Mom's feelings & symptoms

Month 7

The muscle, tendons and ligaments of the pelvic floor support the bladder, uterus, and intestines. The added weight of the uterus during pregnancy puts lots of strain of these structures, and some women experience a dropping down of the bladder or bowel – called prolapse. Sometimes, urinary incontinence is related to weakness in the pelvic floor anatomy. There is something you can do to prevent this from happening to you – and it’s called Kegels, or pelvic floor strengthening exercises. Kegel exercises involve tightening and releasing the muscles in the pelvic and perineal area. For example, as you are urinating, squeeze the pelvic muscles to stop the flow of urine. This targets the right group of muscles to strengthen. Any time of day, you can simply squeeze and release these muscles in a series of 10, several times a day. As you get improve the muscle tone; try to hold the muscles tight for 10 to 15 seconds and then release. This is great for strengthening the pelvic floor. Regular sexual activity is also great for pelvic floor muscle fitness. (Learn more about pregnancy and incontinence.)

Constipation and hemorrhoids may become more of a problem as the pressure on the rectal veins continues. Make certain that you are eating lots of fiber – whole grain breads, cereals, and fruits and vegetables. Increasing your fluids will help tremendously to keep the stool moister and easier to pass. Regular exercise will help to keep your bowels moving at a rate closer to pre-pregnancy. Schedule a 20-minute walk in the morning, at lunch or in the evening.

For problem, painful hemorrhoids, an old method of relief is to chill a bottle of witch hazel in the refrigerator, get a 4 inch square piece of gauze pad and saturate it with the chilled witch hazel, fold in half, and place it against the anal area. This typically helps with swelling and discomfort.