Your Body

Taking care

- Avoid standing or sitting for long stretches to avoid varicose veins.
- Carry on eating high fibre foods to prevent constipation.
- Know what infections to avoid in pregnancy.
- Lear and know more about what happens during labour and birth. Learn what happens when you get to the hospital and how you need to be prepared.
- Talk, talk and talk to share your emotions – you will have a range of feelings and can get quite sad and emotional about loved ones, especially those who have passed away.
Ask your doctor

- I am very emotional most of the time. What should I do?
- Are my baby’s movements’ okay? What should I expect when I go to the hospital to deliver? Are there any injections I need to prevent getting infections in pregnancy?
- When I go to the bathroom it burns; I get lower-abdominal pain and dark foul-smelling urine. I don’t feel good. Please help.
Your to do list

- Find out what injections you need to prevent infections in pregnancy.
- Book an antenatal appointment with your doctor.
- Discuss and plan with your husband what happens and how to prepare for labour and birth.
- Speak to your mother and best friend to talk about how you feel and the emotions you are going through.
Questions you may have
“I was on an emotional rollercoaster! At times I felt excited. Other times I was nervous or both. I also felt sad thinking about my father who had passed away the previous year, especially knowing he would never get to meet my baby. I got advice to talk a lot. So, talk, talk, and talk. Talk to friends, family, your doctor, and discuss anything that's worrying you. That helped me a lot.”
“Chickenpox in pregnancy can be dangerous for both mother and baby. You should talk to your doctor if you never had chicken pox before. CMV is herpes like virus which is quite common especially in children and it can be dangerous for your baby. Washing your hands regularly with soap and water and not sharing food with children can help prevent CMV. There are a few other infections you can find out more about by asking your doctor.”
Depression in Pregnancy
Depression in pregnancy also called antenatal depression is a clinical condition.
It is not a sign of weakness and not something that will go away easily on its own or that can be ‘snapped out of'. Antenatal depression can be treated with the right care and support.
Common symptoms are -
- feel 'low' or the 'blues' most of the time. Can’t enjoy life. Feel tearful without any obvious reason.
- don't engage with people including family members or events.
- difficulty in concentrating. can also feel restless and agitated.
- feel guilty and/or sense of worthlessness. Lack of self-confidence.
- Self-harm or contemplating suicide.
All or some of these symptoms may come on gradually or may be sudden. Trust yourself. You are the best judge of whether your feelings are normal and usual for you.
Around one in every ten pregnant women has antenatal depression that can be clinically diagnosed.
Talk to your doctor or health care professional and make sure you get the right treatment and service you need.
Disclaimer
The Kushal website and services offers health, fitness and nutrition related suggestions for informational purposes only. The information provided does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have concerns about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional.