Is this really a symptom?

When you first tell people you are pregnant (and for the duration of your pregnancy) you hear all about the "symptoms" of pregnancy. No two women are alike and most of the time you hear the general.. morning sickness, back ache, stretch marks, headaches, etc. Luckily for all of you I started this blog when most said I was in the "honeymoon" stage of my pregnancy so you missed hearing about my morning sickness and migraines that lasted for days on end.


I thought I was pretty much in the clear until I hit my third trimester. Sure there are going to be back aches and heartburn full speed ahead, but I've been prepping with pillows and extra strength Tums. Besides at almost 22 weeks I was feeling great .. until we got a heat wave in April and the temperature hit 90 degrees!


I was at the kitchen sink washing and cutting veggies for dinner and all of a sudden there was ringing in my ears. The ringing was familiar, that sound I get whenever I go for bloodwork right before I know I'm going to pass out. I turned quickly to plop on the kitchen floor and manged to utter a few words to my husband before I went down. No worries .. he was able to catch me before I hit the floor :) Of course I called the doctor and they figured it was from the heat (must make sure I stay hydrated) but before I hung up with the midwife she advised me not to be alarmed fainting "can be a symptom of pregnancy"


Are you kidding me??!!?? Now that I FINALLY have an appetite and don't dry heave for the first 30 minutes of my day .. I have to worry about passing out as my replacement symptom! Not to mention I'm due in August so there will be MANY hot days to follow. So even after reading Jenny McCarthy's Baby Laughs book I was blinded by the possibility that fainting can be a symptom of pregnancy. I'm thinking about sending her an email to see if she can add fainting to an appendix of the book since she seemed to have covered everything else (I'll let you know about delivery once I get there) with the finest detail and forewarning.


In the meantime I'm just going to have to be EXTRA careful about making sure I'm snacking all day and drinking plenty of water and Gatorade.


Here are some tips to avoid fainting during pregnancy:

-Make sure you are eating enough: Try to keep you r blood sugar from getting too low by eating small, frequent meals during the day instead of three large ones. Carry healthy snacks so you can eat when you get hungry (I love Kashi bars)

- Don't stand up too fast: Avoid springing up from your chair or bed. When you're lying down, sit up slowly and stay sitting for a few minutes with your legs dangling over the side of the bed or couch. Then slowly rise from sitting to standing.

-Stay hydrated: Stay well hydrated by drinking eight to ten glasses of water a day — more if you're exercising or if it's hot.


-Don't let yourself get overheated: If you feel dizzy when you get too hot, avoid stuffy crowded places and dress in layers so you can shed clothes as necessary. Take warm showers or baths instead of hot ones, and try to keep the bathroom cool.