Our Top 5 Tips for Pregnancy Comfort
All too often we hear how uncomfortable pregnancy can be- for a multitude of reasons. We are told that this is an unavoidable part of pregnancy and that nothing can be done to help! I do not believe this, nor should you. Here are our top 5 ways to stay comfortable during your pregnancy- no matter where you are in the 40+ week journey.
Self care:
Have you ever heard the phrase “you can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself”? This could not be more true during pregnancy. If you are not feeling like your normal self, how are you supposed to support little one’s growth? A big part to taking care of yourself is different types of self care. We love recommending epsom salt/magnesium baths- to help with muscle/grown aches and pains. A little known fact about the water, is that the pressure water places on your skin is the perfect pressure to help facilitate lymphatic movement. This is the system that works a bit more during pregnancy and helps to move fluid through our bodies. If it is not properly stimulated we see more swelling- no thank you cankles!
Belly taping:
Kinesiology tape can be a natural pain reliever when used during pregnancy. There are many different patterns you can use to help with everything from helping reduce tension on your belly, to SI joint pain, back pain and swelling! The tape itself can help promote circulation, aid in healing, provide support to specific areas and even reduce swelling. The tape gently lifts the skin to help any extra fluid be moved out, easing pressure in the area. This tape is designed to stay on your skin for 3-5 days through showering and working out, giving lasting relief.
Sleep:
It is no secret that sleep is required for the recovery phase of our lives. However, when you are pregnant, it can become difficult and uncomfortable. The name of the comfort game is to keep a neutral spine. With baby growing, it becomes harder and harder to do so- pregnancy pillows can help, and luckily there are many different shapes and sizes available. We recommend paying special attention to a couple different areas: your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Keeping a pillow in all of these areas can help to keep a more neutral spine, creating less muscle tension surrounding the joints! Think about stacking both sides onto each other to stay in the most relaxed position possible.
Movement:
We’ve said it quite a bit- Motion is Lotion! This cannot be stressed enough throughout pregnancy. We want to make sure you are maintaining an active lifestyle while pregnant to help with overall comfort. We put a bit more emphasis on hip movement and mobility throughout pregnancy to help ease tension build up in one area and keep a symmetric pelvis. Hip opener dynamic movements are essential before any workout or walk, or during days your body is calling for a rest day. In the office we love 90/90 sits, squat-to-target and lateral squats to hit all three planes of motion in the hips specifically.
Hydration:
Staying adequately hydrated is essential for everyone, but it plays an even more important role while you’re pregnant. The hormonal and physical changes that come along with pregnancy, cause your body to go through electrolytes and water at a quicker rate- creating an increased risk of dehydration. The American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommend getting 8-12 cups of water daily while pregnant. An easy way to increase water intake is to add fruits like berries or lemons and cucumbers to the water. In addition, we need to ensure true hydration outside of water alone, getting enough electrolytes can be a game changer in pregnancy. Drinking electrolytes daily ensures that your body has the minerals and tools to pull all of that water into the cells before it passes by! This can help improve feelings of fatigue, muscle cramps, restless legs, headaches, dry skin and many other “pregnancy symptoms”. There are many different options for electrolytes, at the office we love LMNT for the ratios of sodium and potassium with an added bonus of no artificial sweeteners or flavors!
There are many different ways to find a bit more comfort during pregnancy, these are just five ways we recommend starting out. Starting with simple changes like these can make a huge impact on your daily life and help with daily aches and pains to get you back to living your life while pregnant!
