Questionsome days i feel bigger then others i'm not sure if this is due to bloating or just being pregnant. i found out on November 5th i was 4-8 weeks along, but i know i got pregnant sometime within the last 2 weeks of September so i'm roughly like 4 months along i think. i have an appt on the 16th for the first time. and i don't know whats up.
I'm also having mild cramping in my abdominal/pelvic area and i think its due to everything just stretching/moving and what not. my thighs also feel sore like i ran a marathon.
i haven't slept the past 2 weeks that well either i find myself having sleepless night nights and sleeping almost 75% of the day. is this normal or is my sleep cycle just all messed up?
I'm also getting frequent headaches, there not bad but i take Tylenol i just don't want to take to much i take the correct dosage when i have my headaches but can taking it to much hurt the baby?
i also have only thrown up 4 times since i found out. one day like a month or so ago it was 3 times and like a week or so ago it was just one time.
I'm also really gassy.. i know this is normal but is there anything i can do about it to relieve it?
sorry to bombard you with questions this is my first time and i'm all sorts of confused!!! thank you for your time.
AnswerDear Kylie,
Most all your symptoms are related to the increased amount of progesterone circulating through your body with your pregnancy.
The nausea is normal - some women are sick every day, several times a day. Others are never sick. Most fall somewhere in between, like you.
The headaches are hormonal in nature as well. Most doctors are fine with taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy, following dosage limitations as directed on the packaging.
The bloating and increased gas is also due to the increased progesterone relaxing your smooth muscle, which slows down your digestive tract. This can also cause constipation. The most effective way to reduce gas may be to cut back on the foods that are most likely to cause it. But if you eliminated EVERYthing that might cause gas, it would be hard to eat a balanced diet. The foods most likely to cause gas are beans, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus. Some people have trouble with onions, pears, artichokes, and sodas and fruit drinks sweetened with fructose. Sodas should be avoided anyway, as they are empty calories and the carbonation can contribute to bloating. Otherwise, eating several small meals during the day, rather than large meals, may help. Also limit how much you drink during meals. You can make up for it during the rest of the day. Drinking from a cup, rather than a bottle or through a straw, also limits additional air ingestion. Plus - Exercise! Even a brisk walk can help your sluggish digestive tract.
Taking a walk in the evening can also help with sleeping at night. The disruption of sleep at night may simply be due to being more uncomfortable, especially if you sleep with a partner. During pregnancy women do experience increased fatigue and the only real cure is to get more sleep. Eight-ten hours per night is suggested with a nap during the day if needed. You absolutely need to get your rest, but to get yourself back on track with sleeping at night, you may need to start limiting your daytime sleep little by little. If you continue to allow yourself to sleep 75% of the day, your body will definitely get used to staying awake at night and sleeping during the day.
The mild cramping in your pelvis is not abnormal and I'd suspect the pain in your legs is either muscle soreness or a bit of pain from some pressure on your sciatic nerve.
If you believe you conceived the last two weeks of September, this would coincide with the 4-8 week range they gave you on 11/5. They will calculate your estimated due date based on the 1st day of your last menstrual period. This likely would have been between 9/5-9/14 if you are sure you conceived the last two weeks of September. For instance, if your LMP started on 9/9, you likely conceived on 9/24, making you 17 weeks today and giving you an estimated due date of 6/17/07. They will also likely do an ultrasound to confirm dates. Do not be surprised that they will also be doing some bloodwork at that first visit. It is completely routine.
I hope this information has helped you and answered all of your questions. I wish you well and increased comfort as you go along! :-)
Brenda
