Pregnancy can be both—an exciting and anxious time for most mums. But while the joy of being able to hold your little one in your arms is palpable, the discomforts that come with pregnancy can be a dampener.
Depending on which stage you are in, you will experience some symptoms that may be fleeting, and others that may become more permanent. This was exactly what Singaporean mums on the AsianParent community shared.
Almost eight new mums shared their personal and intimate experiences during pregnancy. From cramping, to nausea, to morning sickness, to fatigue to even breast tenderness.
Nothing was off limit, but there was one issue that was common among them all.
Singapore Mums Share Their Pregnancy Experience Stories
Screengrab: theAsianparent community
A user named ‘SweetieZ’ shared that she is expecting her child in November 2021. She asked other mums to come forward and share their pregnancy experience as well so she wouldn’t feel alone going through it.
To her contentment, many new mums shared their personal stories.
1. Extreme nausea
One new mum by the name Sharon, wrote that she felt extreme nausea during her pregnancy.
“Nausea when hungry, gag when full, feel super bloated after a meal, keep burping and farting. Difficulty sleeping at night woke up to pee and can’t fall back to sleep. Afternoon feeling fatigued and need a nap. Now my tongue got a funny taste, whenever I drink plain water, I feel I’m gonna vomit,” she shared.
To which, mum named Dada came to the rescue and shared a tip with other fellow would-be mummies. It was something she is following to get some relief from nausea.
She wrote:”Due in Nov 21 too! Feeling very fatigued lately.. always gravitating to the bed. Nausea is always lingering and worsens when I’m hungry.. but I found that sipping on cold lemon juice w honey and ginger helps me a lot.”
2. Cramping
Screengrab: theAsianparent community
Another new mum named, Dee who is also expecting her child on November 28 wrote: “Starting to feel tired, slight nausea and kept on cramping. Didn’t remember this much cramping during 1st pregnancy.”
3. Stomach discomfort
While another mum shared that she is currently experiencing stomach discomfort.
She noted, “Nausea and fatigue constantly. Even waking up in the middle of the night due to stomach discomfort. Trying to keep myself sane.”
4. Morning sickness has gotten worse at night
Mum Daphne Fang shared,”Nausea. Sometimes confused with bloated, hungry or gastric. Trying to find the best food that can comfort my nausea. The worst part of the day is the morning wake up and near sleeping time.” Even mum Reina echoed a similar sentiment and wrote, “I feel the exact same as you! I feel my morning sickness gets worst at night.”
Overall, most Singaporean mums who responded to this mum’s post seem to point at nausea as being the major pregnancy discomfort culprit.
However, it is only the only one that often worries expecting mums.
Pregnancy Discomforts You Shouldn’t Worry About
There are some other pregnancy discomforts (based on the pregnancy experience stories) that expecting mums worry about. But shouldn’t. For your convenience and better understanding, we have listed some of these common pregnancy concerns and ways to deal with them.
1. Fatigue
This is a very common experience during pregnancy. The reason you feel so tired all the time is that your growing baby requires extra energy and all that energy is borrowed from you. However, sometimes, it may be a sign of anaemia (low iron in the blood), which is common during pregnancy. So if you feel tired consistently for weeks, it may be a good idea to raise this with your doctor.
2. Constipation
Irregular bowel movements during pregnancy are also quite common. However, this may cause you to feel bloated, gassy, and clogged up. Did you know that constipation tends to start as early as progesterone levels rise, around the second to the third month of pregnancy? It may get worse as pregnancy progresses and your uterus grows.
So how do you control this issue? A simple solution is to include fibre-rich foods that can help you eliminate waste. You should aim for 25 to 35 grams each day of foods like banana. Also, incorporating a fibre supplement like Metamucil Smooth Orange 4-in-1 Fibre Supplement can be beneficial. With its multi-health fibre formula, it helps maintain digestive health and promotes regular bowel movements, providing long-term relief and promoting gut health. Additionally, try to drink between eight and 10 8-ounce glasses of fluids (water, vegetable or fruit juice, and/or broth) every day to keep solids moving through your digestive tract and make your stool soft and easier to pass.
3. Frequent urination
You may feel the need to urinate frequently when you are pregnant. | Image courtesy: Pixabay
Frequent urination can be one of the most uncomfortable feelings during pregnancy. Those nighttime bathroom trips don’t even allow you to sleep at a stretch. Now this may start in the first trimester, around week 35 onwards.
Pregnancy hormone hCG, which increases the blood flow to your pelvic area is to be blamed for your bathroom runs. Also, the growing uterus shares equal responsibility since it puts pressure on your bladder, giving it less room to store urine. But there is nothing to worry here.
4. Tender breasts
If you are in your early pregnancy, you will understand what it is to experience breast pain. It is in fact, the first symptom of pregnancy, occurring as early as one to two weeks after conception. The sore boob sensation continues to peak in the first trimester because your body is flooding with hormones.
There are some other changes which you will notice taking place in your breasts. If you are in your first trimester, you may also notice blue veins pumping extra blood into your breasts. During your second trimester, your areolas — the pigmented areas around your nipples — will have become darker.
By the time, you hit your third trimester, some of you may also begin leaking a yellowish fluid called colostrum. It is an immune-boosting fluid that your baby will drink in the days following delivery.
You will find that some of these symptoms may occur in the early weeks, while others emerge closer to the time of delivery.
Now, while these discomforts may be nothing to worry about, it are still discomforts nonetheless. So here are some tips that will help you overcome them.
- Get plenty of rest and go to bed earlier and even take naps
- Wear comfortable, loose fitted clothes
- Avoid lifting heavy objects
- Wear low-heeled (but not flat) shoes to avoid backaches
- Do some moderate exercise daily to boost your energy level
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Add colour to your plate by eating fruits and other green vegetables
- Avoid spicy food which may cause heartburn and acidity
- Eat home-made healthy food to avoid the risk of stomach upset from contamination
Over the course of nine months, it is important to take care of your health. Once your little one arrives, all your time and energy will revolve around the newborn. Enjoy this beautiful phase before you embrace motherhood and its new responsibilities!
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