Migraines and pregnancy often go hand in hand. Unfortunately, many expecting or newbie mothers feel overwhelmed by this duo, leaving them distraught and distracted while caring for themselves and their unborn or newborn child. Do you share the same plight? Do you know someone who struggles with pregnancy and post-partum migraine attacks? If yes, you might find our quick guide helpful. 

Our discussion below will deep dive into some of the most frequently asked questions about migraines and pregnancy, such as: 

• What migraine triggers cause the worse problems for expecting moms?
• What are the indications of pregnancy and post-partum migraines?
• How can expecting or nursing moms manage migraine attacks? 

Migraine Triggers in Expecting Mothers

Pregnant women undergo physiological and anatomical changes, making them highly susceptible to health mishaps like severe and recurring migraines. Here's a closer look at unique migraine triggers that affect expecting mothers:

• Hormonal fluctuations
• Weight changes 
• Blood pressure increase
• Lack of sleep
• Dehydration
• Stress
• Hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia
• Sensory sensitivity 

Migraine Symptoms During and After Pregnancy

The migraine symptoms of newbie moms are often similar to adult migraineurs. Hence, you might notice usual migraine indicators like unilateral headaches, photophobia, vomiting, nausea, and fatigue. Most pregnant patients note that their symptoms usually appear during the first trimester and fade in the last few months of the pregnancy term. Unfortunately, the migraine attacks can come back within one to six weeks of childbirth, leaving newbie moms with little room to recover or cope. 

Natural Migraine Relief Options for Newbie Mothers 

Dealing with migraines and pregnancy requires a lot of planning because of the developing child in the womb. So, instead of immediately taking pain relievers to alleviate the headaches, expecting moms often find it more reassuring to use natural remedies and relief options. 

Breast-feeding women who fear that their pain reliever intake can cause unwanted effects on their children also feel the same way. So, they tap into holistic techniques and home remedies, such as the following:

Identifying and tracking triggers 

Keeping tabs on your migraine triggers will help you avoid unwanted episodes. This will help you have more energy to handle the chores and responsibilities that comes with having a newborn baby and keep yourself in good shape as you navigate the challenges of motherhood. 

Avoiding food that set off migraine attacks

Maintaining a healthy diet can help you avert health mishaps such as intense migraine attacks. It will also help you nurture a developing baby or ensure that you can provide the best care for your newborn. 

Besides consuming a healthy amount of nutritious food products, we strongly recommend avoiding items that might trigger a migraine episode. Some examples of these include: 

• Herbal tea
• Coffee
• Aged cheese
• Deli meat
• Condiments
• Frozen or preserved food

Following a healthy sleeping habit

Sleep deprivation can set off many problems, ranging from intense headaches to mood swings. Sadly, sleep is elusive for most pregnant and nursing women because of fluctuating hormones and the physical demands of taking care of a baby. If you happen to experience severe sleeping problems during or after childbirth, we suggest trying the following tips:

• Get as much sleep as you can when the baby falls asleep
• Seek help from your partner or husband
• Delegate other duties like cleaning the house or buying groceries 
• Rule out other causes of deprived sleep (poor quality beddings, bedroom distractions, pre-existing conditions, etc.)
• Take advantage of relaxation techniques before bedtime (exercise, massage, etc.)
• Hire a night nurse or babysitter

Managing your stress levels

Entering a new chapter in life, such as motherhood, can be quite a stressful and overwhelming experience. Suddenly you have all these responsibilities and chores to take care of. On top of that, you might even struggle with post-partum depression, a problem that afflicts roughly 30 percent of new mothers. To cope, we strongly suggest doing the following:

• Spend enough time on the things you love 
• Explore unfamiliar hobbies like crafting and gardening
• Rest when you can, especially during your downtime
• Get in touch with a support group in your community
• Ask tips and advice from fellow mothers
• Pamper yourself at least once or twice a week
• Talk to your husband or partner about your struggles 

Managing challenges of migraines and pregnancy with upper cervical chiropractic

Motherhood can be an exciting phase in a woman's life. However, it can also increase risks for chronic health concerns such as recurring migraine attacks because it often triggers postural changes in the spine. As studies explain, postural imbalances can impact nervous system function. It can also cause issues like lack of blood circulation and cerebrospinal fluid drainage in the head. 

Thankfully, if you happen to develop neck bone misalignments during pregnancy or after childbirth, you can use upper cervical chiropractic to seek relief.  

Upper cervical care is among the leading chiropractic techniques that apply to various age groups. It also helps pregnant and newbie moms who struggle with frequent migraines because of cervical subluxation or C1 and C2 bone misalignments.

Essentially, upper cervical chiropractic works by easing the displaced neck bones back into proper alignment. The process mostly begins by gauging the severity of the cervical spine subluxation using three-dimensional X-ray scans. Then once the neck doctor confirms the presence of structural concerns, patients can start receiving gentle chiropractic adjustments. 

Learn more about how upper cervical chiropractic care can help you live migraine-free during and after your pregnancy. We recommend connecting with the nearest practice and booking your appointment.

to schedule a consultation today.