During pregnancy a woman’s body changes. These changes can sometimes be
uncomfortable, but most of the time they are normal. In this chapter, we describe
some of these changes, and discuss ways to help women feel better. We also
explain how to tell when a woman’s discomfort may be a sign that something
dangerous is happening with her pregnancy.
There are many ideas about how to treat the discomforts of pregnancy. We
cannot explain all of these ideas here. If you know remedies or treatments for these
problems which we do not explain, use the remedies that work for you. We do not
have all the answers. But use the ideas on page 19 to help you decide if remedies
are helpful or if they may be harmful. Not all remedies work.
Changes in eating and sleeping
Upset stomach (nausea) and dislik e of some foods
Many women have nausea in the first months of pregnancy. Sometimes it is
called morning sickness. No one knows for sure what causes morning sickness, but
for many women, the way they eat affects it. If the nausea is mild, encourage the
woman to try any of these remedies:
• Eat a food that has protein before bed or
in the night. Some good foods with
protein are beans, nuts, and cheese.
• Eat a few crackers, dry bread, dry
tortillas, dry chapatis, or other grain
food when she first wakes up in the
morning.
• Eat many small meals instead of 2 or 3 larger ones, and take small sips
of liquid often.
• Take 50 milligrams vitamin B-6, 2 times each day. (Do not take more.)
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