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Frequently asked questions about pregnancy
 If you have morning sickness:
- Eat a piece of toast or a cracker upon rising or before getting out of bed
- Early in the day, eat lightly and frequently. Avoid liquid with your meals
- Avoid gassy vegetables (cabbage family and those with strong flavor or coarse texture)
- Cooked vegetables and canned fruits are more easily tolerated
- Ginger snap cookies/crackers, ginger ale or ginger tea, butterscotch hard candy or seabands (found over the counter at pharmacies)
If you are constipated:
- Avoid laxitives
- Add Metamucil crackers or powder
- Raw vegetables are excellent
- Eat raw fruits plus one serving of prunes or prune juice daily. You may also try drinking lemon juice with water before breakfast
- Maintain fluid intake to at least 10 glasses per day even though you may experience urgency
- Eating meals regularly is most important
If you have heartburn:
- Avoid highly seasoned/spicy foods
- Avoid fried foods
- Decrease coarse textured foods ie: foods that require a lot of chewing – apples, celery
- Eat small meals often rather than large meals
- Avoid liquids with meals
- Do not lie down after a meal
- Avoid tobacco, chocolate, peppermint and caffine
- Try tums
- Avoid the use of bicarbonate of soda
If you need to see a dentist:
Please discuss the treatment plan, use of x-ray, local/gas anesthesia, pain control and antibiotics with your dental provider. They should follow ADA (American Dental Association) guidelines and have the resources to provide you with the appropriate dental care.
What about medications in pregnancy?
It is best to avoid any medication during pregnancy if at all possible. However some medications that may have not been found to cause any problems during pregnancy may be taken after your 12th week of gestation.
| You May Take: |
| For headaches, aches/pain: |
Tylenol (acetaminophen) |
| For coughs or congestion: |
Robitussin (plain or DM), Halls |
| For sinus congestion and allergy: |
Sudafed (regular or 12 hour) |
| For cold symptoms: |
Chlor-Trimeton, Sucrets |
| For itching/rashes and allergies: |
Benadryl, Cortisone cream (over the Counter), Neosporin |
| For constipation: |
Citrucel, Metamucil, Fibercon, Colace, Milk of Magnesia |
| For diarrhea: |
Kaopectate, Imodium AD, Mylanta II |
| For indigestion: |
Tums, Maalox |
| For hemorrhoids: |
Tucks pads, Anusol, Preparation H |
| For yeast infections: |
Monistat |
Okay in limited amounts: |
| Foods: |
NutraSweet, Caffeine |
Do Not Take Unless Prescribed By Your Physician: |
| Aspirin |
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Strong Laxatives |
| Advil/Nuprin/Aleve |
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Enemas or Douches |
| Motrin |
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Multi-Symptom cold medications |
| Alka-Seltzer |
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Old Prescriptions |
| Hormones or Birth Control Pills |
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Nicotine |
| Alcohol or alcohol-containing medications |
| Do Not Stop: |
| Medications prescribed for medical problems such as seizures, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, etc. |
| DO: |
| Discuss these medications with us or the prescribing physician as soon as you know you are pregnant. |
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NOTE: The recommendations and information provided by this web site are for educational purposes only. This site is not comprehensive and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with your health care provider. If you have any questions or concerns you are encouraged to contact your physician. |
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