Is it Safe to Go in a Sauna or Hot Tub While You’re Pregnant?

With most normal pregnancies come back aches and sore muscles. While muscle tenderness can normally be alleviated and soothed by using heat, it is advised for pregnant women to avoid saunas and hot tubs. Anything that can raise your body’s core temperature to or above 101 degrees can cause damage to your unborn baby.

The water in most hot tubs is set at 104 degrees by default from the factory.  Hyperthermia, which is another way of saying high body temperature, can occur from hot tubs or saunas in as little as 10 minutes. Hyperthermia has been shown to increase the risk of birth defects, according to the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS). With this in mind, it’s best to avoid both saunas and hot tubs during your pregnancy.

Alternatives for Sore Muscles During Pregnancy

Try other alternatives to soothe your muscle aches during pregnancy, such as:

1. Soak in a warm or hot bath at home. Since your whole body doesn’t usually stay submerged in a bathtub and the water temperature is not as hot, it’s harder to reach the temperature danger zone when you’re pregnant.

2. Use a heating pad, with approval from your doctor. This spot heating can be a good way to soothe muscle stress in certain areas. Always consult your OB / GYN doctor to make sure a heating pad is safe for you to use during your pregnancy.

3. Wrap up in an electric blanket, with approval from your doctor. The all-over warmth can be relaxing, and blanket temperatures aren’t usually high enough to cause concern. However, since each pregnancy is different, you’ll want to confirm with your physician before using an electric blanket.

4. Fill a sock or pillowcase with rice, and heat up in the microwave until warm. Use as a hot wrap on the sore areas; the rice makes this pack very easy to mold to contoured areas, like your neck.

Photo Credit: Photo by Jyn Meyer.

Answer:  The answer to when a pregnant woman will start showing is as varied as each woman’s unique pregnancy. 

For many women, they’ll start to notice an expansion in their abdominal region in about the 20th week of pregnancy.  Many pregnant moms describe feeling their stomach muscles “stretching,” “tugging,” “pulling,” or “expanding”. This normal feeling may result in some sore muscles and itchy or tingling skin, but is a completely normal way of your body making extra room for your baby to grow.

If this is not your first child, you may start showing sooner than 20 weeks.  Depending on your weight, height, body type, build, and growth rate of your baby, you may start to show later in your pregnancy than you expect.  Pregnancies of multiples will invariable show sooner and cause you to put on weight more rapidly.  If you normally carry extra weight around your midsection when you’re not pregnant, it may be a while before people start noticing your pregnancy.

While it’s normal to want to look pregnant once you find out you’re expecting, be patient!  You feel pregnant, and not reflecting on the outside what you feel on the inside can add to the rapidly changing emotions you’re having right now.  Give your body time to change and grow at its own pace, and try to keep yourself from comparing to friends’ or family members’ pregnancies, or even to your own previous pregnancies.  Every pregnancy is different.

Maternity Clothes

Many women don’t have to switch to maternity clothes until they reach 3-4 months along.  Some moms can get away with buying non-maternity clothes that are one to two sizes larges than their pre-pregnancy size, even into the second trimester. 

However, if you’re showing early and finding your regular clothes are uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to switch to your maternity wardrobe early.  Having stretchy, non-binding clothes to wear will do wonders for keeping you as comfortable as possible while your body changes to accommodate your little one!

Photo credits: Photo of pregnant women by magnusfranklin.

The Medela breastpump, however, has become so much a part of my life over the last 5 years that I can scarcely imagine my life without it!  The picture below shows how oddly ever-present it is.  Look past my right shoulder.  Back there on the desk.  Next to the laptop. Uh huh, that’s the Medela pump.  Every four hours, morning or night.  It’s in all the pictures.  Wherever I go, it goes (it’s even housed in a conveniently portable backpack).  Scary, isn’t it?

Now that the final weaning is complete and the pumping is done, it’s time to pack away the pump for good.  I even had an extra one that I bought as an emergency backup, just in case at any time my pump decided it had pumped enough.  I never had to use the emergency extra Medela pump, and now I’ll be finding new homes for both of them. 

But what a strange feeling, to be moving on from this life stage finally and forever.  I get to have my body back!  Not only that, but I also get to reclaim my time and my sleep.  Long after my baby was sleeping through the night I still had to wake up in the wee hours to pump and store milk for her.  Now I have the opportunity to be a not-pregnant and not-lactating mom, 2 categories I haven’t gotten the chance to be in up until now!

It’s a little scary to leave this life season behind, but exciting to go boldly forward into what the Lord has in store for me next.  How did you feel when you stopped nursing or pumping?  Let us know in the comments below.

How do I get back to the “real me” after 3 pregnancies back to back? I had three babies in 3 1/2 years, which is no small feat for any woman. Add in complications and 5 surgeries, plus 10 months of breastfeeding, and you’ve got a combination that would do a number on anyone’s body.

Now, I’m left looking and feeling like a different person – not the “real me” that I remember.  Young, pretty and thin, that’s what I remember.  I know it’s important to have pictures of me with my sweet babies.  But when I see the pictures, it looks like a stranger holding my girls – not me.

Below are some pictures to illustrate my point.  Here I am before and after 3 pregnancies in a row.

Then:                                                                                 Now:

Here are a few of the things that are different about me post-pregnancy:

1. I have someone else’s appetite.  I can no longer tell whether or not I am hungry.  3 1/2 years of eating constantly for someone else or for milk production has left me with a broken hunger sensor.  I really can’t tell when I’m eating because I need to or because I feel like it’s been too long since my last snack. 
2. I have someone else’s body.  My body used to be small (I weigh in at 97 pounds normally), muscular and strong.  Now I’m a robust 155 pounds.  My abs were to die for.  Now, after 3 pregnancies in a row (the last one had me at a heaviest weight of 185 pounds), my body may as well be a complete stranger’s.  I certainly don’t recognize it.  Even 2 months after my baby, I still have to wear size 2x clothes and maternity pants.
3. I used to be strong- I mean strong.  Not like, “Ooh, look at me make a muscle!” strong, really strong.  I was a competitive athlete, for crying out loud!  Now, my body is weak.  I can’t even do half of the workouts I used to do with ease.  I can’t do simple stretches that I never found difficult before.  The 5 pound dumbbells are too heavy for my workouts.  What happened to my body?
4. I used to have a different face.  Lack of energy, lack of sleep, and a body that’s on 24-hr production for someone else adds up to a beauty regimen that saps, rather than replenishes, your good looks.  The dark color under my eyes from interrupted rest for 3 1/2 years doesn’t make for the prettiest complexion.
5. I used to have a different life.  Having 1 child is quite different from having 4.  Having 3 children under 3 is just plain chaos.  Every little thing has to be master-planned eons in advance.  I long for a date with my husband that doesn’t have to be shorter than 3 hours because I have to come home to pump!

I looked back at the pictures from before these clustered pregnancies, and I saw the pictures of the real me that I remember.  Now I want to get back to that.

It’s going to be an interesting journey to transition from baby factory back to regular mom!  The biggest transition is in the mind, I think.  Beginning to realize that my body belongs to me again and that I no longer have limiting factors (for foods, medicines, exercises, traveling, etc.) is quite an adjustment.  Knowing that I won’t be having any more babies takes some getting used to also.

How did you get back to the “real you” after you finished having your children?  Let us know in the comments.

If you missed the Weight Loss Challenge, you can catch up with the links below.

Welcome to the Losing 71 pounds in 90 days Weight Loss Challenge!  Baby Seven was born on January 9, 2010.  I started at 171 pounds. 8 weeks after delivery, I weigh 139.2 pounds.  This part of the challenge is very difficult, because I’m currently breastfeeding and have to eat at least 1800 calories per day to keep my milk supply up. 

This means that even if I make it to the end of the day with good eating and low calories, I may have to eat 3 snacks right before bed just to get in my 1800 calories for the day!  As you can imagine, that seriously slows down my weight loss, but I can’t lose the milk supply.

If you didn’t see the introduction or previous updates in this weight loss challenge, go read them now: 

• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 1
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Weeks 2 & 3
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 4
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 5
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 6

Weeks 7 & 8 of the Weight Loss Challenge

Measurements: I’m disappointed that I didn’t get starting measurements before the challenge.  My first measurement was at 4 weeks, so that will have to be good enough as a starting marker!  In the last 4 weeks, I lost 2.4" inches total.

• Waist: (Week 4) 39.8”, Today 39”
• Hips: (Week 4) 40.5”, Today 40.5”
• Chest: (Week 4) 39”, Today 38.5”
• Thigh: (Week 4) 25.5”, Today 24.2”
• Calf: (Week 4) 15”, Today 15.2”
• Biceps: (Week 4) 11.5”, Today 11.5”

Weight loss:  During the 7th and 8th weeks, which ended on Sunday, March 7th, I lost 1.2 pounds. 

Cardio: Due to a foot injury, I stayed off of cardio for all of week 7.  I picked up on the elliptical on week 8 and did 5 cardio sessions.  I noticed that my workouts got easier each day and I could feel soreness in my legs and butt the next days.

Strength training:  I had no weights sessions this week, but instead did 2 days of packing, unpacking, and moving heavy boxes.

Eating:  My eating was practically on autopilot since all non-diet-friendly foods have been removed from the house!  I ate very simply:  lots of hard boiled egg whites, bananas, salad, spinach, veggie stir fry with tofu, and protein bars for quick snacks on the go.  I’m also working on my goal of 80 ounces of water per day.  The less junk food you eat, the less your body wants to eat those bad foods.  Don’t believe me?  Try it for yourself.

You can see my full weight loss plan here.  See you next week with my latest weight loss challenge update as I shrink down to 100 pounds!  Remember the disclaimer: I don’t recommend this weight loss challenge for anyone else – this is my personal baby weight loss project.

Welcome to the Losing 71 pounds in 90 days Weight Loss Challenge!  Baby Seven was born on January 9, 2010.  I started at 171 pounds.  6 weeks after delivery, I weigh 141.4 pounds.  If you didn’t see the introduction or previous updates in this weight loss challenge, go read them now: 

• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 1
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Weeks 2 & 3
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 4
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 5

Week 6 of the Weight Loss Challenge

Weight loss:  During the 6th week, which ended on Sunday, February 21st, I lost 3 pounds.  The biggest victory this week was that I dropped a pants size and went from wearing my size 15 jeans to my new size 12 jeans!

Cardio: Due to a foot injury, I only got to do 1 treadmill session this week.  Following doctor’s orders, it looks like I’ll be off my foot for the next 4 days at least. 

Strength training:  I had 1 weights session this week – I did upper body with Arms of Steel.  My day-by-day weight loss table is at right. 

Eating:  To track my eating, I’m using MyFoodDiary.com.  Would you like to know what kinds of food I ate this week?  Here is my food log from Wednesday for a 1,649 calorie day:

You can see my full weight loss plan here.  See you next week with my latest weight loss challenge update.  Remember the disclaimer: I don’t recommend this weight loss challenge for anyone else – this is my personal baby weight loss project.

Welcome to the Losing 71 pounds in 90 days Weight Loss Challenge!  My baby was born on January 9, 2010.  I started at 171 pounds.  5 weeks after delivery, I weigh 144.4 pounds.  If you didn’t see the introduction or previous updates in this weight loss challenge, go read them now: 

• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 1
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Weeks 2 & 3
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 4

Next week I’ll be including my foods list and clean eating menu recap to show you which foods give the best weight loss.

What Was Different During Week 5 of the Weight Loss Challenge

No weight loss:  During the 5th week, which ended on Sunday, February 14th, the weight loss was nonexistent! This week I lost 0 pounds.  The transition into my plan was slow and rough. 

Eating:  The biggest challenge was getting my eating under control.  To break my pregnancy eating habits and get back to clean eating like I do when training for competitions, I had to start keeping a food log and counting calories, carbs, protein, and fat.  To automate this process, I’m using MyFoodDiary.com, which is a pay service with a low monthly fee ($9).  The site makes calorie counting less painful, and really is eye-opening about what kind of nutrition you’re getting from the foods you eat every day.

After being pregnant for 10 months and eating such a different diet (larger portions, fattier foods, whole milk and tons of dairy, higher calorie days, etc.), it is proving to be difficult for me to remember how to eat like a non-pregnant woman! 

I also had one major eating slip this week: I had lunch at Wendy’s on Sunday.  One sandwich had almost half the calories I was supposed to eat for the entire day (not to mention tons of sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat).  I learned my lesson and will not give into my weakness for a cheeseburger on the way home from church again.

Cardio: 4 treadmill sessions.  This exceeded my goal of 3 sessions per week, but if I want to melt these pounds, I’m going to have to step it up.

Strength training:  Oops – no sessions this week.  I’m starting to see why I lost 0 pounds.  My day-by-day weight loss table is below. 

Now to Lose 44.4 More Pounds in 2 Months…

Next week it’s time to get stricter with my eating and exercise.  You can also see my full weight loss plan here.  I need to do better in these areas:

• Keep my daily calories under 1700
• Meet my water goal to drink 80 oz. per day
• Do 2 weights sessions per week
• Increase 3 cardio sessions per week to 6 cardio sessions
• Don’t eat any fast food!

See you next week with my latest weight loss challenge update.  Remember the disclaimer: I don’t recommend this weight loss challenge for anyone else – this is my personal baby weight loss project.

This weight loss experiment is about how a woman’s body performs naturally to lose weight after pregnancy.  The control portion of the experiment meant that I not start an exercise program or change my eating for the first 30 days after my baby was born.  This would allow me to see how much weight would be lost naturally after having a baby without putting any effort towards weight loss.  Welcome to the Losing 71 pounds in 90 days Weight Loss Challenge!

My daughter was born on January 9, 2010.  Exactly 30 days after delivery, I weigh 144.4 pounds.  If you didn’t see the introduction or previous updates in this weight loss challenge, go read them now: 

• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Week 1
• Danelle’s After Baby Weight Loss Recap – Weeks 2 & 3

After Baby Weight Loss Challenge: Week 4 plus 2 Extra Days

During the 4th week (plus 2 extra days), which ended on Sunday, February 7th, the weight loss was slow, but steady: this week I lost 4.6 pounds.

My day-by-day weight loss table is below.  Starting on 1/31/10, I had a bout of mastitis that caused a lot of night sweats, which probably accounted for the large weight loss overnight.

The Findings for Month 1 of the Weight Loss Experiment

In the first month after having a baby, I lost 26.6 pounds without exercise or diet change.  Can I do better than that in 30 days by eating strategically and starting an exercise program?  That’s what I intend to find out!  I found that on days when I got a lot of sleep, my weight would be lower the next day.  I also experienced a lot of night sweating while sleeping, losing fluids which I believe accounted for a lot of my excess pregnancy weight.

Here’s How I Plan to Lose 44.4 More Pounds in 2 Months

Unlike the celebs who have a personal trainer to help them lose their baby weight in 6 weeks, I’m doing this on my own.  I’ll be applying my previous experience as a body builder with clean eating and conditioning to achieve my weight loss and reshape my body after baby. 

Weight loss is easy when you know the simple actions to take and you do them consistently.  My weight loss efforts will include:

• Daily weigh-ins
• Reporting results with before and after pictures weekly
• Breastfeeding and pumping milk for my newborn
• Drinking 10 to 12 8 oz glasses of water per day
• Eating smaller portions at meal times
• Eating small amounts every 3 hours to boost metabolism
• 30 minutes of low to moderate cardio, at least 3 sessions per week (treadmill, elliptical, or workout DVD)
• Strength training: 1 day of legwork per week (squats, lunges, and deadlifts with weights)
• Strength training: 1 day of upper body per week (biceps, triceps, chest, back and shoulders with weights)
• No ab work until month 3
• Month 3 will see the cardio increase to more than 1 session daily, several times per week

Now, For the Rapid Weight Loss!

Now is the part of the experiment I’m really excited about!  The size large clothes and size 16 jeans I just bought fit perfectly right now… I’m hoping to shrink enough to drop down a few sizes before too long.  It will be nice to fit into my old clothes again! 

See you next week with my latest weight loss challenge update  Remember the disclaimer: I don’t recommend this weight loss challenge for anyone else – this is my personal baby weight loss project.

This challenge is less about the weight loss and more about how a woman’s body performs naturally to lose weight after pregnancy.  My strategy includes not changing my behavior or eating for the first 30 days after my baby was born.  I want to see how much weight comes off by itself before I start trying to lose pounds intentionally.

Welcome to the Losing 71 pounds in 90 days Weight Loss Challenge!

During the first week, weight loss was fast (18 pounds).  In the 2nd and 3rd weeks, which ended on Friday, January 29th, the weight loss slowed dramatically, with me only losing 2.6 additional pounds.

My baby belly is still here, and the abdominal muscles were extremely stretched out, so it’s hanging pretty low.  It takes constant self-reminding to contract the tummy muscles and hold it up.  However, because of diastasis recti from pregnancy, I won’t be doing any ab exercises for several more weeks.  My day-by-day weight loss table is below.

See you next week with my latest weight loss challenge update!  Remember the disclaimer: I don’t recommend this weight loss challenge for anyone else – this is my personal baby weight loss project.

Danelle’s Weight Today: 153 pounds

Heavy with a 39-week gestating baby, I weighed 171 pounds before Seven was born last weekend.  You can see the before photos of me at the hospital before giving birth.

The easy part is over… now for the difficult part of losing all this weight.  My pre-pregnancy weight this time was 118 pounds (I’m only 5’ 1” tall), meaning I gained a whopping 53 pounds to give birth to a 7 pound baby!

I’m aiming for my regular weight of 100 pounds so that I’ll be able to wear my smaller range of maternity clothes for a bit longer. 

I’m calling this challenge the Losing 71 pounds in 90 days Weight Loss Challenge

(and no, I don’t recommend it for anyone else – this is my personal baby weight loss project).  The end date will be April 9th.

Here are a few photos of me that my husband snapped of me today, January 17, 2010, exactly 8 days after delivery.  Today I weigh 153 pounds.  My day-by-day weight loss table is below.

Unfortunately, I outgrew all my largest maternity clothes from last pregnancy by about 6 months along in this pregnancy.  So, I’d like to lose all this weight quickly, as in before I get pregnant again! 

It took 9 months to pack on 53 pounds, and I’m going to try to lose it all in 3 months (before the next pregnancy – fingers crossed).  I’ll be posting updates on my weight loss challenge and the activities and eating habits that help me reach my goal weight of 100 pounds.  Of course, I’ll post photos too so we can see the shrinking body along the journey!

You may know I just had a baby on January 9, 2010 (her name is Seven Ice-Simmons; you can see her birth announcement here).  Thanks to God, I was blessed to have an amazing delivery. 

I was glad that my husband and I thought to take some before photos of me (Danelle Ice) at the hospital, which we didn’t do last time when our son, Truett, was born. If you scroll all the way to the bottom of this article, you’ll see an after photo of me from after Seven was born.

When we arrived at the hospital, I was already 2 centimeters dilated and 75% effaced.  I’d been in early labor for a few days already and was ready to have my water broken.

Our delivery was at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska.  Just like at my last birth, I was able to wear a pink gown that I brought instead of the standard fare, open in the back, rear-end-flashing hospital gown! 

Last time, my gown said “World’s Best Mom” on the front (I bought it around Mother’s Day).  This time, I had to settle for pink and grey flowers- but hey, anything pink is good!

I also got to sport my pink fingernails and toes, pink massaging bedroom slippers and pink robe at the hospital as well.  Of course, I’d never dream of delivering a child without my makeup on and hair done; I just wouldn’t be a Mary Kay girl if I did :)

In the picture at right, which is more of an aerial view, I look a lot smaller.  Upon arrival at the hospital to give birth, I weighed in at 171 pounds (exactly 6 pounds heavier than delivery day on my last pregnancy). 

This is the heaviest I’ve ever been.  I notice the extra weight making the most difference in how my face looks.

My swollen fingers have not allowed me to wear my wedding ring for about the last 4 months.  However, I did get to wear it on a gold necklace around my neck.  My swollen legs and feet were quite unattractive!  They look like elephant legs and I definitely had “cankles”.  Thankfully, you can’t see them in the photos.

The black and white photos below will definitely be blown up and framed, as well as added to Seven’s scrapbook.  I have only felt more beautiful on one other day in my life – my wedding day.  The anticipation of giving birth to my new baby made me radiant!

I looked mostly the same after Seven was born.  I didn’t put on any fresh lipstick, and the red spot on my nose shows a few small blood vessels that burst under the surface of my skin during delivery.  Other than that, I’m really starting to see the benefits of my new hairstyle – I mean, it looks exactly the same from before to after, with absolutely no combing!

And to all the fans who have been requesting my blonde hair back:  don’t worry, it will be reappearing sometime in the near future.  I’m enjoying the X-Files Scully hair for now, though.

Danelle After Photo:

At left, here I am holding my beautiful baby girl, Seven.

I only lost 7 pounds from before to after delivery, so I’ve got my work cut out for me as far as weight loss goes.  Luckily, I’m tracking my weight loss day-by-day and will be posting  updates as time allows on my progress. 

I know it’s ambitious, but I’d like to lose all this baby weight before I get pregnant again (hopefully 3 months from now).

I’ve not been doing any special weight loss activities yet.  Right now, there is only time for eating, sleeping, and feeding.  And yes, I’m lactating, so that should help to burn some extra calories.

A few months ago I announced that I’d dyed my hair red instead of my signature blonde until after the baby is born in January.  Since then I’ve been barraged with people asking to see my new hair and pregnant pictures!  Here they are, just for you that wanted to see.

Here are a few photos of me (Danelle Ice) right before heading out to Thanksgiving dinner last week.  I’m 33 weeks pregnant in these shots and feeling like delivery day (January 9, 2010) can’t come soon enough.  It’s a girl, and we’re not telling anyone the name!

My hair is growing so fast that I keep cutting it more every few days.  I miss my blonde hair, but I’m really having fun with the Dana Scully look (you X-Files fans know what I’m talking about).  My husband begged me to try Scully hair for months, and here it is. 

The very last photo is with my handsome husband, Michael Simmons, at Santa Claus House the day after Thanksgiving.  We have a tradition to go there every year and get the family photo taken with Santa Claus.

C-Section Recoveries

Any parent can tell you that caring for a newborn is hard work! Those first few days (and weeks) at home often pass in a blur.

As hard as it may be, mom needs to focus on herself during those early weeks though. She can’t give 100% to the newborn if she doesn’t take care of herself. And if she doesn’t take care of herself, she can slow down her own recovery, which nobody wants!

There’s a plethora of information on the Internet about recovering from a vaginal birth. Instead of adding to that, I thought I’d share some helpful hints for moms who find themselves having “belly births”.

C-sections are vastly different than vaginal births, with very different recoveries. Many moms aren’t prepared, and it can be difficult to find good information out there to help.

After two belly births of my own, these are some things that worked for me. Always check with your doctor first if you have any questions about your own situation (I am not a medical professional, nor do I play one on TV!).

7 Tips to Recover from a Belly Birth (C-Section)

1. Shave your legs before you give birth!  As difficult as it is to shave your legs at the end of pregnancy, it’s even harder after a C-section. You won’t be able to bend and twist at the waist for awhile, so start your recovery with shaved legs!

2. Fiber is your friend.  You will be without food for 24-hours or more when you give birth. (Twelve hours before surgery, and usually another twelve after). Then you’ll be on narcotics for pain. This combination tends to slow things down, if you get what I mean. Ask your doctor how best to handle this, and make sure to drink lots of fluids. Eating fiber (bran muffins are good!) and taking Metamucil can help as well.

3. Think about where you’ll sleep when you get home. It can be quite painful to get in and out of bed for a few weeks. If you have a recliner, that may be your best option. Just remember that you might need help getting up from there as well!

4. Embrace the granny panties!  No, they aren’t the most attractive. But your low-rise underwear won’t work after a C-section. They sit right where your incision will be, and trust me, you don’t want anything touching that area for awhile!

5. Stock up on super maxi pads.  Yes, for the obvious reason. But you’ll use them for your incision, also. It’s important to keep that area dry to speed healing. What worked for me was to place a super maxi pad against my incision, and use my granny panties to keep it in place. This keeps the area dry, and also gives a little bit of support and comfort.

6. Invest in a hair dryer with a cool setting.  As I mentioned, keeping your incision dry is imperative. When you get out of the shower, and throughout the day, aim a hair dryer (on cool setting) at your incision. This works much better than towels at keeping the area dry.

7. Have help lined up.  A C-section is MAJOR surgery. There is no other major surgery where you’d be expected to take care of a newborn child immediately afterward! You will need help when you get home. I personally required help for the first two weeks, at least. Your body needs time to rest and heal. Try to have help lined up in advance for as long as you can arrange it.

Putting an emphasis on mom’s recovery will make the newborn stage so much easier to get through. Taking care of a newborn is difficult enough without adding the problems that can come with a slow recovery. Focusing on your needs won’t automatically guarantee a smooth and speedy recovery, but it will help you feel the best you can, and allow you to relax and enjoy your first few weeks with your new baby.

Photo of Baby Donovan’s birth by Robert S. Donovan.

Pregnancy symptoms vary according to the stage of the pregnancy, and also in the frequency and duration they occur. These are 13 very common pregnancy symptoms that can happen in the early stages of pregnancy.

13 Early Signs of Pregnancy

1.  Spotting: Spotting in a pink or brown color, together with severe cramps in the early stages are commonly observed in the initial days, just after ovulation has taken place.

2.  Frequent urination: Frequent urination is a very common sign too. Most women are prone to this pregnancy symptom even before missing a period.

3.  Missing a period: Missing your monthly period is the most obvious pregnancy symptom. It almost immediately sets off a red flag for most women.

4.  Increase in body temperature: Body temperature tends to increase after ovulation. This condition can remain for a long time during your pregnancy. You may feel warm from inside, almost feverish when you are pregnant.

5.  Morning sickness: The feeling of nausea and frequent vomiting first thing in the morning happens to some women early in pregnancy.

6.  Night sickness: Night sickness is a feeling of nausea or vomiting at about the same time every night.  This symptom is commonly called morning sickness, but depending on the person, it can happen any time of the day or night.  The good news is that it is usually around the same time every day, so you will be able to predict when you won’t be feeling well.

7.  Sensitive breasts: The breasts tend to get swollen and tender. You will notice this obvious change in your breasts, as they are getting ready for producing milk for your baby after a few months.

8.  Darkening of the areolas: The skin around your nipples can become a shade or two darker, right from the early stages for the pregnancy. This is a generally a clear pregnancy symptom.

9.  Dizziness and fatigue: You will feel tired and be exhausted by the end of day. Your energy levels mainly decrease due to the changes in the hormones in the initial stages, but you will get better later on in the pregnancy.

10.  Food cravings: You will feel the sudden urge to have a specific dish or food, and won’t be content until you have had it.  Food cravings may however be due to other reasons too, so you can’t rely only on this pregnancy symptom alone.

11.  Constipation: You may be prone to constipation due to the hormonal changes in the initial stages of pregnancy.

12.  Skin breakouts and acne:  Changes in hormones can cause flare-ups, even if you’re not usually prone to adult acne.

13.  Dry, flaky skin:  You may suddenly have patches of dry skin when it was never a problem for you before.  The changing levels of hormones and oil production can cause dry skin as an early pregnancy symptom.

One or more of these symptoms may raise your suspicions that something different is going on with your body!  Experiencing any of the early pregnancy symptoms will usually have you wanting to take a home pregnancy test just to be sure. Most home pregnancy tests now are up to 99% accurate, and can even test a few days before you miss a period. 

It’s best to know about your pregnancy as soon as possible so that you can start taking care of your body in the early stages of pregnancy.

Get more Thursday Thirteen at the new Thursday 13 and Happy to be at Home.  For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, visit We are That Family.

Pregnancy photos by diluvi.