Macapagal

MCN

Acceptable weight gain during pregnancy

Term Acceptable weight gain

1st trimester 1-4.5 pounds
2nd trimester 1-2 pounds per week
3rd trimester 1-2 pounds per week

Common discomforts during pregnancy and appropriate nursing care

Discomfort Nursing Intervention

Breast tenderness • Advise to wear a bra with a shoulder strap
• Advise to dress warmly and avoid cold
• Advise to get examined
Palmar Erythema • Educate the woman that it isn’t an allergy and that it
is normal during pregnancy and that it disappears
naturally
• Apply anti-itch lotion of advised by doctor
Nausea, Vomiting, Heartburn • Advise to have small frequent feedings
• Encourage client to keep in an upright position after
meals
Constipation • Encourage to increase fiber in diet
• Advise client to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day
• Educate client that iron supplements can cause
constipation but doesn’t need to stop it unless
advised by doctor
• Don’t use mineral oil
• Don’t use enemas
• Don’t use otc laxatives unless prescribed by doctor
• Avoid gas-forming food to prevent excessive
flatulence
Fatigue • Advise adequate rest and sleep
• Advise to take short breaks if client still works and it
involves being active the entire day
Muscle Cramps • Advise client to lie on her back and extend affected
leg while she keeps her knees straight and flexes the
foot
• Advise client to elevate her lower extremities
frequently to promote circulation
Hypotension • Advise client to rest or sleep on her side, not on her
back
• Advise client to rise slowly and dangle feet over the
bed for a few minutes, avoid standing for extended
periods.
Varicosities • Advise client to lie down and raise legs against the
wall
• Discourage sitting with crossed legs or knees bent
• Educate the support stocks can relieve varicosities
• Advise client to exercise and walk when sitting or
standing for too long
• Educate patient that vitamin c is recommended to
reduce varicosities
Hemorrhoids • Advise client to evacuate bowels daily and rest on a
sim’s position
• Encourage client to assume a knee-chest position for
10-15 minutes at the end of the day to relieve the
pressure on the rectal veins
• Use stool softeners as advised by the doctor
 • Apply cream or cold compress to external
hemorrhoids
Heart Palpitation • Advise client to move in slow, gradual movements
Frequent Urination • Educate client that it is normal to urinate frequently
when pregnant, and that she should not restrict her
fluid intake
• Educate her to do Kegel’s exercises to reduce stress
incontinence and help regain strength of urinary
control and strengthen perineal muscles for birth
Back ache • Advise client to wear shoes with low to moderate
heels to reduce amount of spinal curvature necessary
to maintain an upright position
• Educate on using warm compress as relief for pain
• Advise client that when picking up objects she should
squat rather than bend over
• Advise client when lifting objects, hold them close to
the body
Dyspnea • Encourage client to sleep with her head and chest
elevated
• Advise client to limit activities during the day to
prevent exertional dyspnea
Ankle Edema • Watch out for proteinuria or eclampsia
• Encourage client to sleep on the left side when
sleeping or resting
• Advise client that when sitting, make sure her legs
are elevated and to avoid constrictive clothing
Braxton Hicks Contraction • Assure client that these are not signs of early labor,
but they can speak with their doctor regarding it.

References:
editor. (2021, July 16). Pregnancy Weight Gain. American Pregnancy Association.
https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/pregnancy-weight-gain/
Common Discomforts During Pregnancy - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center.
(n.d.). University of Rochester Medical Center. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=85&contentid=p01207
Belleza, R. M. N. (2017, January 18). Discomforts of Pregnancy. Nurseslabs.
https://nurseslabs.com/discomforts-pregnancy/