Do Not Take Any Medications or Herbal Supplements (Over the Counter or Prescribed) without first consulting your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can advise you on the risks and benefits of medication for your particular situation. Below is a list of medications that your healthcare provider believes are safe and effective for pregnant women. In addition we have listed natural remedies and exercises you can do it to help yourself with some of the more common discomforts of pregnancy.

Please do not smoke or drink alcohol during your pregnancy.

Dry Heaves/Nausea/Vomiting

• Stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Eat small amounts of food frequently (about every 2 hours), especially proteins and fruits.
• Make sure you are getting adequate sleep.
• Sea bands, available over the counter, can aid with nausea. These are generally used for motion sickness
• Vitamin B6 can help with nausea. Your healthcare provider recommends 50 mg, 4 times a day.
• Peppermint Tea and Ginger Tea can help.
• The following over the counter medications are acceptable to take: Emetrol, Benadryl (25 mg), Dramamine (50 mg).

Cold/Sinus/Hayfever

• Increase your fluid intakes particularly of fruit juices and water to decrease congestion
• Decreasing dairy product consumption may help.
• The following over the counter medications are acceptable to take: Sudafed, Actifed, Chlor-Trimeton, and Claritin.
• ***If you have fever over 101 degrees, have significant sinus tenderness or your symptoms persist, please contact your healthcare provider. ****

Constipation

• Avoid straining when having bowel movement.
• Avoid laxatives.
• Try prunes, prune juice or carrot juice.
• Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fiber.
• Drink plenty of water and fluids.
• Exercise daily-even if it’s just a short walk around the block.
• The following over the counter medications are acceptable to take: Colace/Surfake/Correctal, Metamucil and similar bulk formers

Headaches

• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can cause headaches.
• Warm baths are helpful.
• Relax and rest your eyes. Dim the lights and apply cool compresses to your neck or forehead and lie down.
• Do head and neck rolls.
• Consider a chiropractic adjustment and/or pregnancy massage.
• Take a walk in the fresh air.
• Tylenol (regular or extra strength) is acceptable.
• ***Blurred vision, dizziness, fainting, or other visual disturbances are reasons to contact your healthcare provider***

Muscle Aches/Back Pain

• Focus on good posture and remember to lift objects keeping your back straight and your knees bent.
• Wear flat or low heeled shoes.
• Alternate heat and cold packs to promote circulation
• Check with you healthcare provider to make sure there are no kidney problems.
• Use of a maternity girdle may help.
• Tylenol (regular or extra strength) is acceptable.

Heartburn/Indigestion

• Eat small, frequent meals.
• Avoid high fat, high protein meals as they stimulate acid production.
• Spicy foods may worsen the problem; keep a food log to determine this for yourself.
• Don’t eat close to bedtime.
• Antacids before and between meals may help. The following antacids are acceptable to use: Maalox, Mylanta, and Gaviscon.

Diarrhea

• Drink plenty of fluids to replace lost fluids.
• Try avoiding solid foods for 12-24 hours and drinking clear liquids. Advance to a BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast) diet.
• The following over the counter medications are acceptable: Kaopectate, Immodium AD.
• If symptoms last over 36 hours, please contact your healthcare provider.

Cough

• Increase your intake of water and fruit juices
• Avoid dairy products.
• A cool, mist humidifier may help.
• Avoid alcohol in your cough medications. The following over the counter medications are acceptable: Robitussin, cough drops.
• **If symptoms persist, fever over 101 degrees is present or you are having difficulty breathing or are wheezing, please call.**

Nasal Congestion/Sore Throat

• See the information under colds.
• Gargle with Warm Salt Water (1 tsp salt per 8 ounces of water).
• The following over the counter preparations are acceptable: Ocean Nasal Spray, Afrin (for no more than 3 days), Sucrets, Chloraseptic.