As an expecting mother, you’ve probably heard lots of advice and recommendations about what to do or eat to ensure you stay healthy throughout your pregnancy. So, hearing all these suggestions may seem overwhelming and confusing, especially if this is your first time getting pregnant. But to make it simple, when you’re pregnant, your body is going to have new sets of nutritional needs, needed physical activities, limitations, and safety concerns.
When you’re pregnant, you’re not only looking after yourself but also your baby. Thus, taking care of your body has never been more crucial. Your baby’s health solely relies on your health and well-being. With that said, you must focus on staying healthy to ensure the baby in your womb will have a healthy start in life.
Before you start feeling confused and overwhelmed about this massive responsibility of bearing your child, here are six helpful tips for staying healthy during your pregnancy.
Attend Prenatal Appointments Regularly
Upon realizing you were pregnant, the first thing that probably came into your mind is seeing a doctor for an actual consultation about your pregnancy. However, visiting your doctor shouldn’t only be limited to one to two times. Before you make any major lifestyle changes for your pregnancy, it’s essential to consult your obstetrician first and, at the same time, attend their scheduled appointments promptly.
Visiting your obstetrician regularly will keep you constantly updated about your baby’s health status. Moreover, it will be easier for your doctor to make any changes and share suggestions if they notice any complications with your pregnancy. Mothers who don’t attend prenatal checkups will more likely have difficulties or problems, such as giving birth to an underweight baby. For expecting mothers residing in Australia, numerous maternity clinics and obstetrician south east Melbourne services are available to assist you throughout your pregnancy journey.
Eat Healthy And Nutritious Food
Eating a healthy diet is crucial for pregnant women. Pack your meals with whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables, and foods rich in calcium. These nutrients are needed by your baby to grow strong and healthily while still inside your womb. Moreover, make sure you consume enough calories from healthy food choices to maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy. However, be mindful of your random cravings and regulate your food portions to avoid overeating unhealthy food.
In addition to eating healthy food, there are also ones that pregnant women must avoid. Some of these may include raw or uncooked foods, liver, raw eggs, unpasteurized milk or juice, raw sprouts, and sushi. It’s also ideal to consult your obstetrician about the consumption of certain fishes as some have high mercury content, which is dangerous to your baby’s growth.
Take Prenatal Vitamins
Taking your prenatal vitamins daily is beneficial for you and your baby’s health. These vitamins may include folic acid, calcium, and iron. During pregnancy, your body will require more iron. Moreover, iron is also needed to carry oxygen for the entire body, both for you and your baby. However, prenatal vitamins will never be a substitute for nutritious foods. Thus, you must pair these vitamins with a healthy diet.
Relax And Get Plenty Of Sleep
As a pregnant woman, you must pay attention and listen to your body. If you’re feeling stressed or feel like you’re stuck in a stressful situation, as much as possible, get yourself away from that situation and allow yourself to relax and calm down. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from your loved ones to help you recover from stressful circumstances. It’s best to be aware of relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and visualization to help you manage and reduce stress levels.
Moreover, always strive to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every day. Getting enough sleep is essential not only for your body but also for your baby’s growth. An additional tip, try sleeping on your left side to increase blood flow during your sleep.
Stay Hydrated
Your body will require more water intake than it usually did before your pregnancy. Drinking insufficient water a day may cause you to experience common ailments such as hemorrhoids, constipation, bladder infections, or excessive sweating. In some cases, dehydration can even cause premature birth or labor. Thus, always aim to drink at least eight cups of water or more each day. Aside from water, you can also try out other healthy beverage options like milk, fresh fruit juices, or tea.
Do Physical Activities
Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t perform physical exercises. In fact, doctors would even recommend you to at least dedicate one to two hours of light exercises every day. Performing physical activities will keep your bones, muscles, mind, and heart strong and healthy. Some light exercises that are ideal for pregnant women may include walking, swimming, light dancing, and running if you’ve always been a regular runner before your pregnancy.
It’s also ideal for pregnant women to practice meditation and yoga exercises as part your daily physical activities. However, before engaging in any workout, always talk to your obstetrician first and see whether you’re physically fit and able to exercise during pregnancy.
This can also help you a lot once your baby is out. You can have more energy to attend to the needs of your newborn. Most importantly, it helps you battle postpartum depression. To be safe when doing physical activities, you might want to use an after-pregnancy belly wrap. This can support your tummy while it’s healing and can help with your posture too.
Wrap Up
Every pregnancy is unique and holds a wondrous experience regardless if it’s your first or third time. While being mindful of your health and your baby’s, don’t forget to savor every moment of your pregnancy. So, congratulations, and have a healthy pregnancy and delivery with these tips above.
