Christmas is traditionally a busy time of the year for most of us. If you are pregnant at Christmas, you may have a lot more on your plate than others.

In this post, we share a few conditions that happen around or because of Xmas that could land you in a hospital or make you very uncomfortable.

Indigestion

Pregnancy hormones and your growing womb already mean that many pregnant women have heartburn.

Heartburn is the burning sensation that develops in the middle part of your chest and sometimes rises into your throat. It may be accompanied by belching, nausea and bloating feeling in your tummy.

However, (over) indulging in Xmas feasting may double or triple the risk of this happening.

To some, discomfort includes bloating and heartburn, but it can be a lot worse for others.

There may be very severe pain in the chest that may be mistaken for a heart attack meaning an urgent assessment is necessary.

Or, the pain/bloating is difficult to control with simple over-the-counter medicines. If you already have heartburn during pregnancy, you may take medicines to relieve excess acid.

Heartburn can start early in the first trimester or develop as the womb size increases in the later stages.

Women suffering from severe pregnancy vomiting are also getting high gastric acid levels. The acid rubbing against the food pipe (gullet) also causes bad heartburn.

Avoiding Ingestion when Pregnant at Christmas

• Eat small amounts of food at a time

• Take plenty of water throughout the day.

• Avoid certain foods:
  • Cabbage, peppermint and tomatoes.
  • Black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and other spicy foods,
  • Chocolate, coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda;
  • Minimise citrus fruits and products, such as lemons, oranges and orange juice or take them as diluted drinks

• Don’t eat late at night or go to bed straight after eating.

Stress

Another aspect of Xmas is the stress around keeping up with so much activity – looking for gifts, organising young kids and keeping them active over the holiday, decorating, preparing for the day, etc.

When you are pregnant at Christmas, you need to avoid stress, so here are some tips to avoid losing it over this period:

Tips to avoid stress at Christmas

• Plan ahead! This saves time and reduces tension.

• Delegate! If you can, get everyone around you to take on jobs that will help reduce the load on you.

• Know your trigger points or, when you are getting close to the breaking point, so you stop well before.

• Have intentional breaks – these could be built into your day and week. There you have time to unwind and destress, despite the busyness around you.

Food Poisoning

Another food-related problem is developing a sickness bug. This happens after you develop vomiting and (or) diarrhoea because of an infection in the stomach and bowels.

This is more likely to happen while eating out or having a takeaway.

While pregnant, your risk of getting dehydrated quickly after vomiting and diarrhoea is so high that you must do everything to avoid it.

Do these to prevent Food Poisoning at Christmas

• Avoid water from unknown sources, salad from open buffets,

• Don’t eat tepid food or leftovers unless thoroughly heated.

If you do develop food poisoning with severe symptoms, go to the hospital.

Not only could dehydration be very bad for your kidneys, but your child’s blood supply can also be affected, putting them at risk.

Christmas is a time for togetherness and celebrations – handled well, you will have an amazing one this year.

Follow our tips, and let us know in the comments section how you are getting on in your pregnancy this  Christmas.

More Reading

• Twelve Pains Of Christmas You Should Not Ignore?
• Dealing with Indigestion – which foods are OK for Heartburn?
• Ingestion of a Poisonous Substance
• Effects of Stress and Six Proven Ways To Overcome Them
• Pregnancy and Your Heart – Risk of disease.

Editing by AskAwayHealth Team

Disclaimer

All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising  Medical Practitioners on a wide range of healthcare conditions to provide evidence-based guidance and to help promote quality healthcare. The advice in our material is not meant to replace a qualified healthcare practitioner’s management of your specific condition.
Please contact a health practitioner to discuss your condition, or reach us directly here.

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