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Following is a round up of some of the most popular but often overlooked questions about pregnancy. Hopefully they'll answer something you've been wondering about!
For moms who love spicy food and don’t have indigestion or heartburn, then by all means, have it and pass the hot peppers and salsa. You go girl! If you plan to breastfeed the baby then watch and see if eating spicy food causes any tummy upset in your little one. If they’re fine and you’re also fine, there is no reason to stop enjoying your favorite foods. I’m Italian and love to eat! I’d love to know what favorite foods you’re craving now that you’re pregnant?
Thankfully, there is no evidence that women who fall asleep on their back or who wake up on their backs are hurting their baby. We recommend that women sleep on their sides after 20 weeks to prevent any possible decrease in blood flow to the baby. It may be that your body is waking you up so that you can adjust your position. Some women get light headed if they are on their back for more than 5 minutes, others have no change in how they feel, so to be on the safe side, we recommend that women avoid prolonged periods on their back. Sweet Dreams!
Isn’t it interesting that no one ever tells us about some of the changes that we might experience in pregnancy? Especially things like this. I must admit that I snored too when I was pregnant. It’s was embarrassing because one night my husband heard me snoring and thought that a raccoon had gotten into our yard and was making noise outside the bedroom window!
I wish that it wasn’t true, but I’m sorry to say, that snoring is a normal and expected change in the late 2nd and early 3rd trimesters. The good news, is that snoring usually resolves after the baby is born, either that or people are so tired and exhausted, that they don’t hear it.
Anyway, here’s why: Women tend to retain fluid at this stage in pregnancy. You may have noticed it in your ankles and your hands and fingers. Swelling also occurs in your face and inside the nasal passages, which causes the air passages to narrow, which then leads to noisy breathing and the snoring. Try sleeping on your side with your head slightly elevated on an extra pillow, that might help. Some of my patients use earplugs.
Unfortunately, 1 in 8 babies are born too early. Though 50% of moms who deliver prematurely have no known risk factors, there are some things we’ve identified that put women at slightly increased risk. Here are some of the known risk factors for preterm labor:
There is a test that your doctor or health care provider can do to help predict whether you are more likely to deliver early, whether you have contractions or not. The test is known as the fetal fibronectin test, is similar to a pap smear, and can be done during an office visit. A negative test means that a woman is very, very unlikely to deliver in the next 7 to 14 days. A positive test doesn’t mean that the woman will absolutely deliver early, but gives the doctor or health care provider an opportunity to check for infections or to do an ultrasound to check for other signs of a possible early delivery. For more information see www.fullterm.net
Just about every one of my patients wonders about this. Some women will contract daily throughout their pregnancy and not go into labor, others will have a few contractions launches them into labor. Each woman is unique and will have a different experience, so it’s best to be in contact with your doctor or midwife about what you should look out for.
And, trust your instincts, if you’re worried, go in and be evaluated. We health care providers often also need more information and to do some tests to figure it out ourselves. We use an external monitor that evaluates whether the mom is contracting while also checking the baby’s heartbeat. Sometimes we’ll also check for infections and do an ultrasound.
Here’s a good rule of thumb, when in doubt, call your health care provider and explain what you’re feeling.
Barb Dehn, RN, MS, NP is a nationally recognized women's health expert and nurse practitioner, conference speaker, and national Media regular. In 2004 she founded Blue Orchid Press, an innovative publishing company that provides Health Guides for Women. To date, over 3 million guides have been distributed to women across the country in partnerships with pharmaceutical and biomedical companies, and she was given National Inspiration in Women’s Health Award from the National Association of Nurse Practitioners for her work on the guides, making her an award-winning author as well. Barb is an expert at connecting with women both through their health care providers and direct to consumer. Barb is married and has a 12 year old son.