Feeling Nauseous, Fatigued and Constipated? Here are 5 of the Most Common Pregnancy Symptoms and How to Manage Them
Whether this is your first pregnancy or your latest one, physical changes to your body are to be expected and can feel tiring, worrisome or even scary at times. While every woman and every pregnancy is unique, there are several common symptoms that many expectant mothers experience. Understanding and knowing how to manage them can help you have a more comfortable and healthy pregnancy.
1: Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is arguably the most “well-known” pregnancy symptom. Basically, it’s nausea and vomiting caused by rapid changes in hormone levels including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and oestrogen. Most women with morning sickness feel nauseous for a short time each day and may vomit once or twice.
Despite its name, “morning” sickness can happen at any time of the day or night. It can start as early as the 6th week of pregnancy, but the exact timing varies. Most women experience signs of morning sickness before 9 weeks of pregnancy. The condition tends to improve or go away by the end of the 1st trimester although some women experience lingering symptoms through the 2nd trimester to the 3rd.
Women who easily get motion sickness are at a higher risk[1] of experiencing more frequent or severe morning sickness during pregnancy. If your nausea lasts several hours each day, if you vomit more than 3 times a day, feel dizzy and become dehydrated; if you cannot get any food or fluids to stay down and are losing more than 5% of your pre-pregnancy weight, you may be having a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum[2]. It affects up to 3% of pregnancies[1]. Fortunately, there are treatments to control it. See your doctor immediately.
How to Manage Morning Sickness
• Eat a few crackers or toast in the morning to help settle your stomach. Keep a few crackers next to your bed and eat a couple before getting up.
• Eat several small meals a day instead of three large meals. Don’t skip meals.
• Avoid spicy and fatty foods. Eat bland foods such as bananas, rice, dry toast, plain baked potato, broth, or eggs.
• Eat nutritious, protein-rich snacks between meals, such as yogurt, peanut butter on apple slices or celery, cheese or nuts.
• Choose cold foods if the aroma of hot meals causes nausea.
• Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, throughout the day to stay hydrated. Avoid caffeinated beverages.
• Make tea with real grated ginger or eat dried ginger.
• Get sufficient rest because fatigue can worsen nausea.
2: Fatigue
Fatigue during pregnancy is absolutely normal. It’s a signal from your body to slow down, and to give it time to adjust to the incredible changes happening inside. Hormone changes play a big role in making you feel tired, especially the hormone progesterone. This hormone rises sharply in the 1st trimester. In addition, your blood volume increases to supply the developing placenta and foetal circulation. This makes your heart pump faster and stronger which results in a faster pulse and breathing rates. Low iron levels can make you tired too. But this is more common later in pregnancy.
How to Manage Fatigue
• Prioritize rest and listen to your body.
• Take short naps during the day if possible. You may also want to try going to bed earlier.
• You may feel sleepy at work. If so, try some stretches or deep breathing exercises. Or get up and walk around the office. Or take a break outside.
• Sleep on your left side to improve comfort and circulation.
• Maintain a healthy diet with protein-rich foods and iron to prevent anaemia.
• Stay hydrated and engage in light exercise like walking or prenatal yoga.
3: Frequent Urination
Frequent urination during the 1st trimester happens mainly due to hormonal shifts, increased blood flow, and early pressure on the bladder. During pregnancy, the hormone hCG causes your blood flow to increase. The kidneys must then process a greater quantity of fluid[3], which leads to a frequent urge to urinate. The frequent need to urinate is also because the uterus and bladder share a tight space in the pelvis early on. This makes your bladder fill up fast and feel full sooner.
You may also experience urinary incontinence[4] which happens when you have trouble controlling your bladder. Incontinence happens when you leak urine when you laugh, cough or sneeze, which could be embarrassing. Don’t worry. The problem is usually temporary. Things usually return to normal a few months after your child is born.
If you have a fever or chills or notice a burning sensation while urinating, you should seek immediate medical attention, as it could be a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).
How to Manage Frequent Urination
• Lean forward when urinating to help empty your bladder completely.
• Avoid caffeine, which can increase urination as it is a diuretic that irritates the bladder, and stimulates bladder muscles.
• Reduce fluid intake before bedtime but stay hydrated throughout the day.
• Do Kegel exercises[5] to support your pelvic floor.
4: Heart Burn and Indigestion
Heartburn — the burning feeling in your chest and throat that often accompanies indigestion — is common during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. Though it’s called “heartburn,” it’s unrelated to your heart. Heartburn is mainly caused by changing hormone levels, relaxed stomach valves, and slower digestion. The hormone progesterone relaxes your lower oesophageal sphincter. This valve normally keeps food and acid down in your stomach. When it relaxes, acid can easily flow back up[6] into your throat — hence the burning or bitter or sour sensation. Progesterone also slows down how fast your body moves food through your digestive tract, giving your stomach a longer time to empty.
How to Manage Heartburn and Indigestion
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Avoid spicy, fatty, or acidic foods.
• Stay upright for at least an hour after eating.
• Eat yogurt or drink some milk.
• Chew gum to neutralise (weaken) the acid.
5: Constipation
Constipation, which affects up to 50%[7] of pregnant women, occurs when there is abdominal pain or discomfort, difficult and infrequent bowel movements, and the passage of hard stools. Constipation is caused by hormonal changes which slow down digestion, iron supplements which can make stools harder and more difficult to pass, and pressure from the growing foetus. You’re most likely to get constipated in the 3rd trimester, when the foetus is heaviest and putting the most pressure on your intestines. However, constipation can happen in all three trimesters. Sometimes, you’ll continue to be constipated up to three months after your child’s birth.
Having constipation can lead to uncomfortable side effects such as haemorrhoids, anal fissures and faecal impaction.
How to Manage Constipation
• Increase fibre intake with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drink at least 8―12 cups of water daily. Herbal teas and soups also count.
• Engage in regular, light physical activity such as walking or prenatal yoga.
• Don’t wait to go to the toilet. Go empty your bowels immediately when you feel the urge.
Mori-Mama
Pregnancy symptoms are driven by rapid hormonal shifts but Mori-Mama can help alleviate some of the above symptoms. Mori-Mama is Morinaga’s advanced maternal nutrition that supports both mother and child from the inside out. Formulated with 41 essential nutrients such as lactoferrin and iron and Synbiotic B. longum BB536 + FOS, it also contains the whole range of B vitamins, including Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) that helps ease morning sickness. Vitamin B6 is effective in reducing the severity of pregnancy-related nausea[8] while it balances key brain chemicals and supports metabolism. Mori-Mama provides 1100mcg of Vitamin B6 per serving.
Mori-Mama’s range of B vitamins from Vitamin B1 to B12 also help to combat fatigue by converting food into cellular energy, making red blood cells, and supporting the nervous system. Taking Mori-Mama will help you alleviate some of the fatigue you experience.
However, while some of the tiredness you feel may be attributed to hormones, fatigue may also be caused by anaemia. Anaemia is very common among women. It is a condition where the body has fewer red blood cells or less haemoglobin than normal which reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to the organs and to the developing foetus. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells. During pregnancy, your body needs twice as much iron[9] to make extra blood for your child. This is especially so by the 3rd trimester when a woman’s blood volume increases by about 50% to support the growing child and prepare for childbirth.
Untreated anaemia forces your heart to work harder because your blood has fewer red blood cells. These cells carry oxygen. Your heart must pump faster and harder to move enough oxygen through your body. Anaemia is a double-edged sword. While it causes you to be extremely fatigued, dizzy and out of breath, it can also hinder foetal brain and physical development[10] resulting in low birth weight, preterm birth, and even foetal heart failure.
You are usually given an iron supplement to correct your low iron count. However, these traditional supplements often cause gastrointestinal distress such as constipation, bloating, nausea and stomach cramps — which is the last thing you want.
Lactoferrin and Iron
Mori-Mama’s lactoferrin and iron can help you correct or prevent anaemia without the digestive side effects. Lactoferrin is a multifunctional, iron-binding protein found in high concentrations in mother’s milk especially colostrum. Like an iron bus that wraps around iron molecules and protects them from stomach acids, lactoferrin then transports the iron molecules across the intestinal wall to release them directly into the cells[11] of the body. This way, lactoferrin allows the body to absorb iron more efficiently and hence, prevent anaemia.
Mori-Mama delivers 22mg of Lactoferrin and 10mg of Iron per serving — the highest among all the other brands in Malaysia.
Synbiotic (B.longum BB536 + FOS)
To relieve constipation, restore healthy digestion as well as boost nutrient absorption, Mori-Mama contains Synbiotic (B.longum BB536 + FOS). The probiotic Bifidobacterium longum BB536[12] (B. longum BB536) is a Human-Residential Bifidobacteria (HRB) that is natively adapted to the human intestinal environment. Originally isolated from a healthy infant, B.longum BB536 has evolved to thrive in human body temperatures, and survive harsh gastric acid and bile.
Being able to survive and thrive in the human gut means the probiotic is able to provide sustained beneficial effects, delivering reliable support for your digestive and immune health.
In Mori-Mama, B. longum BB536 is paired with the prebiotic Fructo-Oligosaccharides (FOS) to form Synbiotic (B.longum BB536 + FOS). FOS is a natural fibre that is found abundantly in fruits and vegetables. FOS selectively feeds and grows the live cultures of B. longum BB536 to balance the gut microbiome, enhance nutrient absorption, and regulate the immune system. Clinical trials and research have shown that FOS can effectively soften stool and stimulate bowel movement[13] in pregnant mothers which helps to relieve constipation.
Mori-Mama provides 1.3 billion CFU of B. longum BB536 and 1.3g of FOS in every serving. It is also the only maternal milk brand in Malaysia to contain a HRB strain of probiotics.
Mori-Mama: A Trusted Heritage Brand
Mori-Mama is a trusted heritage brand with over 100 years of Morinaga innovation. It is a category leader in maternal milk nutrition that provides the one solution for moms from pregnancy planning to lactation. Not only is it formulated with revolutionary nutrients like Lactoferrin and Synbiotic B. longum BB536 + FOS, the milk only comes to you after a dual inspection process as every batch is first inspected at their manufacturing facility followed by a second inspection in Japan. This ensures you get uncompromising quality and safety. Mori-Mama has a mild vanilla flavour, doesn’t contain added sucrose and is certified halal.
[1] Gleneagles Hospitals. (2023). Understanding morning sickness in pregnancy. Retrieved from https://gleneagles.com.my/health-digest/morning-sickness-during-pregnancy
[2] Medscape. (n.d.). Hyperemesis gravidarum. Retrieved from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/254751-overview
[3] Ubie Health. (n.d.). Frequent urination in early pregnancy. Retrieved from https://ubiehealth.com/doctors-note/frequent-urination-early-pregnancy
[4] Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Urinary incontinence. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17596-urinary-incontinence
[5] Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Kegel exercises. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14611-kegel-exercises
[6] Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Heartburn during pregnancy. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12011-heartburn-during-pregnancy
[7] American Pregnancy Association. (n.d.). Constipation during pregnancy. Retrieved from https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy/constipation-during-pregnancy/
[8] Verywell Health. (n.d.). Does B6 help with nausea?. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/does-b6-help-with-nausea-8771964
[9] Yale Medicine. (n.d.). Importance of iron in pregnancy. Retrieved from https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/importance-of-iron-in-pregnancy
[10] National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Anaemia in pregnancy and foetal brain development. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12401385/
[11] Lactoferrin.co. (n.d.). How lactoferrin works in the body: Mechanisms explained. Retrieved from https://www.lactoferrin.co/blogs/articles/how-lactoferrin-works-in-the-body-mechanisms-explained
[12] Morinaga Milk Industry. (n.d.). Bifidobacterium longum BB536. Retrieved from https://morinagamilk-ingredients.com/probiotics/bb536/
[13] Express Healthcare. (n.d.). FOS and constipation: Examining the evidence for prebiotic supplementation. Retrieved from https://www.expresshealthcare.in/news/fos-and-constipation-examining-the-evidence-for-prebiotic-supplementation/438515/