How to Stay Healthy During Pregnancy?

For any woman, pregnancy appears overwhelming and challenging. There is nothing in life that can prepare you for this knowledge. There’s also no cause to be concerned. Trust your body; it knows what it needs to do. Also, to ensure a healthy, worry-free pregnancy, follow these procedures.

Well Planned Start to Pregnancy

You may prepare for a healthy pregnancy even before you become pregnant or start sterility treatment. The following are the two key things you’ll do ahead of time:

• Find the right Gynaecologist
• Schedule a Preconception appointment

You want to find someone who respects you and views birth in the same way you do. If you’re planning on having an epidural or a scheduled birth, you’ll need to find an experienced OB who respects your decision.

If you want to have a natural home birth, you’ll want to find an experienced gynaecologist with whom you’re comfortable because you’ll be spending a lot of time with her.

If you don’t know any healthcare provider, then you may need to find someone willing to take things slowly. What type of birth expertise do you want to have?

You may discuss your current health and medications, and your medical history, during your preconception visit. Perhaps you’ll even talk about your birth choices. Continue to remain healthy or begin to do so. Take lots of vitamins that include vitamin B complex majorly. Stop smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, and abusing drugs.

Eat Healthy

Even if it says you’re feeding for two, that doesn’t mean you need to eat twice as much. You just need to increase your daily calorie intake. Those calories should be packed with nutrients.

You will also require a significant amount of protein. The diet chart is prepared by a dietician or your doctor based on your weight.

Staying away from potentially harmful foods is an important part of feeding healthy. Undercooked meat or eggs, fish with high mercury levels unpasteurized, frozen meats, raw food, and farm or juice should all be avoided. Eating a lot of little meals throughout the day will help with nausea and heartburn while also keeping your glucose level stable.

Drink a lot

Water is the best liquid to consume. You’ll need a lot of water to support your increased blood volume.

Limit your daily caffeine intake to no more than 200 mg (about twelve ounces of normal coffee). Caffeine has no nutritional value, makes it more difficult for your body to absorb needed iron, leads to heartburn, makes sleeping more difficult, and may induce headaches.

Deflate or switch to decaf if you have a daily occasional habit. Take into account all other caffeine-containing beverages and products as well. Drinking alcohol increases the chances of giving birth to a baby’s poor immune system, childhood disability, and miscarriage.

Therefore, it’s preferable to avoid it completely. If you drink, the alcohol crosses the placenta fast, and your kid will have a higher blood alcohol level than you.

Good Night Sleep

Many pregnant women complain of feeling exhausted during the first and third trimesters, or the entire pregnancy. If you’re exhausted, your body is trying to tell you to stop. Let’s start with the basics. If you’re able to, take naps or simply sit and relax with your favourite pregnancy book or magazine.

If you’re experiencing trouble sleeping in the dark, which is another typical pregnancy complaint, it’s usually a matter of finding the right position or switching to a brighter pad.

You can also try relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, stretching, and massage before going to bed.

Keep Active during Pregnancy

We did suggest rest, but not too much resting. You should get some exercise as well.  Having a strong heart and lungs can help you go through the birth process smoothly.

Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend pregnant women should exercise for at least 30 minutes, 6-7 days a week until they are medically cleared to do so.

Stretching and exercising regularly will reduce backaches, constipation, nausea, improve circulation, and provide you with the stamina to carry the baby’s extra weight throughout the pregnancy.

Staying in shape during a healthy pregnancy will help to get back into shape faster once the kid is born.

For many pregnant women, Pilates, swimming, yoga, and walking are all enjoyable hobbies. You can enjoy those hobbies even during pregnancy but only after consulting your doctor.

Gain appropriate weight

Exercise and a healthy diet will also help in managing weight gain. Adding a few more pounds can make it more difficult to lose weight later.

Follow this simple rule:

• Underweight: Gain 28-40 pounds.
• Healthy weight: Gain 25-35 pounds.
• Overweight: Gain 15-25 pounds.
• Obese: Gain 11-20 pounds.

Gaining too much weight during pregnancy puts a pregnant woman at risk for difficulties throughout her pregnancy and during labour.

Maintain Hygiene

Everyday chores like cleaning can be hazardous if you’re exposed to toxic chemicals. Thus, use eco-friendly cleaners and delegate most of the chores to someone else.

Remove these chores from your to-do list:

• Cleaning the pet’s litter box.
• Renovate a recent home to improve the quality of life.
• Cleaning or accomplishing anything that requires climbing a ladder or step stools.
• Avoid standing for too long.

Avoid Stress

During pregnancy, a woman experiences phases of emotions. With all of the hormones raging, they can sometimes cry for no reason.

Throughout the pregnancy and labour, it is good to stay surrounded by loved ones and get support from partners, family, friends, coworkers, and aid providers.

Take regular precautions to relieve stress, such as meditation, yoga, warm baths, walks, and anything that helps in reducing stress.

As long as you don’t have any risk factors for premature labour or other issues, sexual closeness can be a pleasant stress reliever that you’ll enjoy up until you give birth.

If you find yourself stressed, talk to your caregiver about how you’re feeling and see if you can get a referral for professional help.

Learn and Prepare

If this is your first pregnancy, you may want to read various books and magazines on pregnancy and various phases. It’s fascinating to learn about the baby’s development while maintaining a healthy condition.

Educating yourself on pregnancy will also help to see any red flags. If you have any of the following symptoms, you must choose your healthcare provider –

• A feeling of dizziness or fainting
  • Breathing problems
  • Leaking of fluid or vaginal bleeding
  • Rapid heart palpitations or heartbeat
  • Pain or a burning sensation during urination.
  • Consistent nausea and vomiting
  • Having difficulty walking
  • Fetal activity has been reduced for about 24 hours
  • Severe cramps

You must start attending birth classes 4-5 months before your due date. This can make you feel more prepared for birth. There are numerous options on the market, so consider what kind of delivery you’d like to have and what feels most comfortable.

It helps the medical staff to prepare before the due date or labour pain starts. It specifies things like who you’d like to see in the labour room, which procedure is comfortable, and which is not.

Labour pains and pregnancy phases are unplanned. You may prepare well, but normally it doesn’t happen as you have imagined it to be. It is always imperative to stay positive no matter what the situation is. Fetus health is impacted by the way a mother feels. 

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This article has been written by Gitumani Talukdar and the opinions expressed herein are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of 9HappyMonths. You can contact the author at gitumani2017@gmail.com