Must-ask
Questions this Week (Week 11)
I am dealing with a lot of stress
at home and work. I wonder if this
is harming my baby?
Wistfully pregnant women should be
exempted from stress for those nine
months. Unfortunately this is not
possible. Financial worries, marital
conflicts, and job frustrations continue
to plague us and added to this, pregnancy
discomforts worsen the situation.
You are right to keep stress at bay
cause of its harmful effects on the
baby (stress releases chemicals that
can trigger uterine contractions and
cause preterm labor and the birth
of low birth babies). The good news
is studies show that women's threshold
to handle stress increases as pregnancy
progresses. Further, there are certain
things you can do to manage your stress
better during pregnancy.
Practice your relaxation breathing.
This skill will come in handy during
labor and beyond. Breathe deeply enough
so that your belly rises and falls.
You may want to practice a little
to learn what pace and intensity of
relaxation breathing works for you
Pay attention to your physical health.
This is a no-brainer but still worth
a mention since we tend to neglect
or forget the link between our physical
and mental health. Exercise regularly
with your doctor's permission. Eat
ample quantities of healthy foods
and rest adequately Kick your caffeine
habit as this only heightens stress
levels During pregnancy you should
always share your thoughts and feelings
with someone you can rely on. Talk
to your partner or close friend about
your frustrations and ideas. Find
a counselor if you feel you need professional
help. This is a fairly common problem
and help is always around.
Is it safe to have a massage
during pregnancy?
If you decide to go for a massage,
ensure the masseur has experience
in massaging pregnant women. Deep
massage on the legs is a definite
no-no during time. Pregnant women
are prone to varicose veins and vigorous
leg massage can cause a blood clot
in the leg to become dislodged causing
disability or even death. A less vigorous
massage has plenty to offer: it can
ease complaints such as leg cramps,
headaches, fluid retention or swollen
ankles. Your position has to be different.
During the early weeks you want to
avoid positions that put a lot of
weight on your breasts, which tend
to be tender during this stage. As
you grow heavier you will need to
work around your belly. After the
fifth month you want to avoid lying
flat on your back because this position
can lead to dizziness and fainting.
While the side-lying position seems
to work the best, there are other
positions you and your therapist may
want to experiment with. Hint: special
massage pillows may help here.
What spa treatments
are considered suitable?
• As a rule of thumb you should
steer clear of any treatments that
involve high temperatures viz whirlpools,
saunas, steam rooms, heat wraps etc
or the use of any herbal or botanical
products that could be potentially
harmful to your baby. There are treatments
that you can enjoy without worry,
and which will make you feel more
attractive and help you relax as well.
• A facial treatment designed
to unplug oily pores can help minimize
acne outbreaks which many women are
prone during pregnancy.
• A pedicure and foot massage
can be sheer delight for those aching
feet. It feels very comforting to
have your swollen, tired feet cleaned,
massaged and painted by someone else.
This becomes particularly true in
the later months when you are too
big to do all this yourself.
• A body scrub with moisturizer
will help you to get rid of the buildup
of dead skin cells that can otherwise
lead to an itchy belly. It can also
help your body replenish some of the
moisture lost as a result of hormone-induced
skin dehydration.
