In the Land of the Moon we believe that the well-being of children depends on the whole family, parents are welcome to receive naturopathic medical consultation too.
In this virtual office you can receive advice concerning the problems associated with infertility, pregnancy, labour, and motherhood in general. The questions posted here will be answered by either Dr. Cohen or Marion Langlois, our midwife.
If you need to consult us about nursing, please go to the office of our Lactation Consultant.
To find out the types of conditions that may be consulted about online in this office, please see an Example below.
The price for this consultation is $15. If you wish to receive a consultation from this office, please fill out our Questionnaire
I am 30 weeks pregnant and for the past 4 or 5 weeks I have experienced various sorts of digestive problems, particularly heartburn. Every time I eat, my stomach stretches and feels like I have a stone in it. Shortly after eating, I often have painful gas or cramps in my lower abdomen. Occasionally my stomach swells so much that I feel I cannot get enough air and I panic. I was told that it is normal to feel this way because my womb is pressing against my stomach. Is there anything I can do to feel a little better? Should I avoid eating certain foods, or eat more of others? L.T.
Marion answers
In medicine we differentiate between normal physiological processes and pathology. It is normal for a pregnant woman to experience some discomfort from all the changes suddenly occurring in her body, but it is not normal to suffer from these changes. The growing uterus takes up more and more space inside the abdomen and soon begins to press on the stomach. Therefore, there is less space available for the expansion of the stomach. In addition, your entire digestive tract now works much more slowly, due to hormonal changes, so that ingested food remains in your stomach for a longer time.
These normal changes should not be painful, however, and if they are, they should be treated. By eating smaller and more frequent meals you can avoid overextending your stomach. There are also other benefits: it is easier for your body to maintain a normal blood sugar level, given the added stress of feeding the two of you. Smaller meals are easier to digest and pass along the intestinal tract, which is overburdened by an increased amount of fluid and pressure from the uterus.
The sensation of not having enough air may also be precipitated by anxiety; your lungs will always find a way to draw enough air. But when you are anxious, your diaphragm and other chest muscles may tighten, and you may begin to hyperventilate, which usually leads to a sense of suffocation and panic. Perform relaxation exercises regularly, and especially whenever you start to feel tension in your chest.
Certain food can definitely aggravate your stomach, especially if it has developed an inflammation (gastritis). You are the only person who can determine which foods cause you trouble, because, as far as digestion is concerned, people have very different sensitivities. In general, however, large meals, spicy or acidic dishes, and foods containing rough fibre are more difficult to digest. Some people have a specific intolerance to dairy products, certain vegetables, seafoods, or other foods. All these digestive sensitivities can and should be treated homeopathically. Avoid drinking with meals or shortly before a meal. Discontinue coffee and tea.
Some women’s digestive problems are a result of the regular intake of maternal vitamins. Try to discontinue all the supplements you are taking for a few days to see if they are the cause of your digestive disorder. It is generally not advisable for a pregnant woman to take any drugs or herbal preparations, unless prescribed by her physician or midwife. Remember, many substances may have an unknown effect on your unborn child or may influence the course of your pregnancy. Avoid foods with preservatives and colouring agents, and food substitutes such as margarine, artificial sweeteners and fats, and processed foods. Wash your fruits and vegetables with a soapy sponge and rinse them well or peel them to eliminate pesticide residue as thoroughly as possible. Eat organic food if it is available. Make sure you have a variety of high-quality vegetable oils from a health food store. Do not take iron supplements unless you are anemic, in which case you should also be treated homeopathically. (Contrary to popular belief, Ferrum-phos is not a homeopathic remedy of choice for pregnancy anemia).
The best way to get help for your painful condition is to consult a professional homeopathic doctor. If you want to try treating it yourself, then any of the following homeopathic remedies, listed in order of decreasing probability, may be the one you need to take: Ignitia, Sepia, Staphysagria, Arsenicum, China, Pulsatilla, Kali carbonicum, Nux vomica, Bryonia, Lachesis, Carcinosin, Lycopodium, Mercury, Abies nigra, Nux moschata. Check the description of each of these remedies in a materia medica and choose the one that best describes your symptoms. In general, the following is a list of highly effective homeopathic remedies that are often needed in pregnancy: Caulophyllum, Cimicifuga, Kali carbonicum, Pulsatilla, Sepia, and Staphysagria. Pregnancy is unlike a state of chronic illness, which often requires only one homeopathic medicine to complete a cure. Your body is in a constant flux, and you may need a different remedy as often as every month. If they are prescribed and applied properly, the health of both you and your baby will be greatly improved.
The price for this consultation is $8.
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If you wish to receive a consultation from this office please fill out our Patient's Questionnaire.
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