home remedies for pregnancy cramps?

Home Remedies For Pregnancy Cramping

Pregnancy cramps are not unusual, especially in the first weeks of pregnancy. This pregnancy cramping is caused by the changes in the uterus as it prepares for pregnancy. About the 10th day from ovulation you may notice cramping accompanied by spotting and while many women mistake these as signs that their pregnancy is imminent, the spotting and cramps are actually early pregnancy symptoms. Spotting occurs when an egg that is fertilized gets lodged in the uterus and this is known as implantation bleeding. Not all women experience implantation bleeding and pregnancy cramping, so if you do not experience either of these signs it does not indicate that you are not pregnant.  Some women may experience only light cramps and may not actually observe spotting, instead they may notice that their normal discharge is stained pink. Pregnancy cramping should not cause unnecessary anxiety but it is advisable to bring this to your doctor’s notice.

Home remedies for pregnancy cramps are often a preferred method of dealing with this problem as it is generally not advisable to use medications unnecessarily while you are pregnant. You should follow the advice of your doctor when it comes to medicines for pregnancy cramping as self medication during pregnancy is a definite no-no. Home remedies for pregnancy cramping would include using a warm compress over your lower belly as this will help to ease and reduce muscle spasms. Make sure that you do not use a hot water bottle as a very high temperature is not suitable for the development of a baby. You can also try to ease the pain by drinking plenty of warm fluids throughout the day. This too will help to ease muscle spasms. While a soak in a warm tub may seem like a good idea, it is not advisable as this will increase the temperature of the uterus. Other home remedies for pregnancy cramping include hawthorn and wild yam but you will need to consult your doctor before you decide to use them.

Another form of pregnancy cramping is leg cramps. Leg cramps are caused by the additional stress that is placed on your circulatory system. Your additional belly weight will also add to the stress placed on your legs. Pregnancy cramping of the legs can also occur if you have a calcium deficiency and so you will need to consult your doctor to determine if this is the case. You should make sure that you follow an exercise plan approved by your doctor as this will help to increase blood circulation and reduce pregnancy cramping.

Submitted by P T on July 21, 2010 at 06:09

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