What to do when I get sick during my pregnancy

Medicine, Pregnancy No Responses »
Dec 052009

Unfortunately, we do get sick when we are pregnant. The first question you ask yourself might be: what kind of medication should I take? My advice to you is DO NOT TAKE over-the-counter medication casually. If you read the labels on medications, they will usually tell you it is not safe to take them if you are pregnant. So, do consult your doctors, and let your doctors know that you are pregnant (if it is not that visible), he or she will take good care of you.

Some of you may be hesitant to take the medications that your doctors prescribed. Please be assured that your doctors will only prescribe medications that are considered safe to you and your babies. And my doctor used to tell me that the risk of not taking the medication on my baby was actually greater than taking the medication. If my sickness continued and if I did not get better, it would hurt my baby much further. My advice? Take the prescribed medication, take LOTS of REST and drink PLENTY of WATER! That’s the key to a speedy recovery.

Some of you may still want to avoid medication completely. If so, you may try the following to relieve your symptoms.

Common Cold

  • Drink plenty of water
  • Get lots of rest
  • Orange juice or juices with vitamin C
  • Fruits and vegetables with well balanced vitamins
  • Gargle warm salt water to relieve the scratchy throat
  • Salt water (saline) nasal spray to clear the nasal passage. The non-medicated ones are safe to use and you can use as often as you wish.
  • If you have a humidifier (warm or cool mist are both fine), use one. Moistening the room air is always good for your cold.
  • If you cough, have some lemon – hot water. Add a few pieces of lemon into a cup of hot water. Drink it slowly. It will help relieve your cough.

Fever

  • Again, water will perform the magical touch. Have plenty of it!
  • Dress accordingly. You do not want to get over-heated.
  • Aspirin is not recommended as it is considered unsafe to the unborn babies. So, if you are to take medication, ibuprofen and acetaminophen are your safe bet. Ibuprofen is only recommended up to the end of the second trimester, while acetaminophen is considered safe throughout the whole term. And the same old advice, DO NOT take any medication without doctor’s consultation. And if symptoms persist, also let your doctors know.

Heartburn

There are a few Over-The-Counter antacids, such as Tums, Mylanta, Maalox, or Rolaids, are safer than others to take during pregnancy. If you are not sure what to take, again, consult your doctors.

Allergy

Allergens are all around – dusts, animal hair, cigarette smokes, polluted air…the list can go on. Unfortunately, almost all medications (except antihistiamines) that treat allergies are not safe to the mother nor the babies. Even the medicines you have been taking before your got pregnant might not be safe. Due to the tricky medication issue, the best thing to do is to AVOID allergens. Make sure your immediate is free from allergens; stay away from strong household chemicals; avoid being around smokers. If you nasal passage is blocked, the recommended way of clearing it is by spraying salt water (saline) nasal spray.

Among Chinese, there is a saying that pregnant women won’t get sick. It is actually NOT true. So, please take good care of yourself and avoid getting sick.

* Warning! Every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy of information provided. However, I shall not be responsible for any harm that you or any person may suffer as a result of using the information of this site.

Posted by Ada at 6:56 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

I would like to stay fit during my pregnancy...

Pregnancy, Recreational Activities 1 Response »
Nov 292009

Obviously, all women have to stay fit whenever. It is also important to stay fit when you are pregnant. Before we move on, please keep in mind of the following:
1. Avoid exercises that may cause you to fall from heights, e.g. ice-skating, skiing, riding on a real bike (stationary bikes are fine). This is because as you grow bigger, it is harder to keep yourself balanced. And obviously, falls are to be avoided.
2. Do not do exercises on your back (whether it is weight lifting or yoga), it would hurt yourself and your baby.
3. There are women who would go scuba diving. Although considered safe, there has not been conclusive studies on the effect of water pressure onto the moms-to-be and the babies. Therefore, think twice before you dive.

There are many exercises that you can do, try consider the following:
1. Low-impact aerobic exercises that would not strain your back are perfectly okay.
2. Some of you enjoy yoga and it is a great way to keep fit and strengthen your muscles. If possible, try to enroll in prenatal classes since they will know best what poses you should practice and avoid. Avoid hot yoga since you do not need to be overheated. Getting overheated is not good for pregnant women.
3. Weight lifting – sure, no problem. But please stay with lighter weights. Remember, do not weight lift on your back, it is not good for you nor the baby.
4. Cycling - stationary bikes are fine. Please ensure you are well supported when getting on and off in order not to fall. And if you grow too big and you do not feel comfortable cycling anymore, STOP! Also, do not attempt a real bike since you are less apt to react should accidents happen.
5. Jogging - consult your doctor before you start jogging
6. Walking - do lots of it. It helps you to relax and give you ample exercises at the same time.
7. It is actually not recommended to swim. There are concerns that you might get vaginal infection from the pool water or sea water, and it will in turn affect the baby. On the other hand, swimming can take a lot of the pressure off your back, especially in the second and third trimester. So, check with you OB before you go.

If you feel uncomfortable whenever you are exercising, slow down, and then stop. If you are ever in doubt, consult your doctor.

Posted by Ada at 1:25 am Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

You are the most beautiful woman in the world, aren't you?

Beauty, Pregnancy No Responses »
Nov 272009

When you are pregnant – YOU ARE! I can testify that! The changes in my body might have made me a bit chubby, but I did glow everyday in every way!

Nevertheless, we still have to upkeep our beauty. But can you still go through your beauty routine – hair coloring, perm, facial, massage, etc? Let me tackle these one by one.

Facial - if it is simple basic/spa facial WITHOUT essential oils, it is okay to go, as long as there is no complicated machines landing on your face and neck.

Massage - it is really a good ideas to go for prenatal massages since the back of the moms-to-be are always under stress. However, make sure you go to a licensed practitioner who knows what he/she is doing. Also, please consult your doctor before getting a massage, since some doctors do not recommend their patients having one during the first trimester.

Hair treatments – Obviously you can have your routine haircut. However, try to stay away from perm and coloring. Although these treatments claimed to be relatively safe, I dare not to risk my baby’s health. Chemicals can enter our bloodstream during perming and coloring. You may say the amount is minute; however, there is no conclusive study that these treatments are 100% safe. So, stay away from them if possible. Come on! You can live without a perm or color for 9 months, I am sure!

Aromatherapy - studies have shown that some essential oils may have effects on the unborn babies. Therefore, stay away from them as well.

Manicure and pedicure – if you must go to professional salons to get your nails done, try to bring your own instruments. This will greatly reduce chances of getting infection using instruments that other customers use. In addition, ensure the place is well ventilated so you don’t inhale too much of the chemicals.

The bottom line: only go with the basics, nothing too fancy or exotic. After all, you have a natural glow, and it will last for 9 months, enjoy what nature brings you.

Posted by Ada at 11:18 pm Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Folic Acid

Medicine, Pregnancy No Responses »
Nov 262009

Ideally, you should have started taking folic acid (also known as vitamin B9) before getting pregnant. Folic acid is especially important in the first four weeks of your pregnancy, during which there will be rapid cell division and growth – specifically the development of the brain, skull, and spinal cord. That is also why you should start taking folic acid if you plan to get pregnant, because by the time you found out that you are pregnant, it would have past the four weeks.

A lack of folic acid / folate (the naturally occurring form) can result in many health problems. The most well-known is neural tube defects (NTD) in developing embryos. An NTD happens when there is an opening in the spinal cord or brain. With NTDs, the skull and/or vertebrae (back bones), brain and/or spinal cord are exposed. NTDs can cause life-long complications, depending on the severity. In the most severe cases, some babies won’t even last 24 hours after they are borned.

So, if you plan to get pregnant, consult your O.B. and have him/her prescribe the appropriate amount of folic acid to you.

Although taking folic acid does not automatically guarantee a birth-defect-free baby, it certainly reduces the possibility. It has been noted that the risk of toxicity from folic acid is quite low. This is because folate is a water soluble vitamin, i.e. it is regularly removed from the body through urine.

Posted by Ada at 12:11 am Tagged with: , , , ,

For the moms-to-be

Pregnancy No Responses »
Nov 252009

Friends around me are getting pregnant. As a mom of two lovely boys, I want to share my experience with everyone – from pregnancy to parenting. Hope my past experience can help my friends better prepare for their pregnancies as well as parenting – especially the Dos and Don’ts.

My organization will be divided into the three trimesters (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), and under different topics, such as beauty, medicine, travel, exercises, etc. Hope this will give all of you a good way of finding your needed information.

Don’t forget the most important thing of all: Enjoy your pregnancy – the thrill is second to none!
For those of you who loves to read, this is a GREAT book! This was my bible for my two pregnancies!

Posted by Ada at 11:31 pm Tagged with: ,
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