Pregnancy tips and advice
Get good prenatal care
One of the most important things you can do for yourself and your baby is to get regular prenatal care. Prenatal care is the health care you get during pregnancy. It includes check-ups, tests, screenings, and vaccinations to check your health and your baby’s development. Prenatal care can help prevent and treat any problems that may happen, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, infections, or preterm labor. Prenatal care can also give you information and support on nutrition, exercise, childbirth, breastfeeding, and more.
You should start seeing your doctor or midwife as soon as you find out you are pregnant, or even before if you are planning to get pregnant. You will usually have visits every month until 28 weeks, then every two weeks until 36 weeks, and then every week until delivery. However, your schedule may change depending on your health and your baby’s needs.
Focus on eating well
Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is essential for your health and your baby’s growth. You need more calories, protein, calcium, iron, folate, and other nutrients during pregnancy. You should try to eat a variety of foods from all the food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, dairy products, and healthy fats. You should also drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid constipation.
Some foods are best avoided or limited during pregnancy because they may have harmful bacteria, parasites, or chemicals that could affect your baby. These include:
- Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or sprouts
- Unpasteurized milk, cheese, or juice
- High-mercury fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, or tilefish
- Alcohol, tobacco, or drugs
- Too much caffeine (more than 200 mg per day)
Take prenatal vitamins
Even if you eat a healthy diet, you may not get enough of some vitamins and minerals that are important for your baby’s development. That’s why taking a prenatal vitamin every day is recommended. A prenatal vitamin is a supplement that has extra amounts of folic acid, iron, calcium, and other nutrients that you need more of during pregnancy.
Folic acid is especially important because it helps prevent neural tube defects (NTDs), which are serious birth defects of the brain and spine. You should take at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day before and during pregnancy. Some women may need more depending on their medical history or risk factors.
You can get prenatal vitamins over the counter or by prescription from your doctor or midwife. You should start taking them as soon as you know you are pregnant or even before if you are trying to get pregnant. If you have trouble swallowing pills or feel sick from taking them, you can try chewable or gummy versions, or take them with food or at night.
Exercise regularly
Staying active during pregnancy has many benefits for you and your baby. It can help you:
- Reduce stress and improve your mood
- Improve your circulation and prevent swelling
- Strengthen your muscles and prepare your body for labor
- Prevent too much weight gain and gestational diabetes
- Sleep better and have more energy
You should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week during pregnancy. This means that you can talk but not sing while doing it. Some examples of moderate-intensity activities are brisk walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, pilates, or low-impact aerobics.
You should avoid activities that involve high impact, jumping, bouncing, twisting, or lying on your back after the first trimester. You should also avoid activities that pose a risk of falling or injury such as skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, or contact sports.
Always check with your doctor or midwife before starting or continuing any exercise program during pregnancy. Listen to your body and stop if you feel dizzy, short of breath, chest pain, bleeding, or contractions.
Get some rest
Pregnancy can be draining both physically and emotionally. You may feel more sleepy than usual, especially in the first and third trimesters. You may also have trouble sleeping due to hormonal changes, frequent urination, heartburn, back pain, or leg cramps.
Summary :
This article provides some tips and advice on how to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, such as getting good prenatal care, eating well, taking prenatal vitamins, exercising regularly, getting some rest, avoiding alcohol, drugs, and smoking, cutting back on caffeine, and getting vaccinated.
