigue earlier in the pregnancy.

Explain that it’s tough. You need to make sure that your little one knows that you’re not sick, just that growing a baby is hard work.

Keep it simple. Don’t assume that your toddler wants lots of detail. In fact, adults often over-complicate things for little ones because of that, so just tell them what they need to know. Then, of course, you should answer their questions, but keep your answers short and sweet.

Have a reassuring but honest tone. Explain how a new baby won’t mean that you and Daddy/Mommy won’t love your toddler any less, but that the baby will take up a lot of time.

Explaining Pregnancy

Use picture books. Pictures are clearer than words for toddlers; just make sure that you choose an age-appropriate book.

Find old photos. Photos of your toddler as a baby will help them conceptualize what it’ll be like to have a new brother or sister. Pictures of Mommy during her previous pregnancy will also help so that your little one can imagine how Mommy’s body will change.

Other visual aids. Comparing a baby’s size is often good, such as showing your toddler an orange at 15-weeks gestation or a mango at 19-weeks. Another idea is to use a doll to show the baby’s appearance; you can even have your toddler help change a diaper on the dolly!

Author Bio

Brielle Albert is a writer and digital marketing professional. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree at New York University. Brielle has professional experience in social media marketing and copywriting.

How To Combat Pregnancy Cravings With Healthy Food

Weird cravings are as iconic to pregnancy as morning sickness and sore feet—and they’re just as frustrating at times. These bewitching food desires might steer moms-to-be away from the nutritious foods they and their babies need in the coming months. Combating pregnancy cravings with nutritional foods will make a huge impact on how you feel both emotionally and physically throughout your pregnancy.

Focus on a Morning Meal

Eating will sound like the worse idea possible on some mornings, but prioritizing even a light snack to start your day makes a big difference. Craving sugary foods is, at times, a sign of low blood sugar. Instead of fighting to find the perfect sweet snack when the craving demands it, eating a morning meal like oatmeal, yogurt, or fruits prevents this blood sugar dip and staves off hunger throughout the day.

Make Time for Balanced Eating

Perhaps the best way to combat pregnancy cravings with healthy food is to set aside time for meal planning and more dedicated grocery shopping. Even when you aren’t pregnant, buying food while wrestling with hunger hankerings is a recipe for disaster.

While you may not always be able to stick to the plan, taking the time to organize balanced meals for each week will help you eat more nutritious meals than not. Keeping cravings in mind and a variety of sweet, salty, savory, and sour snack options on hand also makes it easy to beat cravings without going for junk food.

Document and Adapt to Food Aversions

Food aversions are the other side of the pregnancy-craving coin that new moms need to contend with. It’s easier to stick to the foods your body is demanding when it seems like you’re struggling to keep every other food down.

Keep a journal of your food aversions as they come and go so that, as you plan meals, you and your family members can avoid buying foods you know you’ll end up avoiding. Noting if the issue was the smell, texture, or taste helps you cover your bases and stick to healthy foods you know you’ll enjoy overall.

Ultimately, when trying to figure out how to combat pregnancy cravings with healthy food, remember that your mental health plays a role in your well-being too. Go easy on yourself, and allow yourself to partake in some unhealthy snack foods or a meal out now and then. While getting great nutrition is great for you and your baby, healthy eating is only one among many things to consider while pregnant.

Author Bio

Christina Duron is a writer living in the Chicagoland area. Her passion for writing and mental health help create thought provoking and engaging pieces and hopes to use them to empower mothers and women to embrace the beauty of motherhood.

Reasons for Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a marvelous experience. You’ve created a life, and in a couple of months, you’ll have your beautiful bundle of joy in your arms. But sometimes it’s not that lovely. Although many expectant mothers walk about with a glow of pregnancy and a big smile on their faces, the experience may be less than picturesque — particularly if, instead of a smile and a glow, you’re becoming best friends with your toilet because you can’t seem to stop throwing up. Identifying the underlying reason for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy may keep this issue within check, so keep reading to learn about likely reasons for vomiting and nausea during pregnancy.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is a frequent cause of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. But although it is labeled morning sickness, nausea and vomiting could also occur at any time of the day. The precise reason of morning sickness is unclear, although it is likely to be due to hormonal changes that have weakened your body. Morning sickness is estimated to occur in up to 80% of all pregnancies, with nausea and vomiting beginning around week 6.

The great news is that conditions normally improve in the second trimester, but some women get morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy. Early signs and symptoms of morning sickness include nausea and vomiting. Intriguingly, some females don’t even assume conception until the first surge of morning sickness strikes them. After several days of feeling sick to their stomach, they take a test to determine or strike out pregnancy.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Sadly, morning sickness is not the only factor to worry about during pregnancy, nor is it the only trigger of nausea throughout this “special phase of life.” Many women have experienced severe morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum throughout pregnancy. It’s possibly caused by an increase in hormone levels. If you already have morning sickness, you will only vomit once a day and could be able to deal with nausea and vomiting. If you experience hyperemesis gravidarum, you might vomit upwards of 3 – 4 times a day and suffer nearly persistent nausea.

Throwing up with hyperemesis gravidarum can get so severe that certain women who are pregnant lose weight and run the risk of dehydration due to failure to store food and fluids. And as if barfing the whole day isn’t terrible already, it can even induce dizzy spells and lightheadedness. Hyperemesis gravidarum symptoms typically worsen in weeks 9 to 13 and then get better. So the symptoms may improve when you progress further along during pregnancy.

Foodborne Illnesses

This is another trigger of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that women often do not foresee. While it’s easy to relate some form of nausea to morning sickness, it may simply be attributed to consuming contaminated food while pregnant. Anybody really is at risk for food contamination, but expectant mothers are more in danger because pregnancy makes the immune system weak. As a result, it gets harder for the body to combat germs and bacteria.

Signs include those that are similar to morning sicknesses, such as nausea and vomiting. Although, unlike morning sickness, food poisoning can cause other symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, and fever. These signs occur quickly after consuming contaminated food within 24-48 hours. The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to fully cook meat. Also, store food in the refrigerator immediately after cooking, rinse all fresh fruits and vegetables, and eliminate unpasteurized milk, juice, or eggs from your pregnancy diet. Consult the best gynecologist for diet advice.

8 Pregnancy Diet Tips for Growing a Healthy Baby — .

Causes and Risk Factors

Although the hormones are most likely to blame for hyperemesis gravidarum and morning sickness, certain causes raise the likelihood of facing either or both complications during pregnancy. For instance:

- Expecting multiples (twins, triplets, or more).
- During pregnancy, you have a family or personal history of vomiting.
- You are susceptible to certain tastes or smells.
- You’ve had a diagnosis of migraine.
- You’ve had a history of motion sickness.

The greatest chance of foodborne disease is consuming raw, uncooked/undercooked food or vegetables and fruits that have not been washed. Bear in mind that although the above are typical causes of vomiting during pregnancy, other conditions can also occur during pregnancy that may induce nausea and vomiting.

Complications/Side-effects

Ordinary morning sickness during pregnancy is unpleasant, but you are not expected to suffer from serious complications. However, if you experience hyperemesis gravidarum, extreme vomiting can cause dehydration or reduced urination. And if you are unable to restock your fluid level, you might have to be admitted to receive intravenous (IV) fluids. This syndrome can also damage the liver, cause deficiency of Vitamin B, and slower growth weight in your child’s development, so it is essential to evaluate your choices with the best gynaecologist.

Foodborne illness should not be treated lightly. These conditions, which may include listeria and salmonella poisoning, may induce premature birth or even miscarriage. It is also important to remember that various forms of vomiting can trigger a number of problems. Thus, although morning sickness does not contribute to dehydration, foodborne illness or hyperemesis gravidarum may vary based on the severity of nausea.

Complications That Can Occur During Birth — .

Conclusion

You wouldn’t need a gynecologist for morning sickness that isn’t extreme. Home remedies can be adequate to treat symptoms. However, if you vomit several times each day, and if you have any symptoms such as dizziness, rapid heart rate, or if you can’t hold fluids down, you should contact your doctor. Although the vomiting can be miserable during pregnancy, it is often normal and typically nothing that should worry you. It occurs in a lot of pregnancies, and it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you or your child. But if you have any questions or need affirmation, please do not hesitate to contact your doctor for vomiting during pregnancy.

Author Bio:

Lesli is a Content Writer and loves to blog about health-related articles. She enjoys learning and specializes in guest blogging, blog publishing, and social media. She is an avid reader and loves writing impeccable content pertaining to health care. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering.

How To Take Care of Your Oral Health During Pregnancy

Pregnancy affects the entire body, including our oral health.

While it may not be the first thing on your mind, maintaining your oral health during pregnancy is very important. There are several different ways that oral health problems can occur during pregnancy. It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to experience bleeding or swollen gums, eroded tooth enamel from vomiting and other unpleasant oral health problems.

Here’s some more information about taking care of your oral health during pregnancy.

How to Take Care of Your Oral Health During Pregnancy — *This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that I only work with companies and individuals that I trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.

When you’re a mommy-in-the-making, you have to make a lot of sacrifices. Namely, your body will suffer through some dramatic changes. While most of them are pretty familiar to pregnant women, one area is often neglected – oral health problems. They are pretty common ailments for pregnant women, and they shouldn’t be ignored. Here are a few issues that might occur during pregnancy and how you can resolve them.

Gums tend to swell

It’s not easy handling the influx of hormones during pregnancy, but they’re an essential part of the process. They influence just about every part of your body, for better or for worse, but it’s mostly leaning towards the worse part.

Whether it’s the mood swings, bladder getting smaller, or onset of weird food cravings, there’s always something that hormones will offset. This happens with our gums as well. You might have noticed that they swell quite a bit more than they did before the pregnancy. This causes them to be easily irritated and damaged, which is something you want to avoid.

Use soft bristle toothbrushes to minimize irritation and keep your gums clean. An advanced cleaning toothpaste is also recommended, as it can help clear plaque without causing gingivitis.

13 Things About Postpartum Depression All New Moms Need to Know — .

Pregnancy “tumors” appear

Don’t let the name alarm you, these tumors aren’t the malignant kind. Small, raspberry-like growths appear between the teeth and often cause pregnant women to rush to their dentist while worried out of their minds.

The growths aren’t harmful, but they can be irritating. They will disappear after the baby is born, but until then, they will cause mild discomfort while eating. The good news is that they can be removed if necessary with the help of cleaning.

Morning sickness can harm teeth

Morning sickness is a very recognizable sign of pregnancy when it starts, and many women have experienced it. What most women don’t know is that it can be very harmful to tooth health. This is generally true of vomiting, but most vomiting conditions don’t last very long. Morning sickness, especially hyperemesis gravidarum can have a detrimental effect on oral health during pregnancy.

The acidic nature of stomach content erodes tooth enamel and it can cause further damage the longer the exposure. There are some precautions you can take to prevent this harmful effect, though. Your first instinct might be to brush your teeth, but this won’t do any good. Instead, what you should be doing is swishing your mouth with some baking soda in water. This will neutralize the acid and provide some protection for your teeth.

There’s lots of snoring

Another irritating effect of hormonal imbalances during pregnancy is snoring at night. The mucous membranes in the nose tend to swell, causing a disruption of the flow of air. This results in the infamous sounds that will keep your partner awake throughout the night.

While this may only seem like an annoyance, it can also be a telling first sign of various disorders. Most commonly, snoring in pregnancy can be the result of sleep apnea. This might not be an immediate threat to most adults, but pregnant women need to be wary. Less oxygen is bad news for the baby, which is why most dentists will recommend that an acrylic snoring mouth guard is applied at night. This allows air to enter the airways without issue and keeps you well-oxygenated.

On the other hand, snoring could also be a sign of gestational diabetes, another common condition. To make sure it’s kept under control, consult your designated medical professional for screening and tests.

Hupnos, The High-Tech, Anti-Snoring Mask — .

Increased need for calcium

It’s common knowledge that a pregnant woman’s nutritional needs are greater than when she wasn’t with child. The baby takes up a lot of resources as it grows, which is why pregnant women must adjust their diets to compensate for this loss.

While most nutritional needs are met, many women disregard their body’s need for calcium. It’s something that’s essential to bone and tooth health throughout the pregnancy, as well as something that the baby requires as well. Luckily, there are many foods that help increase calcium.

Good dietary sources of calcium include cheese, milk, and yogurt. Increasing intake of these should be more than enough to compensate for the low levels of calcium. If you are unable to increase your intake of calcium through food alone, then consider taking a calcium supplement for better oral health during pregnancy.

Conclusion

Maintaining oral hygiene and health is very important in everyday life. This goes double for pregnancy, as there are many factors that negatively influence the health of our pearly whites during this period. Make sure you apply the safety measures mentioned above for optimal oral health during pregnancy and you’ll be able to deliver your baby without ending up with any problems with your teeth.

Author bio:

Mia Johnson is a writer with a ten-year-long career in journalism, recently writing on behalf of Penrith Dental. She has written extensively about health, fitness, and lifestyle. A native to Melbourne, she now lives in Sydney with her 3 dogs where she spends her days dribbling and taking care of her 900 square feet garden.

Pregnancy Self Care Tips That Will Benefit Mom and Baby

Practicing self care during pregnancy can benefit moms as well as their growing babies.

Expectant mothers have a lot on their minds, in addition to making it through the discomforts and excitement of pregnancy. These pregnancy self care tips are something all moms can try in order to ease symptoms of prenatal depression, anxiety, stress and to ensure a healthy 9 months for both mom and baby.

Pregnancy Self Care Tips That Will Benefit Mom and Baby — *This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate and/or paid links. Furthermore, I am not a medical professional and nothing in this post should be taken as medical advice. Always speak to your doctor before implementing any changes to your normal routine during pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a time of massive change in a woman’s life, and becoming a mom brings the most significant life transformation ever. Society tells us that pregnancy is a magical time, and while this is true, it is also a time of many other emotions too.

Many women can feel overwhelmed by the prospect of their impending arrival and may feel anxious about what they will experience as life as a parent. With such a life-changing moment just around the corner, it can help to put some self-care habits into place to help you feel as prepared as possible for your new baby’s arrival, and to make the rest of your pregnancy as relaxed as it can be. As soon as you find out that you are expecting, subscribe for monthly Bump Boxes to make your pregnancy go smoothly.

Nutrition

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is of course always important, but doing so in pregnancy can feel like a challenge if you are suffering from morning sickness, or worse still, hyperemesis gravidarum. Trying to eat a diet which is as healthy as it can be is not only a great way to keep yourself feeling good but could also keep your baby healthier in the future too.

According to the Early Life Nutrition Coalition, the First 1000 Days are a crucial time, where your diet can impact on the chances of your child becoming obese in the future, and can also affect them having allergies. What you eat at the preconception stage and throughout pregnancy is worth considering carefully to get your child off to the best start in life.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a powerful tool to use in life in general but can come in especially handy during pregnancy and your life as a parent. Mindfulness is all about bringing your attention to the present moment and letting your thoughts come and go. With regular practice, mindfulness becomes second nature for use at times of anxiety and stress.

Keeping calm, and practicing mindfulness should help you from worrying about future scenarios, and past events, enabling you to focus on the here and now, and yourself and your baby.

Gentle Exercise

During pregnancy, you will probably need to change your existing exercise routine if it could be unsafe to follow during your pregnancy. Although you may have to put your usual routine on hold for a little while, you can try out some completely different activities instead, which will provide you with some gentle exercise.

Pregnancy yoga is a popular choice of exercise, which is no surprise as it offers many reputed benefits. Pregnancy yoga enables you to focus on your growing baby without all the interruptions of everyday life to disturb you. Your yoga session should fit well with your mindfulness practice, meaning that you can relax and exercise all at the same time, which should leave you feeling much calmer after the session. Joining a pregnancy yoga class is also great for making friends with other local expectant moms, and if you keep in touch, your baby will have a ready-made friendship group as soon as they are born!

Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor Muscles with Perifit — .

All women experience pregnancy differently but one thing remains the same. It’s a time to prepare for the changes ahead. Once baby arrives, life will become significantly different. Taking the time to focus on yourself now, means that baby will also benefit from your peaceful state. Using some of these pregnancy self care tips will give you a head start for maintaining your self care routine once you’re juggling the demands of a newborn baby.

Kristina’s Postpartum Depression Story

Continue reading “Kristina’s Postpartum Depression Story”

11 Surprising Side Effects of Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG for short, is a condition that affects less than 3% of pregnant women but can have dreadful side effects.

Due to the fact that it’s so uncommon and hard to pronounce and the majority of people have no idea what it is, it’s often described as “an extreme case of morning sickness.” Unfortunately, this description tends to lead others to believe that it’s no big deal. But hyperemesis gravidarum is NOT just an extreme case of morning sickness!

While it is characterized by nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, it is actually so much more than that. The side effects of hyperemesis gravidarum include dehydration and malnutrition which then cause one problem after another.

If you really want to know what it’s like living with this cruel condition, here are an additional 11 side effects hyperemesis gravidarum has on a pregnant body.

1. Fainting Spells

Actual fainting spells and feeling faint are a very common complaint for pregnant women with HG. Dehydration, low blood pressure and low blood sugar levels are all to blame. Standing or even sitting upright for long amounts of time can be very difficult to do. You may want to invest in a blood pressure monitor to help you keep track.

2. Muscle Atrophy

Women suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum spend most of their days lying in bed (when they’re not hanging headfirst over the toilet bowl). With very little energy to spare and a steady stream of sleep-inducing medications, there’s not much else they can do. This usually results in their muscles becoming weak and stiff. A gentle massage with some pain relieving essential oils can greatly help.

3. Leg Cramps

I can honestly say that the pain of leg cramps while bedridden with hyperemesis gravidarum was the closest thing to labor pains I have ever experienced. While many women experience leg cramps, HG or not, dehydration makes them 10 times more painful and harder to recover from (pretty sure I was limping to the toilet for a month). *Take note that sometimes, a pain in the calf can signal something worse*

4. Sore Throat

This should be an obvious one to anyone who has ever thrown up before… It’s not uncommon for women with hyperemesis gravidarum to vomit up to 50 times a day. This can result in a raw, sore throat that makes even speaking painful. Considering that most of what comes up is bile, the lining of the throat can be severely damaged and it’s not uncommon for women to have blood in their vomit both from tearing the throat and/or esophagus. An anesthetic throat spray is a great alternative to sucking on lozenges.

5. Acid Reflux

So we’ve established that everywhere from the mouth to the stomach resembles a war zone. This means,of course, that acid reflux will be the norm for the duration of the pregnancy. This, again, is something many women without HG experience, but this time – it’s not just a common case of heartburn. With torn tissues in the throat and esophagus – it can cause a constant burning sensation in the chest. If you can manage liquids, there are organic teas that can help with heartburn. If regular antacids aren’t working, then talk to your doctor about a prescription strength one.

6. Diarrhea

And if you weren’t spending enough of your time in the bathroom already, then this ought to fix that. You can expect this mess after receiving a round of IV fluids, taking a suppository anti-emetic or eating and drinking a little bit after a few days of not eating or drinking at all. It can be especially difficult to stay hydrated while you’re losing fluids out of both ends. Basically your entire gastrointestinal system gets messed up thanks to hyperemesis gravidarum. You may have to wait it out, or consider using an all-natural remedy.

7. Tooth Decay

All of that acidic vomit does a real number on your tooth enamel. And if you’re not getting the calcium and other nutrients you need for strong bones then you will notice it first in your teeth. We tend to forget how important chewing actual food is to keep our teeth healthy and when you’re suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum there is very little chewing, biting or eating going on at all. Let’s not forget about how even inserting a tooth brush into the mouth can induce vomiting. Instead, choose a mouthwash that has enamel protection AND is alcohol free and rinse out your mouth after you vomit.

How to help a woman with Hyperemesis Gravidarum — .

8. Hair Loss

We know about postpartum hair loss but did you know that you can also lose your hair if you’re extremely dehydrated and malnourished? So many vitamins and minerals are important for the growth of healthy hair and when you’re not getting those, your body has to steal them from somewhere else. So instead of boasting the luscious locks that many women claim to have during pregnancy – I was plucking handfuls of it off my pillowcase. Switch to a shampoo with castor oil to help strengthen your hair, and continue to use it postpartum.

How to Deal with Hair Loss Caused by Excessive Stress — .

9. Dry Skin

Dehydration can do some pretty crazy things to your skin. Not only does it get really dry and itchy, but it also loses a lot of it’s elasticity. I remember nurses doing “the pinch test” on the back of my hand each time I went into the hospital and each time it stayed up longer and longer. If you’re battling dehydration on the inside, try to seal in moisture on the outside. Make sure to choose an unscented moisturizer so as not to irritate your ultra-sensitive sense of smell.

Testing for Dehydration — Fix.com/blog/dehydration

10. Motion Sickness

If you’ve never experienced motion sickness before then prepare for the bumpy ride that is hyperemesis gravidarum. The delicate state of the stomach just can’t handle being tossed and turned. While anything and everything seemed to trigger nausea and vomiting anyway – moving around at all brought it on much faster. I would get motion sickness if I walked too fast or moved my head too quickly or even when I turned over in bed. Car rides were unbearable. Even feeling the baby kick, which should be a joyous sensation, triggered the nausea and vomiting. Sea bands became my best friend and I kept them on for the entire 9 months.

11. Depression

This was perhaps the worst of the side effects of hyperemesis gravidarum for me. The loneliness of the long days and nights I spent in bed – unable to even hold a conversation, left me feeling isolated and imprisoned. I couldn’t care for my other children and had to depend entirely on others for help which was very difficult for a control freak like me to do. I even needed help to shower.

The most depressing thought of all was that I had months and months of this ahead of me, unlike a bout of the stomach flu or food poisoning which tends to resolve itself in a matter of a few days. Nothing I tried gave me any relief – no combination of prescription medications, IV fluids or hospitalization solved the problem.

I seriously regretted getting pregnant and briefly contemplated terminating the pregnancy in order for it to end. Throughout my second pregnancy, I suffered from prenatal depression, which was made worse by the side effects of hyperemesis gravidarum.

Hyperemesis gravidarum and morning sickness are not the same.

A woman suffering from HG is unable to care for herself and will require help and attention during her pregnancy, she may even be admitted to the hospital for intravenous fluids or tube feeding. And while there are a lot of home remedies and even pharmaceuticals available for nausea and vomiting – the only real cure for HG is giving birth.

Get your prenatal vitamins

Invest in a maternity pillow

Comfortable maternity clothing

Morning sickness soothers

Getting Toddlers Excited

Breaking the News

Explaining Pregnancy

Author Bio

Focus on a Morning Meal

Make Time for Balanced Eating

Document and Adapt to Food Aversions

Author Bio

Morning Sickness

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Foodborne Illnesses

Causes and Risk Factors

Complications/Side-effects

Conclusion

Author Bio:

Pregnancy affects the entire body, including our oral health.

Here’s some more information about taking care of your oral health during pregnancy.

Gums tend to swell

Pregnancy “tumors” appear

Morning sickness can harm teeth

There’s lots of snoring

Increased need for calcium

Conclusion

Author bio:

Practicing self care during pregnancy can benefit moms as well as their growing babies.

Nutrition

Mindfulness

Gentle Exercise

Hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG for short, is a condition that affects less than 3% of pregnant women but can have dreadful side effects.

If you really want to know what it’s like living with this cruel condition, here are an additional 11 side effects hyperemesis gravidarum has on a pregnant body.

1. Fainting Spells

2. Muscle Atrophy

3. Leg Cramps

4. Sore Throat

5. Acid Reflux

6. Diarrhea

7. Tooth Decay

8. Hair Loss

9. Dry Skin

10. Motion Sickness

11. Depression

Hyperemesis gravidarum and morning sickness are not the same.

For more information and resources visit the Hyperemesis Education & Research Foundation at www.helpHER.org