Your Pregnancy journey
You could still be feeling nauseatic at this stage. It also completely normal for you to experience increased vaginal discharge. As long as the experience is not painful and the discharge is odourless, you have nothing to worry about. Incase you experience any pain do contact your doctor.
Here are a few tips to manage ‘Anytime Sickness’.
1. Eat small meals and make sure you stay away from fried and processed foods. Also stay away from sugary foods.
2. If this is a morning affliction for you, then don’t just jump out of bed raring to go. Keep a jar of dry crackers or plain biscuits next to your bed. Reach for one as soon as you wake up and nibble on it. Lie back and snooze for an additional 15 minutes and then get started.
3. If it is “Anytime” affliction then I would recommend snacking on a dry toast or a plain biscuit every couple of hours. These are carbohydrates and will help settle the stomach acids.
4. Run an inventory of smells which trigger off the nausea. For some it may be the toothpaste and for others it may be certain foods. Try and keep away from the smells which irritate you.
5. Ginger plays a great role in helping you handle this condition. Nibbling on a tiny sliver of ginger or mixing ginger juice with a little honey and consuming a teaspoon when you feel uncomfortable can give relief.
6. You could also avoid spicy foods and make sure you eat your high protein foods with enough fibre in the form of fresh fruits of vegetables
7. Anti-nausea bands are also available in the market and these can be used for relief.
Most of the times the hormonal changes are most dramatic in the first few weeks and they settle down in the second trimester. It is important to remember that the baby is feeding of the mother and in the first few weeks even if you are not able to hold too much the baby will get nourished from your reserves. You will do well to identify certain foods which suit you and mix and match them to form your own days meal plan. Its really ok to eat the same foods every day as long as they are healthy, you are able to hold them and they make you feel comfortable. You might want to stay away from high protein foods for a few weeks as they take longer to digest and hence can make you feel uncomfortable. If you are unable to hold anything then you must inform your doctor as this is known as ‘hyperemesis gravidarum’ and this condition needs to be treated. Medications prescribed to help you cope with these hormonal changes are safe to be taken during pregnancy so do follow your doctor’s instructions and guidelines.
Your baby’s growth
Hurrah! There are some more cute little tiny formations this week in your baby’s body. Your baby’s eyes and ears are visible and the face is now in the process of resembling a normal human face. Can’t help but imagine what it’s like right? The baby’s internal organs are now all in place, they are however not yet developed completely and will continue to grow over the next few week before they can function well. The baby is now app. 2-5 cms long. Miraculous isn’t it? Well, he /she is your greatest joy and you know that this feeling of love is like no other