3. What helps relieve morning sickness?
Thought to be caused by a combination of factors such as high levels of hormones and fluctuations in blood pressure and blood glucose levels, morning sickness can occur at any time of the day or night.It can help to eat a few crackers or some dry toast as soon as you get out of bed in the morning, as well as eating small meals regularly and drinking plenty of fluids.
Herbal teas (especially peppermint and ginger), may also help. Getting outdoors for a dose of fresh air is also thought to work for some women too.
4. Which foods should I avoid during pregnancy?
There are certain foods you should stay away from, mostly because of the risk of harmful bacteria such as listeria or salmonella.On the ‘avoid’ list are:
- Processed meats such as ham and salami (unless cooked to at least 75°C and eaten soon afterwards)
- Raw meat, raw seafood or ready-to-eat chilled prawns
- Cold chicken or turkey from sandwich bars
- Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads
- Store-bought sushi
- Soft and semi-soft cheese such as ricotta and fetta (unless cooked to at least 75°C and eaten immediately)
- Soft-serve or fried ice cream
- Unpasteurised dairy
- Raw eggs (in homemade mayo for example)
- Pre-prepared salads
- Rockmelon
- Bean sprouts
5. How can I sleep better when pregnant?
It’s pretty normal to feel tired during pregnancy, although factors such as waking up more often to pee, indigestion, irregular leg movements, back pain and congestion associated with late-term pregnancy can make quality shut-eye feel elusive.To improve your slumber, avoid drinking too much liquid in the evening, limit your caffeine intake and develop a relaxing bedtime routine.
Elevating your head on extra pillows can help with indigestion and breathing difficulty and sleeping on your side with a supportive maternity pillow can aid comfort.
Phase 3: Ovulation
The shortest phase of the cycle, ovulation only lasts between 16 and 32 hours, and is when you’re most fertile.For many women, positive emotions and feelings peak at this phase of the cycle, perhaps thanks to the surge in luteinising hormone that’s required to trigger ovulation.
Phase 4: The luteal phase
This lasts for about 14 days and, as those days pass, you may start to feel a little sluggish and absent-minded, as well as irritable, sad, moody and even angry, as PMS well and truly kicks in.One explanation for the mood-related symptoms may be that during the luteal phase, there is a drop in levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that’s sometimes called the “happy chemical ”. For most women, symptoms of PMS start between four and 10 days before menstruation begins.
If you experience PMS symptoms, including mood swings, and they bother you, increasing your intake of healthy fatty acids and vitamin B foods may help to turn the dial down.