Ways to Take Care of Your Health During Pregnancy

First, congratulations on the pregnancy. If you’re on the internet looking for ways to be healthy for yourself and for your child then you are on the right track to becoming a great mother. Being healthy during pregnancy is extremely important for a healthy baby and delivery. It is highly recommended to start seeing a doctor once you find out that you are pregnant.

Your doctor should review your medical history to see if there are any complications that can affect your health during pregnancy, while also checking for any symptoms and assessing your weight and blood pressure at every visit to make sure that there aren’t any red flags that can keep you from having a healthy pregnancy. You start with a prenatal visit every month after your first visit, then when you reach month 7 you should start visiting your doctor every two weeks when you reach the last month, it becomes more frequent with a visit every week until delivery. The doctor should be able to listen to your baby’s heartbeats and measure the height of your uterus after the 5th-month mark, you and your baby’s health need to discuss any physical concerns with your doctor.  

The internet is bombarded with images of pregnant mothers working out and exercising vigorously, from running marathons to mountaineering. Pregnancy is a hard process indeed, but it is also a natural one, it is great to see women conquering such challenges but that isn’t necessarily the norm. Some pregnant women may find it harder to exercise than others because it depends on many factors; complications from pregnancy like high blood pressure or bleeding can make exertion of physical activity highly not recommended in many cases.  We’ll be providing you with the best ways you can use to maintain your health throughout your pregnancy.

Be Aware of your Diet

If you’re used to dieting in the usual sense, you may think that this means restricting your calories or other restrictions, those techniques don’t apply to pregnancy diets, and in some cases, are dangerous. If you follow a diet to lose weight during your pregnancy this can have disastrous effects on your health and your baby’s, you should never restrict essential vitamins and minerals from your diet while pregnant. Usually, the calorie intake is increased by 300 calories than the usual intake. The best pregnancy diets always try to include all the vitamins and minerals needed, you should utilize food groups to get all the vitamins you need. Fruits and vegetables have a lot of the nutrients that you need, vitamin C and folic acid should be found in oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, and broccoli; carbohydrates like grains contain essential nutrients like iron, vitamin B, and fiber.  

Be Wary of Sugar

Eating too much sugar can have a negative effect on anybody, but the negative impact can increase greatly when you’re pregnant. It is normal for pregnant women to crave a snack full of sugar every once in a while, it’s ok to indulge in such tasty cravings, as long as it’s not too frequent. Without exercise, taking too much sugar will lead to unhealthy weight gain that can risk your baby’s life by enlarging its size, which can negatively impact the baby’s heart, and can aid in the development of gestational diabetes.

Meditation

Exercise is very important, but if you are unable to exercise for any reason, then meditation should be the best alternative to mentally soothe you. Meditation helps you combat anxiety and make you happier, stress can affect your hormonal level and impact your baby’s growth. You can always find local meditation workshops around you, if you don’t feel like going out you will find a lot of practices, audio and visual, on the internet to help you meditate at home. Simply deep breathing in and out can help calm you down and will help you relax in a few minutes. The more positive energy the better.

How to Feel Better

Feeling nauseated and vomiting is something very common among pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy. This is why you should always go for smaller meals and avoid any greasy or oily food in your diet and try substituting them with vegetables and fruits, also try making sure your stomach by keeping healthy snacks around. Around the 25 week fetal development mark, which is the stage where your baby starts gaining fat and develops a lot of reflexes, you may get Restless Leg Syndrome and frequent heartburn. You can try stretching and exercising your leg to avoid Restless Leg Syndrome and following a simple diet can help with the heartburn. It is normal for you to feel some sadness since your hormones are fluctuating constantly, when that happens, try not to dwell on it and be easier on yourself.

The No-No’s

Following your doctor’s orders always comes first, you should always refer to your doctor for any questions or concerns you have. There are a few things you should know that you don’t even need a doctor to tell you about which you should always avoid at all cost. Smoking is among the highest ranks of this list. This is a very serious health concern, smoking for non-pregnant adults is already disastrous, so if you are pregnant then you should never smoke during the 9 months and stay away from areas filled with second-hand smoke, it can cause premature miscarriages, low-weight birth, and other issues. Do not consume alcohol, there is a disorder named specifically for this case called fetal alcohol syndrome, and avoid illegal drugs altogether.

Congratulations again, giving birth is one of the biggest responsibilities you can have. Always remember to take deep breaths when you feel that your emotions are becoming overwhelming. If you feel depressed, try to talk to your close ones to share your thoughts, they should always be there for you. In case of emergencies, your doctor should be on speed dial. If you feel that your diet is lacking also talk to your doctor about taking supplements. Cherish the good moments, you will be amazed at how time flies after your pregnancy.

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