The period of nine months during gestation is the most exciting, enjoyable time in every woman’s life. But, besides this excitement, there lies so much pain, emotional imbalance, physical and mental stress also. So, it needs so much of patience to have a happy and healthy pregnancy to bring out a little healthy soul into this world. Here are few best tips for pregnant women.
Tips for Pregnant Women
To maintain a healthy growth of your baby and to stay energetic throughout the gestation period we should follow few steps. It includes bringing out few lifestyle changes, exercising regularly, getting proper nutrition, and avoiding unhealthy activities. By making changes to be the healthiest you possible, you’ll significantly improve the health of your future child. Here are few best tips for pregnant women which will be helpful for you.
9 Steps to a Healthy Pregnancy
1. Visit your Doctor as soon as possible
The first and most important step in your pregnancy are choosing a prenatal care physician, and seeing them on a regular basis. As soon as you find out you are pregnant, get in touch with your doctor or a midwife to organize your antenatal care. Organizing your care early means you’ll get good advice for a healthy pregnancy right from the start.
To make sure your pregnancy is going well, you should see your health care provider for a series of prenatal visits. Usually, the first visit is before the 12th week. After that, your appointments are scheduled during weeks 16, 24 to 28, 32, 36, 38, and then weekly.
Otherwise, your GP may recommend a different schedule based on your individual needs. Usually, doctors will think of pregnancy in 3 stages known as trimesters.
- The first quarter being from conception to 12th week.
- The second trimester being from 13th to 28th week.
- And the third trimester begins from 29th week to birth.
Frequent and consistent appointments with a Gynecologist or your family doctor or a certified midwife can ensure both your safety and your growing child throughout the pregnancy process.
2. Educate Yourself
If you think you are pregnant, then you should educate yourself by attending the childbirth classes at the hospitals or on the internet. Even if this is not your first baby, participating in a childbirth class will help you feel more prepared for delivery. Not only will you have the chance to learn more about childbirth and infant care, but you can also ask specific questions and voice any concerns. So, it is a simple tip that most of the people doesn’t know, but will help you to face the gestational period difficulty.
3. Eat Well:
Understand the exact definition of eating well. Now you are eating for two, but your baby needs a minute portion of yours. So, eat wisely to maintain a healthy weight. Both underweight and overweight are not recommended at this time. So, instead of taking in a high-calorie food, prefer nutritious diet.
- Include proper amounts of Leafy vegetables (cooked) and sprouts.
- Consume fruits and fruit juices to get more vitamins and minerals.
- Check the carbohydrates and fats you take in. Have healthy fats that help in the development of the brain of your child.
- Eat five or six well-balanced meals every day and maintain a daily diet chart. Remember that you don’t need extra calories for the first six months of pregnancy. But in the last three months, you will need an extra 200 calories a day.
- Keep up your energy levels with healthy snacks such as low-fat or fat-free yogurt with fruits.
4. Take Supplements regularly
The moment your gynecologist confirms your pregnancy, they will write a long prescription including the iron and mineral supplements. But, these vitamin supplements during pregnancy are not a substitute for a balanced diet. They will assist in the baby development.
- Make sure your supplement contains 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid. In fact, you can start using the folic acid supplements when you are planning to get pregnant. Continue taking the folic acid supplements for the first three months of pregnancy. Taking folic acid reduces the risk of your baby developing a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.
- Also, check that your supplement contains 10mcg of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for your child’s future bone health. If you don’t eat fish, fish oil supplements may be helpful. Choose a supplement made from the body of the fish, not the liver.
- So, never ignore these supplements as they may lead to deficiency and malformation of the fetus.
5. Exercise Regularly
- Exercise is important for your general health and also helps in reducing the stress. Take a pregnancy exercise class or walk at least fifteen to twenty minutes every day at a moderate pace. Remember, you should walk in cool and shaded areas or indoors to prevent overheating.
- Keeping active while you are pregnant will ensure not only your health but also your baby’s. Regular exercise helps in making delivery less difficult, losing your baby weight easier, aid in post-birth physical recovery, and encourage healthy fetal growth.
- It’s better to start pelvic floor exercises during the pregnancy. The pelvic floor of pregnant ladies comprises a hammock of muscles at the base of their pelvis. These muscles help in supporting your bladder, vagina and back passage. They can feel weaker than usual in pregnancy because of the extra pressure upon them.
6. Avoid Alcohol and quit smoking:
- Alcohol can pass through the placenta and reach your child blood stream which is very dangerous. Also, it crosses the blood-brain barrier and alters your mental state which is not safe during pregnancy.
- Quit smoking and also stay away from the smokers as the nicotine smoke you inhale can modify the breathing in your growing fetus.
7. Stay away from stress:
When the carrying mother is under stress, the baby’s growth will hinder. So, stay away from stress. So, to maintain that peace, spend your time to meditate or listen to good music. Listening to soulful music during pregnancy nourishes the mind, soul, and your baby. So, activate your growing fetus by stress relieving techniques.
8. Care for yourself:
Flaunt your pregnancy glow. Take care of your body. Besides maintaining weight, take care of your body. During pregnancy, your skin dries up fast. So, stay hydrated and apply moisturizer at frequent intervals which help you in reducing stretch marks. Get god amount of sleep to rest your baby. Do not take the OTC (over-the-counter) medications or home remedies without consulting your obstetrician. These beauty Tips for pregnant women are known to everyone which lead to stretch marks and lack of glow in your face.
9. Avoid caffeinated beverages:
Caffeinated beverages can cross the placenta just like alcohol and it affect the fetal heart rate. Drinking too much caffeine or caffeinated beverages during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. The consumption of caffeine can cause nervousness, anxiety, irritability, irregular heartbeats and amnesia. According to some scientists, caffeine can cause premature babies.
The Pregnancy is an ideal time to start taking care of yourself both physically and mentally. Follow the simple tips for pregnant women to give you the best chance of having a problem-free pregnancy. The parents who wish to have a normal delivery should follow these health Tips for pregnant women. Before doing anything new, consult your gynecologist to ensure its safety.