Health Topic

Homoeopathic Support for Pregnant Women

To become pregnant is a blessing. To be chosen as the nest and growing place of a new life can feel sacred and special.

Sometimes no matter how pleased we are that we are pregnant, the physical reality may feel quite different, especially in the first three months as our body adjusts to its new role. Pregnancy is not a disease - we are not ill and yet we can still be affected by the "usual" coughs, colds or minor ailments and at this special time we will want to be especially careful about what chemicals we put into our body. We want to keep our precious baby safe and to stay as healthy as possible during our pregnancy.

Homoeopathy is a gentle and safe way of treating ailments - whether you are pregnant or not. The remedies are quite safe for you to take and will not harm your unborn child. You can refer to other areas of this website for general support for your health - and for Homoeopathic Kits to buy - but there are also health problems particular to pregnant women.

Morning Sickness - this is a real misnomer - the sickness can come at anytime for some women. Sometimes it seems never to stop. Each woman will have particular individual symptoms and these will help lead to a choice of remedy to suit these differences.

IPECACUANHA - for constant nausea, which is no better after vomiting and it feels as if your stomach is dragged down. It seems worse after eating anything, but especially rich food or ice cream. Warmth and moving make you feel worse and all you want to do is lie still in some fresh air. You can look really pale with a bluish tinge around your eyes or lips.

ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUM is also helpful for persistent nausea, but this remedy helps when the nausea tends to come in waves and improves when you vomit. You may feel fearful of being on your own, especially when you feel ill. So you seem anxious and despondent. Your tongue may be coated white. You feel weak and can be covered in a cold clammy perspiration.

NUX VOMICA - is a general nausea remedy which can help in pregnancy. Vomiting eases the sickness, but sometimes it seems to hang there so that you may start to wish you could vomit to clear it. Rich food makes it worse and you may feel irritable and on edge. You have a sour taste in your mouth and indigestion plagues you.

These are only three of the remedies we may use to ease morning sickness in pregnancy. Try the remedy which most closely matches your symptoms, or contact us with details of your individual problem for email support or a consultation.

Constipation - can be caused by many different factors, but it is particularly uncomfortable when you are pregnant. Many of us have a complicated personal relationship with our bowels and issues of control over our life are particularly important here. If we are stressed, tense and fearful of letting go, then it is difficult for our bowels to relax. The more we worry or obsess about them, the tenser we become and the more the constipation is aggravated.

It helps to check out how we feel and ask ourselves some key questions. Sometimes a selection of Bach Flower remedies (see the page on this website) can help us to relax, ease our fears and then our body can follow.

We could ask: -

" How pleased am I that I am pregnant?
" What am I frightened of?
" How do I see my life changing when I have this baby?
" How do I feel about that?
" How safe does the baby feel?
" How much support do I have and is that enough?
" When do I give myself time to relax?
" What are my priorities?
" What else to I need to feel safe?

Individual Bach Flower remedies can be mixed to support us so that we can work through emotional tensions. If this is something you might be interested in, please visit my shop for more information. Individual Bach Flower Remedy

Diet - is also very important. Being pregnant is certainly not an excuse to "eat for two", even if you are sometimes tempted! This is a time when we need extra resources from our food to help us stay healthy and to give the baby the vitamins and minerals they need.

Many women experience cravings for particular foods. It may well be worth trusting this inner instinct. Sometimes the food you crave will give you the very mineral or vitmain which you need. Of course this is not an excuse to over eat or over indulge in a passion for chocolate! Putting on too much weight during pregnancy is unhelpful for your baby and your body - and can make life more difficult after the birth as you try to regain your identity as an individual. Keep an eye on your fluid intake and make sure you drink plenty of water. If you are dehydrated, your bowels will be absorbing as much fluid as possible, your stools will become more concentrated, hard and difficult to pass.

It is a good idea to avoid laxatives, which can irritate your bowel, and concentrate first on increasing the natural fibre in your diet by eating lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

If you still need support from a homoeopathic remedy for the constipation, the following are some of the remedies that may help: -

OPIUM - for obstinate constipation, where you get no urge to open your bowels. If you do pass anything it is likely to be in small round dark balls. Your stomach may feel bloated, full and sensitive.

LYCOPODIUM - helps where it seems impossible to pass a stool even if you get the urge. Or it feels as if you can't quite clear your bowels. Sometimes the constipation can alternate with diarrhoea.

SEPIA - helps where the constipation seems directly linked with the pregnancy, the stools are large, hard and difficult to pass, with painful straining. Sometimes it feels as though there is a ball in your rectum or there are sharp upward stitch pains.

Backache - is also a common symptom for pregnant women, especially in the later stages. It seems logical that if you are carrying a greater weight at the front of your body, you will put pressure on your back, but this does not have to happen.

During pregnancy we need to be more aware of our posture and avoid over compensation by leaning back. An Alexander Technique teacher would be happy to advise you on posture and movement to use you body most effectively and to adapt to the extra charge.

Exercise is important to keep you active and to encourage your body to be supple. It is often easier too to relax once you have done some exercise to release some tension. The type of exercise will depend on you and your preferences. If you are already fit and practise a sport regularly, then you will be the best judge about how appropriate it is to continue while pregnant. If you are looking to start exercising, then think about walking; swimming; dancing or cycling to help build up your body to stretch and to relax. Yoga is an excellent form of exercise to prepare for giving birth. Look for a class with a teacher who is experienced in working with pregnant women. Whatever you do, do it slowly. Your back will benefit and so will your baby. It is worth bearing in mind that often childbirth is easier for women who are fit and active.

Homoeopathic remedies that help with backache include: -

KALI CARBONICUM - is especially helpful where the fibrous tissues of your back are very relaxed and weak. Sometimes the pain is so sharp and severe you feel you have to lie down straight away - or lean on something for support. The pain feels worst in the lumbar area or over your coccyx.

ARNICA - is helpful after any trauma or injury. It helps to bring out bruising, ease bleeding and is the first remedy to think of after a fall, when you have hurt yourself. Sometimes an old back injury can cause problems again when you are pregnant. Take Arnica before and after any osteopathic or chiropractic treatment.

Symphysis pubis pain can sometimes cause women much trouble towards the end of the pregnancy when the pressure of the weight of the baby in the uterus stains the pubic joints. It feels like you want to hold your "bump" up all the time to ease that pressure and some women wear specially adapted belts to do jut that. There are homoeopathic remedies to help.

CALC PHOS will help support bone strength - especially where bones join at symphyses. It has also been known to help where there has been a risk of hydrocephalus in a newborn child (or where previous children may have been born with hydrocephalus).

HYPERICUM is a good general support for nerve pain. The pain may be shooting and can come in spasms. It is often particularly helpful for pressure on the spine and coccyx - for example if the pregnancy puts pressure on an old injury.

Position of your baby
Sometimes babies seem to get themselves comfortable in the "wrong" position for childbirth. They may choose to move round to a head down presentation and engage there at the last moment.

In case this does not happen and to try to avoid a breech birth, you can take homoeopathic PULSATILLA 200.

If at anytime you feel the homoeopathic remedies are not helping, do consult a practitioner or a doctor to get individual advice.

Tessa is offering a half day course "Bach Flower Remedies for Pregnant Mums" in Ipswich, Suffolk on Saturday 27th January 2007. Please go to the courses page of this website for more details.

We have a selection of homoeopathic kits available on the website, ones which might interest you: