Q: A viral cold, also called an upper respiratory infection, is a common cause for fever during pregnancy. Most of us have experienced a seasonal cold at some point in our lives but with a suppressed immune system during pregnancy, the risk of getting a cold is higher. Symptoms are usually mild and include fever (100 F or higher), chills, runny nose, sore throat, muscle aches, and cough. Unlike bacterial infections, viral illnesses cannot be treated with antibiotics and usually resolve after your own immune system fights off the virus. Drink plenty of fluids and try the normal home remedies mentioned in the first section to reduce fever and make yourself more comfortable. If you do not feel better within 3-4 days or if your symptoms worsen, call your doctor or midwife. Similar to the common cold, the flu (influenza) is a viral illness that causes upper respiratory symptoms. However, the symptoms tend to be more severe compared with the cold. Symptoms of the flu include chills, fever (100 F or above), fatigue, headache, runny nose, cough, muscle aches, vomiting, and nausea. If you believe you have the flu while pregnant, you need to seek medical attention immediately. There is no specific treatment for the flu besides treating the symptoms. Your doctor may recommend antiviral medication to lessen the time of the illness and reduce the risk of complications. Many pregnant women do need to be treated with Tamiflu or amantadine if they are diagnosed with the flu because some flu strains are more lethal to pregnant women than the general population. Stay home and get plenty of rest and fluids. Follow the steps in the first section to reduce fever and make yourself more comfortable. A possible cause for fever during pregnancy (and otherwise) is a UTI, which is a bacterial infection that affects your urinary tract system (the urethra, ureters, kidneys, and bladder). UTI happens when bacteria gain access to your urinary tract and cause infection. Symptoms of UTI include fever, urge to urinate, burning sensation when urinating, cloudy or red-brown-colored urine, and pelvic pain. UTI can be effectively treated with certain antibiotics and thus, it is important you contact your doctor if you have any symptoms. You may also want to try cranberry juice although this has not been scientifically proven to treat UTI. If not treated, you can risk complications to yourself (kidney infection) or to your baby, including low birth weight, preterm delivery, sepsis, respiratory failure, and death. If your fever is associated with vomiting and diarrhea, you may suffer from a stomach flu (gastroenteritis), which is most often caused by a virus. Symptoms of stomach flu include fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, and headache. There is no treatment for viral stomach flu but luckily majority of the cases resolve on their own. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and take steps to reduce fever. If you are unable to hold liquids down after 24 hours, become dehydrated, there is blood in your vomit, or if your fever is above 101 F, seek medical attention immediately. The main complication of stomach flu is dehydration. If you become severely dehydrated, you may have contractions or even go into preterm labor. Thus, it is essential that you contact your doctor or go to the hospital if you experience severe diarrhea and vomiting and cannot keep any liquids inside. Pregnant women with weakened immune system have higher risk of getting a bacterial infection called listeriosis. This infection can be contracted from animals, food, or soil that are contaminated with the bacteria. Symptoms include fever, chills, shivering, muscle aches, diarrhea, and fatigue. Listeriosis can be very dangerous to the baby and mother and if left untreated can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. If you suspect listeriosis, contact your doctor immediately to receive antibiotic treatment.
A: Determine if you experience the symptoms of a common cold. Recognize the symptoms of the flu. Identify the symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Recognize the signs of gastrointestinal virus. Know the symptoms of listeriosis.

Q: The body goes through a number of changes after giving birth. It takes weeks for the uterus to shrink back to its normal pre-baby size. Give your body, especially your abdomen, time to get back to normal before buying a whole new wardrobe. A woman's feet swell during pregnancy, but did you know that you might have permanently larger feet after giving birth? When you're preparing for your new post-pregnancy wardrobe, do not assume that your shoe size has not changed. Measure your feet to find a cute pair of shoes that fit you perfectly. Your breasts are going to be swollen and sore immediately after birth. They may even leak or sag during or after breastfeeding. Keep this in mind when shopping for tops or new bras. Examine yourself in a mirror - your overall shape may have changed! . You have just carried one (or more) living being in your body for 9 months and your body has gone through a number of changes. These changes may have completely altered the way your body looks. You may have gone from a pear shape to an apple. You will need to examine yourself to find out your new body shape.
A: Give yourself some time. Prepare to go shoe shopping. Take care of your breasts. Embrace your new body.

Q: Never burn or compost the plants, which would only spread their inflammatory oils. To throw them away, always seal poison ivy up in closed garbage bags. Leave the bags out for garbage collection or drop them off at a dumpster. Irritating residues can easily transfer and stay on your gloves and other protective clothing. If you've been handling poison ivy plants, don't touch your face, ears, nose, or mouth until you've had a chance to throw away your gloves and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Make sure to launder any clothing that you wore while working on the poison ivy in the hottest water possible. Wash a second time to ensure that all of the poison ivy oils are removed. This may seem excessive, but it can save you a lot of discomfort and frustration later! Rinse your tools in mineral spirits to cleanse them properly. The plant will transfer irritating oils to your skin on contact, leading to a lot of discomfort. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and warm water, then scrub under your nails and wash any clothes that may have also come in contact with the plant. If you catch the contact quickly and wash within 1 hour, you can sometimes limit the rash. with medicated cream or a cold compress. If you do develop the stinging, itching red rash that comes with poison ivy oil, treat it immediately. Soothe the itching with a layer of calamine lotion, or make a cold compress by soaking a washcloth in cool water and wringing it out, then laying it over the affected skin. You can also apply non-prescription hydrocortisone to the area or take an antihistamine pill to help with itching and swelling. Although trying to resist the urge to scratch can feel like torture, it's important to avoid irritating the rash further. Scratching can cause an infection, so try to distract yourself and soothe the skin with a cool washcloth instead.
A:
Dispose of the poison ivy plants in garbage bags. Avoid touching your face while working with poison ivy. Wash your clothes and tools immediately after contact with poison ivy. Wash your skin immediately if it comes into contact with poison ivy. Calm the rash