Dani Dyer shares reality of 'horrendous' early pregnancy migraines: How to treat this lesser-known symptom
Love Island star Dani Dyer, 23, is shedding light on the struggles of early pregnancy after she announced last week she is expecting a baby with boyfriend Sammy Kimmence.
For many pregnant women - Dyer included - the first trimester can be a tough one to get through, with nausea and tiredness dominating those first 12 weeks.
A lesser-known symptom of early pregnancy is a migraine, and Dyer admitted that she struggled with this so badly that she ended up “calling 111”, the NHS advice line for medical problems, in those early days.
While migraines don’t get the airtime that nausea and tiredness get, they can be equally debilitating.
Luckily, there are NHS-backed ways to cope with this symptom.
In her Instagram post, Dyer spoke candidly about her symptoms.
She said: “I’ve been lucky with not being physically sick. But I’ve definately [sic] suffered with the nausea, always being tired but waking up at stupid times and horrendous migraines (I will definitely be trying out all the new things people have recommended me so Thankyou).”
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After having a migraine that lasted more than a day, Dyer said she was “driving herself mad with worry over every single niggle or pain” which resulted in her calling 111.
“I am calming down now, you can’t help but worry the first few months as it really is the hardest because you want it all to be positive and ok,” she admitted.
While migraines and headaches in early pregnancy are common, there are some accompanying symptoms that you should look out for.
The NHS recommends calling your midwife or maternity unit immediately if your headache is severe or is accompanied by:
problems with vision, such as blurring or seeing flashing lights
pain just below your ribs
vomiting
a sudden increase in swelling of your face, hands, feet or ankles
These can all be signs of pre-eclampsia, a condition that affects some pregnant women, usually from around 20 weeks of pregnancy or soon after the baby is delivered.
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For most, though, the appearance of migraines during pregnancy is down to the increased hormones circulating around the body.
Thankfully, there are some simple ways to improve them.
Pregnancy charity Tommy’s recommends taking note of what triggers your migraines and then looking to cut out or avoid them.
These could include “stress, eating certain foods or lack of sleep”, according to the charity.
Sometimes, though, these triggers can be difficult to avoid, particularly during the first trimester when they come ‘part and parcel’ with the newly pregnant experience.
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Keeping hydrated during pregnancy is one thing to consider as this can bring on headaches, according to Tommy’s.
The charity also recommends getting enough sleep and resting and relaxing when your body is asking for it.
Pregnancy yoga classes are a popular choice among pregnant women as a great way to keep yourself feeling relaxed and calm.
Many of these classes don’t start until week 14, though, to allow you to get through your first trimester first.
If you’re worried about your headaches or migraines, speak to your midwife, call 111 or call your maternity unit for advice.
