Mom:
Just as your baby grows – and your uterus expands to accommodate her – the rest if you is probably doing some “growing” too. Unfortunately, not all women are comfortable with this.
We are constantly faced with images of women who are meant to represent the physical ideal but are far from realistic. Most fashion models aren’t even women at all – they’re girls, sometimes barely old enough to menstruate, much less have a baby.
Be proud of your amazing body as it gives life to a new human being! And don’t fixate on your pregnancy weight gain. If you are at a healthy weight to begin with, your doctor or practitioner will give you some guidelines on how much you should gain during your pregnancy. If you’re overweight or obese when you become pregnant, you may not need to gain much (or any) at all. The key is to eat well and exercise appropriately both before and during pregnancy.
If your pregnancy weight gain isn’t the only headache you’re experiencing, you’re not alone – lots of pregnant women get headaches, often caused by the hormone progesterone. Be sure to drink enough water, and try taking a gentle daily walk. Also, Tylenol is safe during pregnancy and can help with a bad headache, as can a small amount of caffeine. Check with your doctor whether – or how much – caffeine is safe for you.
Working in awkward positions can actually worsen headaches, so remember to take breaks and try to make sure your work setup is as comfortable and supportive as possible. The good news is that muscular-tension headaches can often be relieved fairly easily, and non-stress headaches usually disappear early in pregnancy.