When I was pregnant with my first child, both of my sisters as well as my sister-in-law were also pregnant. Two with their third child and one with her second. So…you would think at least one of them would have filled their baby sister in on the side effect of pregnancy no one talks about, HEMORRHOIDS!
I admit, I am a nurse, I should have known, but honestly, I didn’t. I guess I was blissfully thinking this may happen to others, but not to me! I was young, in great shape, took good care of myself; how could I possibly develop hemorrhoids?
Well, as it turns out, it was easy! Hemorrhoids were just one of the gifts given to me by my 9lb 2oz first child!
In case you are like me and no one ever tells you about hemorrhoids, I’m going to give you the low down from my experience.
What they are, what causes them, how to avoid getting them and what you need to know if you do develop hemorrhoids.*
What are they?
Hemorrhoids are blood vessels in the rectal area that have become unusually swollen. They typically range from the size of a pea to the size of a grape and can be inside the rectum or protrude through the anus.
As you can imagine, hemorrhoids are usually itchy and the discomfort can range from mildly uncomfortable to very painful. You may even notice a small amount of bleeding* when you have a bowel movement.
What causes hemorrhoids?
Most likely a few factors are at work:
- Blood flow – when you’re pregnant, the amount of blood circulating through your body increases which causes your blood vessels to dilate.
- Constipation – the pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes and slows down the movement of food through your intestines. This can easily lead to constipation which can lead to the vessels in your rectal area enlarging even more when you strain to have a bowel movement.
- Pressure – your enlarging uterus plus increased blood flow to the pelvic area during pregnancy can cause the veins in the rectal wall to swell and bulge.
- You may also develop hemorrhoids postpartum (after the baby is born), related to pushing during labor.
Symptoms
The symptoms may vary, but some common ones are:
- painless bleeding*
- anal itching
- pain
- swelling and feeling a lump(s) in your anal area
How to avoid getting hemorrhoids
- Avoid constipation. Eat a high-fiber diet (plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables), drink plenty of water (eight to ten glasses a day), and get regular exercise.
- Try not to stand or sit for long periods of time as those activities can both put pressure on the veins in your lower body.
- Do your Kegel exercises. They can help to prevent hemorrhoids by improving circulation to your pelvic area and minimizing constipation.
- Try not to strain when you’re having a bowel movement and don’t sit on the toilet for long periods of time. Sitting on the toilet puts added pressure on your perineum.
Hemorrhoid treatment
- Stay clean – use warm water and white toilet tissue to gently wipe after a bowel movement. You may want to use pre-moistened bathroom wipes if you find the toilet tissue is too harsh.
- Some people swear by sitting in a warm bath for 10 or 15 minutes, while others use an ice pack to the rectal area. I have heard of some people finding relief by alternating between these two treatments.
- You should avoid sitting or standing for long stretches of time and sleep on your side to take pressure off your rectal area.
- TryHemoClin -itis a revolutionary productthatis set on easing symptoms for anyone dealing with hemorrhoid pain or anal discomfort.
- HemoClin is a clear water-based gel that delivers no pain, no mess, and no stains.
- HemoClin works fast and effectively by providing a cooling relief from anal discomforts. This is achieved with a patented 2QR complex Bio-Active blocker derived from the Aloe Vera plant that works with the body’s natural bacteria.
Where Can I get HemoClin?
For more information and to learn more about Hemoclin please visit http://hemoclin.ca/
You can find Hemoclin at your local pharmacy or order online at http://www.aurium.ca/products/
Time to Win ~ The gift of #ahhh with the #HemoclinComfortKit giveaway!
We want you to take it easy during this time of discomfort and treat yourself, so HemoClin wants to offer even more relief with our #HemoclinComfortKit giveaway.
Win 2 boxes of HemoClin + a $100 RBC Visa gift card and let us help ease the discomfort of hemorrhoids.
Good Luck everyone!
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my sister had a lot of heartburn!
my sister went into grumpy mode
I honestly didn’t expect the physical changes that happened with my body!
When my friend couldn’t drive for 8 weeks after her casearean.
When my mom was expecting me, she had nausea throughout the whole pregnancy!
I honestly didn’t expect the fast short labour on my first just over an hour start to finish
I was surprised at the 5 months of constant heart burn I suffered from
I had constant and severe heartburn with my first. That was the most surprising to me.
I was surprised how exhausted I was during the first few months.
I was surprised about heartburn
I had bad cramps in my legs at nighttime,I wasn`t expecting that.
I had bad leg cramps at nighttime,I wasn`t expecting that.
The excessive heartburn was unexpected for me
Being clumsy and awkward and running into things with my belly was strange for me.
I wasn’t prepared for how the horrible heartburn.
My friend did not expect the constant heartburn or swollen feet
Oh the joy of parenting: hemmoroids, heartburn and stretchmarks but all worth it.
The leg cramps that I experienced were unbelievable.
My sister had morning sickness for most of her labour..it was bad, I felt so bad for her
I gain 85lb my first pregnancy and my body wasn’t handling it well. My feet were swollen, my blood pressure was high and my finger tip were numb for the last 8 weeks of my pregnancy.
I didn’t expect my ankles to swell up so much.
I had no morning sickness.
I had pregnancy insomnia…I would wae up every night at 2am and never fall back asleep til 5am….it was brutal!
my friend had swollen feet and heartburn!
gagged on everything :(
I had extreme heartburn with my first, no warning that I was going to have my daughter a month early when my water broke in Canadian Tire.. I ran outta there!
Something unexpected was that both my children were induced, which I hadn’t planned on. I previously thought (and had fears of) my water breaking at any moment, but instead I never experienced that– we were booked into the hospital for induction which dr’s broke my water for me.
oh the 4 a.m leg cramps and heartburn were just brutal!
swollen legs and feet
The first four months of morning sickness and later the heartburn.
morning sickness can last for the entire pregnancy. thanks
My sister got really bad heartburn.
I get random leg spasms in the middle of the night…wasn’t expecting that!
My friend had extreme nausea…more than just the normal morning sickness!
My wife had heartburn.
I craved sweet marie bars.
I didn’t expect the heartburn to be so bad. I had to sleep sitting up the last couple months of pregnancy.
I was surprised how much heartburn I had
I have never been pregnant but my friend is dealing with smell issues. Smells that she used to like now make her gag.
My roommate in uni was expecting and I was there when her water broke. She asked me to drive her to the hospital and on the way wanted me to stop at Tim Hortons because she was suddenly ravenously hungry! Man was she mad when I wouldnt do it!*lol*
I was surprised how much I craved macdonalds – I ate super healthy the rest of the time but I got uncontrollable cravings for stuff I would not even eat before I was pregnant!
The cravings, feet swelling and the horrible heartburn :(
my second baby came out in about an hour and a half. …no time for an epidural!
I spent 5 months in hospital with severe morning sickness.
A friend of mine unexpectedly had painfully swollen feet.
My friend experienced heartburn
I experienced a great deal of heartburn during my pregnancy. I never it before but it was definitely a small price to pay! My LO just turned six months and I could n’t be more in love!
For me the most unexpected symptom was the chronic fatigue when I was pregnant. I was always tired.
lots of heartburn!
Horrible heartburn and blood sugar levels out of control
My sister had morning sickness
A friend had bad heartburn
My best friend is pregnant and she been experiencing morning sickness for the past 4 months!
The leg cramps that keep waking me up in the middle of the night.
heartburn
I had hyperemisis gravidium (sp) for almost 5 months!
i had bad morning sickness the duration of my pregnancy
My sister had a big unexpected and that was having to have a c-section. I am glad I didn’t have to go through that.
Seems that it was a genetic thing perhaps – both of my sisters attested to the same symptoms when they were pregnant. Upper neck and shoulder cuff/arm itches….was intolerable at times. But my son Evan was the reward. So all is good….
Eva Mitton-Urban
swollen feet, leg cramps and absolutely zero sex drive (with all FIVE of my pregnancies I had zero sex drive, but according to movies/TV etc woman alway have a high sex drive so that surprised me)
my wife’s ankles swelled
Severely painful swollen feet.
I was craving the weirdest things..gas, tar and shoe polish
Brutal rash on my arms along with the usual stuff.
I couldn’t stand smell of vanilla, yet I love it when I’m not pregnant
MY feet grew half a size, people should warn you about that and not like my feet are swollen kind of growth, forever ever growth
One of my feet grew a size. Just one. I didn’t expect that at all.
WEIRD FOOD CRAVINGS… PICKLES AND PB&J!
I didn’t really have unexpected issues with my second pregnancy. Other than maybe my feet growing a little :) With my first I had nausea, hearburn and craved hamburgers and grapefruit.
Ashleigh Swerdfeger recently posted…Want to know about food?
I craved lemons and limes.
I would get morning sickness from the smell of coffee. My desk at work was next to the coffee maker.
Lots of cravings for Cup Cakes and I still have them daily years later ;)
I certainly didn’t expect to crave onions!! ick!!
orangeheromama recently posted…Read This! – Oh! You Pretty Things, by Shanna Mahin – #bookreview
6 months of morning sickness plus an ER visit!
This was way before I was born, but my mother-in-law had told me she was shocked when her doctor told her she was having twins.
I developed a “pregnancy tumor” (it’s actually a benign lump on my gums) that would bleed when I brushed my teeth
Well I had my son a half hour after getting to the hospital so that was pretty unexpected!
Hemorrhoids! It was brutal.
Stacie recently posted…Stubb’s BBQ Sauce + Giveaway
I had horrible heart burn
Katrina Thom recently posted…The Most Popular TV Show Cars
my son had a big head he headbutted me so hard he broke my rib
My daughter came 3 weeks early!
Hemorrhoids – very painful and unexpected.
My sons entire birth was unexpected. He was born five weeks early! When I was pregnant with my daughter, my gall bladder started acting up.
I wasnt expecting that my son would get the hiccups and it felt very strange and would keep me awake at night . I also didnt expect my belly button would pop out that was no fun . I also didnt expect that the 3 rd baby would be 10 5 ounces and would come out the size of a 2 month old. That was a very uncomfortable pregnancy near the end. He was so big you could feel all his body parts by touching my belly and he had so little room he had his heel jammed up in my ribs for the whole last month . But I actually kind of miss the whole thing lol
I wasn’t expecting my water to break 5 weeks early… gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby girl <3
The continuous morning sickness
I felt pretty great during my first pregnancy, so in this (2nd) pregnancy having lots of heartburn & generally not feeling well was really unexpected.
My friend became super sensitive to certain smells.
I was surprised that I could not keep many foods down for months with my first pregnancy. I lived on soda crackers, tomato juice, oranges, gingerale, and lime sherbet. Even the smell of food cooking made me sick.
My friend had very swollen ankles.
Something unexpected? :) Well… My bestie had her second child, en route to the hospital, in her parent’s car. her mother was the one who brought the baby into the world, 17 minutes away from the hospital :) This happened about 3 weeks ago.
I had a much better pregnancy 2 and time around, I was 22 with my first and despised being pregnant , but at 39 when I had my second much better and loved being pregnant
I think the most unexpected ting was tearing. It’s not something that i heard anyone even mention until my girlfriends started having kids. It’s very weird how uneducated we really are for the whole thing!
I was surprised by back pain! It got so back that I had to take a week off work!
Immediate dislike of alcohol.
I was 3 surprised how the foods I previously loved, I could not even stand to smell without Gagging. For the first 3 months I lived off of Bananas and Yogurt. The smell of meat cooking Like Ground beef and Onions for Spaghetti of Chili was brutal. Total Smell Sensitivity. With My second it was Back pain & Hemorrhoids & Swelling! It is amazing how 2 pregnancies can be so different. (Both Boys)
I couldn’t believe how sore my feet and back were after a period of time
I DEVELOPED TOXIMA ADEMIA ,I WAS GAINING 15 POUNDS A WEEK IN FLUID AND HAD TO BE INDUCED DUE TO HIGH BP AND CUTTING BLOOD SUPPLY OFF TO BABY!VERY SCARY TIME
I had dental problems, like sore bleeding gums, which I did not expect.