Swollen veins in the vulva may be relieved by lying flat and elevating the hips, or by lying on the side with the hips elevated on a pillow for a few moments several times a day, as shown in Fig. [15].
Fig. 15.—Lying on the side with hips elevated to relieve swelling or varicose veins of the vulva. (By courtesy of the Maternity Centre Association.)
Hemorrhoids, or “piles,” are virtually varicose veins which protrude from the rectum, but, unlike those in the legs, are extremely painful. As it is the straining in constipation that causes these enlarged veins to protrude from the rectum, this is one more reason for preventing constipation, for a pregnant woman whose bowels move freely every day rarely has hemorrhoids. If hemorrhoids appear, and give pain, the first step is to soften the fingers with vaselin and gently push the hemorrhoids back into the rectum. You can do this quite easily for yourself. You should notify your doctor if you have hemorrhoids, but while waiting to see him, if you are very uncomfortable you will be almost certain to find relief in lying down with your hips elevated on one or two pillows; applying an ice bag to the rectum, or ice-cold cloths or cloths wrung from equal parts of water and witch hazel. Sometimes the hemorrhoids are worse during the first few days after the baby is born but as a rule they disappear when the ultimate cause is removed, which in this case is pressure made by the baby.
Cramps in the legs, numbness or tingling may be caused by pressure of the large, heavy uterus upon nerves supplying the lower extremities. Lying down, applying heat and rubbing the painful parts will usually relieve the discomfort.
Shortness of breath is sometimes very troublesome toward the end of pregnancy, and as may be easily understood, is due to the upward, and not downward pressure of the uterus. For this reason the discomfort is made worse by lying down and relieved by one’s sitting up or being well propped up on pillows or a back rest.
Vaginal Discharge. Although the normal vaginal discharge is increased during the later months of pregnancy you should tell your doctor if your discharge is very free. You should not take douches to remove it, unless your doctor orders them, for the normal discharge gives you a certain amount of protection against infection. If it is irritating or causes itching or burning you may obtain relief by avoiding the use of soap and by bathing the uncomfortable parts with water, containing a teaspoonful of sodium bicarbonate to a pint, or with olive oil.
Itching of the skin is a fairly common discomfort, and is possibly a result of irritating material being excreted by the skin glands and deposited upon the surface of the body. The local irritation usually may be relieved, if not very severe, by bathing the uncomfortable areas with the solution of sodium bicarbonate as above, or a lotion consisting of a pint of lime water, half an ounce of glycerin and thirty drops of carbolic acid. It is a good plan, also, to drink more water, in order to promote the activity of the skin, kidneys and bowels, and thus dilute the material that may be responsible for the itching and increase its elimination through all channels.
Some women complain of discomfort caused by the stretching of the skin over the enlarged abdomen. There is a very old belief that rubbing the skin with oil will relieve this sensation and also prevent the appearance of the purplish streaks described in a previous chapter. There seems to be little foundation for this belief, but if a woman fancies that she is safer and more comfortable after oiling her abdomen, there is certainly no reason why she should not do so.