Sometimes another distressing gastric disturbance, which may give much annoyance, is a want of appetite, or disgust for food. A change of scene or surroundings for a time, with an entire change of table, will often be all that is necessary to correct this. A visit to the mother or a dear friend, will relieve the monotony, and often give the change desired. This very often is the result of mental disturbance rather than physical, and so yields when the proper remedy, change, is prescribed and taken.
Acidity of the stomach and heartburn can be relieved with the appropriate remedy. “Temporary relief will often be afforded by a swallow of pure glycerine, or a half teaspoonful dose of aromatic spirits of ammonia.”
Neuralgia of the stomach calls for the doctor. Ptyalism, or an excessive flow of saliva; pruritus, or a distressing itching of the genitals or of the abdominal wall; face-ache or neuralgia of the fifth nerve, are all relieved only by the proper prescription from the physician.
Insomnia, which often proves very troublesome, can often be cured by more outdoor air, and diversion during the day, and a brisk walk in the good fresh evening air, followed by the sitz bath or bath taken in sitting posture, with only the parts about the hips submerged in hot water just before retiring; or a quick sponge bath, rather cool than warm, just before going to rest for the night will often act well as a sedative.
The urine in quality and quantity should be carefully looked after, and should be examined by the physician several times during the later months of pregnancy, that its condition may be known.
Hysteria may appear in some of its various forms, but when the cause, which is more often than otherwise due to indigestion, excessive fatigue, loss of sleep, unpleasant surroundings or companions, “operating on a nervous system, very sensitive, and already a little out of tune”—when the cause is removed the hysteria will vanish.
Constipation, which in this state as in all others is more often than otherwise, simply a bad habit, proves at many times a great annoyance. Care from the very outset should be taken to keep the bowels open. Often all that is necessary, is proper attention to diet, exercise and good air. Diminished intestinal action is doubtless an exciting cause, and this can be met by greater activity on the part of the woman, and a selection of food that is easily digested and laxative in character. If constipation is neglected there may result an accumulation of feces or waste matter in the rectum and large intestine sometimes of great size, which may prove a great obstruction to labor, or even interrupt pregnancy prematurely. Fruits, graham bread, figs, stewed prunes, and liberal quantities of hot water sipped slowly, thirty or forty minutes before each meal, will often prove all the medicine needed.
The longings of pregnancy are a matter of notion and imagination run wild more often than otherwise. A strong self-controlled woman is not troubled with any longings for things beyond her reach. Hence should she desire a thing that it will be difficult for her to get, let her exercise reason, and good judgment in the denial, and the longing will not trouble her.
Finally the woman during pregnancy should cultivate self-control, and be governed by common sense in every event. Let wisdom guide her in the habits of exercise, eating, occupation, society and recreation, and as a rule all will go well, and there will be no cause for worry throughout the entire term.