It is Normal to experience some minor discomforts during pregnancy, but it is best to avoid taking drugs, unless they have been prescribed by a physician. Alternative remedies can be helpful, but some can be harmful during pregnancy. Always consult a qualified practitioner before undertaking any treatment.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is a feeling of nausea, or actual vomiting, usually in the morning, although it can happen at any time of day. It is thought to be caused by an increase in hormone levels in early pregnancy.

Treatment

Diet and Nutrition

Eat small frequent meals that are high in carbohydrates; avoid fatty, rich, or spicy foods. Drink plenty of fluids. A trained nutritionist might recommend supplements: 500mg of magnesium and 100mg of vitamin B6 per day.

Herbal Medicine

Try camomile or peppermint tea or an infusion of fresh ginger.

Homeopathy

Nux vomica, Pulsatilla, and Ipecacuanha are useful remedies.

Aromatherapy

Place one or two drops of lemon oil in a burner placed in the room where you sleep.

Sore Breasts

One of the first signs of pregnancy is sore breasts, as they begin to increase in size in preparation for feeding the baby.

Treatment

Wear a well-fitting bra throughout pregnancy to give the breasts support.

Homeopathy Conium and Bryonia can ease soreness. Cracked nipples respond to Castor equi.

Aromatherapy Add two drops of lavender oil or geranium oil to a warm bath. Allow the water to cover your breasts, or hold a soaked facecloth over them.

Heartburn

This problem is caused by acid from the stomach and is often experienced during the last months of pregnancy. It creates a strong burning sensation in the chest.

Treatment

Diet and Nutrition Eat small, regular meals based on wholefoods, with moderate amounts of protein. Cut out fatty and spicy foods and avoid tea, coffee, and alcohol. A milky drink at bedtime can also help.

Herbal Medicine

Meadowsweet tea and marshmallow infusion will help soothe the lining of the stomach.

Aromatherapy

Add 2 drops of sandal. wood to 2.5 teaspoonfuls of carrier oil and massage into the solar plexus.

The busiest time for a fitness club is just after Christmas but many people stop attending within a few months so if you join a club you want to make sure they will motivate you enough to keep coming back. The important first step is deciding what it is you want achieve and finding a club that can give you what you need. While that is important, there are some other factors to consider before you make your final decision. Probably the most important consideration is the location, those clubs that are have the best attendance are either located close to home or work, anywhere outside of this and you will probably make excuses as to why you cannot go.

Having a decent well qualified instructor is the next most important as a good instructor will encourage you to not only attend but to keep the fitness training up. For people that may have specific requirements or physical limitations, the instructor needs to be made aware of these from the start. It is easy to forget that sometimes the staff might not actually care about your custom so it is worth testing them on what they know about the services on offer and how they feel about their work. Many fitness clubs these days have their own specialists to help with physiotherapy or nutrition.

Often it is the opening times of these clubs that let them down and he standard range of programs is not varied enough to suit most peoples needs. If your intention is to join a fitness club for the classes, see if they will let you try some before you become a member. It may seem like a minor point but if the club doesn’t have sufficient training equipment to go around, queues are likely to form and that is when people start to leave. Although newer types of training machines are easier to use, make sure you are comfortable using them and that they are well maintained so look around for any out-of-order signs.

It is not unusual for clubs to have social venues and it is worth trying one of these to meet some of the members to see if they are the sort of people you will get on well with. It is important to know the monthly membership fee and what it covers as some clubs have hidden charges, also check to see if they offer services at an extra fee and how often they increase rates. Visit more than one fitness club; make up a list, preferably at least three to take a look at, perhaps at different price levels as it will be worth your while to see what’s available. Take your time, there is no hurry and be wary of clubs that continue to contact you about membership as there is a fine line between a courteous approach and pestering.