YOUR doctor has just confirmed that you are pregnant. Your partner and you are over the moon as you begin making plans for baby’s arrival. Everything looks happy and exciting, until you begin experiencing weird symptoms.
They are defined as such because they are nothing like the rosy descriptions of pregnancy you often hear about. After all, isn’t pregnancy supposed to be the time when your hair, skin and face will be aglow with maternal bliss? Not completely, apparently. As your tummy grows in size, be prepared to encounter some changes that you might be too embarrassed to ask your doctor about. Here are the most common ones:
I want sex all the time, or not at all
Intimacy issues are most often kept under wraps by both the expectant mother and her partner, especially in Asia. Many women are too embarrassed to ask whether it’s normal for them to have an increased sex drive, or even whether it’s safe to have intercourse during pregnancy. It is common to feel more frisky than normal during the second trimester when the nausea and morning sickness have receded. As the body begins gearing up for childbirth, there will be increased blood flow to the nether regions, which explains the increased desire.
The opposite applies to some women with deeply embedded cultural values that frown upon sexual intercourse during pregnancy, or who have experienced miscarriages previously. These women may prefer to abstain from sex throughout the nine months, sometimes causing friction with their partners who may not share the same pantang. At times, the male partner is the one hesitant about sex when the wife is pregnant, out of concern for the baby’s safety. Some may feel uncomfortable about having a “third party” present during intercourse, despite it being an unborn foetus!
Generally, sex during pregnancy is safe if conducted gently and within the comfort levels of the pregnant woman. Avoid intercourse when the delivery date is too close as it may bring about contractions and premature birth.
I’m leaking!
Incontinence affects almost every pregnant woman because of the increased pressure of the foetus on the bladder. Not surprisingly, toilet trips become more frequent, but many are caught offguard when they can’t even hold it until they get there. Wetting themselves when they sneeze, laugh or cough is certainly not something pregnant mothers expect, especially when at work. The temporary solution is to use urinary pads or panty liners to stay dry as much as possible. In the meantime, start strengthening your pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises.
I’m getting pimples
While some pregnant women enjoy smooth, glowing skin throughout their nine months, others experience unsightly pimples and other skin changes, such as freckles, dark spots and oily skin. Even women who never had a breakout their entire life may suddenly develop acne on their face, chest or back. Blame it on the hormones – during pregnancy, the hormones go through a rollercoaster ride, which triggers all kinds of weird and wonderful bodily changes, including mood changes and tearfulness.
Check with your doctor before using any oral or topical medications for acne control as some medications may cross the placenta and reach the baby. Use acne medications sparingly, or bear with it for just a few months.
I’m full of gas!
Some women literally turn into a “gas bomb” during pregnancy, burping or breaking wind throughout the day, and even night. This can get intensely embarrassing if it happens at work or when among friends or family. The good news is that this is a normal occurrence caused (again!) by the increase in hormonal activity, which creates havoc on your digestive tract.
The growing baby pressing upon your stomach does not help either, so you just have to be more discerning with your food choices. Avoid food and drinks that are gas-producing, such as soft drinks, beans, onions, cabbage and dairy products. Exercising also helps, as it aids digestion and reduces gas build-up.
I’m growing hair in strange places
First, you are happy to hear that pregnancy will give you lovely, luscious locks. But that might change when you find that hair is not just happily sprouting on your head, but at other spots such as the breasts, stomach, back or face. A small group of women even sprout a mini mustache or beard, to their horror.
The additional hair is caused by hormonal imbalance (what’s new?). This usually stops after baby’s delivery, so don’t bother about costly or potentially harmful permanent hair-removal treatments, such as lasers. In the meantime, stick to waxing, tweezing or hair removal creams if the hairy parts bother you. Try a small area first before going all out as your skin is more sensitive during this period.
I smell bad, or is it you?
Many pregnant women become unusually conscious of their own bodily smells, believing that their private parts, breath or sweat have a strong scent. Or they become intensely averse to day-to-day smells in their lives: their partner’s or colleague’s perfume, cooking odours, raw seafood or meat, the car freshener, the detergent, etc.
For mysterious reasons, pregnancy tends to enhance the olfactory senses, making everything smell stronger than they normally do. Understanding – and accepting – this will reduce arguments and conflicts. Thankfully, the heightened sense of smell will disappear after baby’s arrival, so just bear with the temporary situation.
My bottom half has a life of its own!
As you enter the third trimester, you’ll find yourself losing control over your bottom half, with heavy vaginal discharge, constipation and haemorrhoids ruling the day. The increased vaginal discharge is caused by the raised oestrogen level in your body, especially in the third trimester, in preparation for the birth. Needless to say, this is the best time to get panty liners in bulk, and you will be using sanitary pads for the menstrual-like lochia that lasts for a month or so.
Constipation and haemorrhoids during pregnancy are closely linked – the difficulty in passing motion leads to straining, which causes the formation of haemorrhoids at the opening of the anus. Both these conditions are the result of a sluggish digestive system, which is naturally disrupted during pregnancy as hormonal changes drive nutrients to the growing foetus.
0.The growing baby pressing on the bowels makes matters worse. Taking more fibre-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and staying hydrated will help.
My breasts leak!
As the baby’s delivery date approaches, the breasts start preparing for breastfeeding by doubling its size. This makes the breasts itch – and sometimes, leak milk at certain times of the day, especially if this isn’t your first baby. Using washable breast pads will help contain leaking milk and save you the embarrassment of wetting your blouse at unexpected moments.
If you’re having trouble broaching this topic with your partner, consider inviting your partner to an ob-gyn visit. Having a doctor say that these are all normal things can help make you feel less embarrassed.
THE STAR MALAYSIA, May 17, 2014
By Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar
