Pregnancy Symptoms: Headaches
It's very common for women to get tension headaches as one of their pregnancy symptoms, especially if you're prone to 'em in general. Experts aren't 100% sure what causes these pregnancy symptoms, but the crazy hormonal fluctuations going on in your body are probably to blame. Exhaustion, stress, hunger and dehydration can also be causes. The good news is most pregnancy headaches hit hard in the first trimester and tend to taper off in the glory days of the second trimester. So what's a preggy mama to do?
Here are 10 ways to curb pregnancy headache symptoms:
report abuseHere are 10 ways to curb pregnancy headache symptoms:
- Take Safe Meds! Acetaminophen is usually OK to take when you've got a bun in the oven, but you should avoid aspirin and ibuprofen. And make sure to talk to your OB before taking any medication when you're pregnant.
- Eat and Drink Well! To stave off headaches, make sure you stay hydrated and eat frequent small meals.
- Get Plenty of Rest! Tiredness can cause headaches, so make sure you take naps and get plenty of rest at night while you're preggy.
- Walk it Out! Studies show regular exercise (even a brisk walk) can curb tension headaches.
- Pin Down the Cause! Keep track of your pregnancy symptoms with a log of what you eat and drink for a week or so. You may find that every time you down your fave Chinese food, you end up with a pounding head. Certain foods like and chemicals, like MSG, sulfites, artificial sweeteners, dairy and chocolate (big bummer on that one!) are common headache causes.
- Get a Massage! Like you need an excuse for this one! Getting a nice relaxing rub down can do wonders for tension headaches.
- Do Yoga! Breathing and stretching and doing yoga poses can really put the kibosh on a pounding head ... not to mention give you a perky tush in the process!
Wanna read more? We have loads more pregnancy info on our pregnancy page!
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