It’s hard to imagine what pregnancy will be like until you experience it for yourself, with its magical moments like those first few butterflies, from gentle kicks through to the difficult times as your body adjusts to significant changes in hormones. I was lucky to have quite a smooth pregnancy with both of my children, however, there are certainly a few things that I’ve learnt throughout the journeys that I’ll definitely take into any future pregnancies with me. The main thing I learnt is to be kind to myself and try to feel confident in who I am, allow myself to rest and just take each week as it comes, as well as make a few elements of my health a particular priority! There is so much information out there, from the right pregnancy shoes to wear through to how you should sleep, but the best thing you can do is stay in touch with your midwife on any concerns and trust your instincts.
How Worthwhile Pelvic Floor Exercises Are
First up, I’ll never underestimate the power of pelvic floor exercises. It’s quite well known that after giving birth, people struggle with a weak pelvic floor, which can cause problems with leakage. While this is natural and will likely happen to a certain extent with it being out of some people’s control, doing daily pelvic floor exercises throughout your pregnancy can really help. During my first pregnancy, I didn’t make it a priority, perhaps doing them once a week in my pregnancy yoga class. After giving birth, I struggled with leaking for quite a while, until I spoke to my GP, who recommended some pelvic floor exercises to work on daily. I did this every day following their guidance and over the next few months, I noticed clear differences.
I got pregnant with my daughter when my son had just turned two, and spoke to my midwife to identify pregnancy-safe pelvic floor exercises to do throughout my pregnancy, most days, along with also doing pregnancy yoga. Make sure to speak to your midwife for yourself to make sure they’re safe for you and your pregnancy, however, some of them that I did were kegel exercises, including slow squeeze pelvic floor exercises, as well as stomach strengthening exercises with a focus on the pelvic floor. Pelvic tilt exercises are also great, and help to give you a bit of a stretch too!
As well as the benefits in terms of strengthening muscles that are weakened during pregnancy and birth, it can also help with your core strength and your stability. The difference I noticed between my two pregnancies was night and day, so if you want to get pregnant or are currently pregnant, start focusing on your pelvic floor and it can help with your postpartum recovery.
How Important Oral Health Is!
Throughout my childhood and adult life, I’ve never had oral health problems, not even a filling. I’ve not smoked and pre-pregnancy would use nicopods if needed, ate healthily and always exercised which I think helped. I’m quite good with going to regular checkups and hygienist appointments and I continued with this using the free dentistry available on the NHS through pregnancy. During my first appointment when I was about 6 weeks pregnant (your dentist is definitely someone who should know you’re pregnant), my dentist talked me through the changes you may experience, and it wasn’t until I was around 6 months pregnant that I started to experience some unusual changes in my oral health.
I noticed that my gums felt quite sore and swollen, with some bleeding occasionally when I brushed. I booked another appointment with my dentist and she explained that I had the early signs of pregnancy gingivitis, a type of gum disease. This does sound scary, however, I was given prescription medications and some oral health tips from my dentist and it cleared up.
Having been lucky to have minimal oral health problems throughout my life, it came as a bit of a shock to experience them during pregnancy. So, book an appointment when you find out you’re pregnant and ask your dentist to explain the symptoms of common oral health problems during pregnancy, as well as ways to help prevent them from arising where possible. Unfortunately, as our hormones change so much during pregnancy, sometimes this is out of our control, so regularly visiting your dentist and knowing the symptoms to look out for is key.
How A Healthy Diet Affects Me Positively
Another significant difference I noticed between my pregnancies, as well as when I’m not pregnant, is how a healthy diet affects me positively. Pregnancies come with cravings, and there is no issue giving into them (as long as it’s nothing deemed dangerous to eat or drink when pregnant, of course); however, in my first pregnancy, I lacked quite a lot of energy. Again, feeling more tired is a very normal part of pregnancy, yet it was something I was struggling with.
I had a few good discussions with my midwife about what I’d been eating, and we noticed a gap in my diet when it came to slow-releasing carbohydrates, as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables. I’ve always eaten a healthy diet but realised that I needed to adjust my diet and eat more healthy carbohydrates and whole foods to help me feel energised. So, I didn’t restrict myself in terms of giving in to my cravings, but instead, I focused on eating more healthy foods that give me energy and keep me full.
I started the day with a nice big bowl of oats with frozen berries and chocolate chips on top, this helped my sweet tooth but also gave me slow-releasing energy throughout the day. I’d also made sure that each meal I was eating had a portion of carbs and fruit or vegetables with it, and it did make quite a significant difference to how I felt. I took these habits with me into my second pregnancy and although I was more tired with a toddler running around, I think it did really help with my overall energy levels.
Final Thoughts
A second pregnancy is different when you have a little one to think about, however, making sure you prioritise your health will absolutely be worth it. Incorporating pelvic floor exercises into your routine, booking to see your dentist and incorporating more energising food into your diet whilst still enjoying the foods you crave, can make a big difference to how you feel. If anything doesn’t feel quite right, from something minor to more serious, get in touch with your midwife, and they should be able to help you!