Common Pregnancy Symptoms and What to Do About Them

Pregnancy is miraculous. It is also, frequently, genuinely uncomfortable. Most symptoms are completely normal. This guide covers the most common ones and what you can actually do about them.

Nausea and vomiting (morning sickness)

Nausea affects up to 80% of pregnant women, usually beginning around week 6 and peaking around week 9. Despite the name, it can happen at any time of day and for some women is severe and constant.

**What helps:** Eating small, frequent meals. Never letting your stomach get completely empty. Plain carbohydrates (crackers, bread, plain pasta). Cold foods, which smell less strongly than hot ones. Ginger in any form. Acupressure wristbands.

**When to seek help:** Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of pregnancy nausea that leads to weight loss, dehydration, and inability to function normally. It requires medical treatment and should not be managed alone.

Fatigue

First and third trimester fatigue can be profound. Your body is working enormously hard, particularly in the early weeks when the placenta is being built.

Rest without guilt. Reducing non-essential commitments, accepting help, and prioritising sleep are the best management tools. Light exercise like walking can paradoxically increase energy.

Back pain

The hormone relaxin, produced throughout pregnancy, loosens the joints in preparation for birth. This causes instability and often pain, particularly in the lower back and pelvic girdle.

A belly support band from around 20 weeks can provide real relief. Prenatal yoga and swimming are also excellent.

Heartburn

As the uterus grows, it pushes the stomach upward. Combined with the relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter due to pregnancy hormones, this causes acid reflux in many women from the second trimester onwards.

**What helps:** Eating smaller meals, avoiding trigger foods (spicy, fatty, acidic), not lying down immediately after eating, and sleeping with your head slightly elevated. Gaviscon is generally considered safe in pregnancy; speak to your midwife or GP.

Swelling (oedema)

Ankle and foot swelling is very common from the second trimester. Avoid standing for long periods, elevate your feet when sitting, and stay hydrated.

Compression socks worn during the day significantly reduce swelling in the lower legs.

**Seek urgent care** if swelling appears suddenly, is severe, or is accompanied by headache, visual disturbances, or upper abdominal pain. These can be signs of pre-eclampsia.

Insomnia

Insomnia is very common in the third trimester due to a combination of physical discomfort, increased need to urinate overnight, restless leg syndrome, and anxiety about birth and parenthood.

A pregnancy pillow supports the bump, back, and hips simultaneously and is one of the best investments for third trimester sleep.