5 Life Hacks for the Pregnant Michigan Mom in 2015
Guest Blogger
| 4 min read
As soon as a woman becomes pregnant, her life starts to change dramatically. Heightened emotions, excess weight, odd food cravings, along with various aches, pains, nausea and overall discomfort are quite common at different points throughout pregnancy. If you are looking for ways to minimize your stress and alleviate the anxiety that goes along with having a baby, here are five life hacks for today’s pregnant mom:
1. Keep hydrated by eating your water
Drinking a lot of water is essential during pregnancy. A pregnant mom must stay hydrated, for her health and for that of her unborn child. In addition to drinking water throughout the day, you can also eat your water. Health.com reports that most people get close to 20 percent of their daily water intake from solid foods, we recommend pregnant women opt for the life hack of eating fresh fruits and vegetables with high water content. The following foods are just a few of the ones which are approximately 90 percent water by weight:
- Cucumber
- Grapefruit
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Radishes
- Green peppers
- Cauliflower
- Watermelon
- Iceberg lettuce and spinach
2. Prepare and freeze meals ahead of time
While many women are able to continue working and maintain their usual level of activity throughout the entirety of their pregnancy, there are still simple ways to streamline certain actions. Making a meal, after a long day at work is often difficult, particularly during pregnancy when fatigue is common. Preparing and freezing your family’s meals ahead of time can save a pregnant mom a lot of time. It can give you an opportunity to spend less time on your feet and more time recuperating after your day. This life hack is also ideal for women whose doctors have recommended limited mobility or best rest. Plan to cook foods that can be frozen for later consumption or easily added to simple dishes so that the process of cooking a meal is easier.
3. Investing in a body pillow
Body pillows, also known as maternity pillows, are a great way for pregnant women to get a better and more comfortable night of sleep. As a woman’s belly expands with the growth of her child, she may find it more and more difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. Using a body pillow during pregnancy can aid breathing, add tummy support, help alleviate pain and help a pregnant woman get the sleep she needs. This particular life hack can also minimize the need for pain medications or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs during pregnancy.
4. Try to find natural pain relief methods
There is no way to know, with 100 percent certainty, which prescription drugs or OTC medicines are safe for you to use while pregnant. There are specific medications your doctor may recommend, so long as the benefit outweighs the potential risk to your unborn child, however these are few and far between. The simplest way to alleviate your cough, cold, nausea or pregnancy-related pain is to try and opt for natural methods:
- Drink warm water and honey and lemon to soothe a sore throat or scratchy throat.
- A humidifier or steam from a hot shower can help clear out sinuses.
- Pregnancy exercise programs and stretching exercises are two ways to alleviate back pain during pregnancy.
- Feeling nauseated? Trying eating a few salty potato chips. Sniffing lemon or ginger can also help alleviate feelings of nausea or an upset stomach.
- Eat smaller meals, and do so more regularly, to improve control over nausea or vomiting.
- Caffeine, chocolate, aspartame, and foods containing MSG are common triggers for headaches during pregnancy. Eliminating these items from your diet can help reduce the frequency of these occurrences.
- Ice packs, massage or rest in a quiet, dark room can also alleviate migraine and other headache pain in pregnancy.
5. Keep items you need within reach
One of the simplest life hacks a pregnant woman can use is to move the items you use need within arm’s reach. Over-stretching, climbing on stools and ladders, crawling under tables and even bending down can be dangerous for a pregnant woman. Keeping items you need within reach can help you maintain your daily routines while minimizing the risk of injury to you and your unborn child.
Using life hacks can help make pregnancy more enjoyable
There are numerous life hacks moms can use to make their daily activities more efficient, and their lives more enjoyable during pregnancy. Using these life hacks can help minimize the need for pain medications and the potential risk that go along with certain OTC and prescription drugs.
Photo credit: Vanessa Porter
Ashley Krohn is a new mom, sports enthusiast, iced coffee fanatic and animal lover. When I’m not receiving slobbery baby kisses (whether that be from my son or one of our critters) I enjoy writing about topics relating to health, family and marketing. One of Ashley’s latest endeavors is a website dedicated to keeping the consumer informed on medical recalls, side effects of their prescription drugs, and other important factors relating to health. Www.RecallGuide.org. Find her on Twitter @Tweetinash.
