Steps to A Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the most exciting time for you and your family so if you are planning for a baby you should visit a pre-conception counseling for it is a great way to make sure you are prepared physically and mentally, for pregnancy and consult your doctor for the expert advice for pregnancy. Once you are pregnant you must schedule a visit with your gynecologist right away. During this time you will get to hear many pieces of advice such as get plenty of rest, stay hydrated etc, while this advice is valuable there are also several tips which you need to follow.

Here are some dos and don’ts for your nine months:

1. Schedule a monthly appointment with your gynecologist and get a good start to your healthy pregnancy. Discuss with your doctor about your condition and follow your expert advice during pregnancy.
2. Start eating for two and don’t skip your meals. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Also have starchy foods like rice, bread, and proteins such as a fist, meat, egg, nuts. Fish is very important for the development of your baby’s nervous system as it contains vitamin-D, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Drink a lot of water and stay hydrated. Have 8 glasses of water and fruit juice a day because during pregnancy the body needs a lot of water.
4. Get plenty of rest and don’t stress yourself too much. By the third trimester try to sleep on your side as it decreases the risk of stillbirth and increase blood flow and reduce swelling.
5.  Start exercising regularly. All pregnant women should get aerobic exercise as it regulates blood sugar and helps to stay a healthy weight and also increases your strength and endurance during labor and delivery. It can also reduce a backache and help you with your sleep problems.
6. Take a supplement. If you are on a good diet it will provide you with vitamins and minerals but along that take a supplement as a precautionary measure. All pregnant women should take folic acid for the first three months and vitamin-D for the rest of your pregnancy for folic acid alleviates the risk of your baby developing a neural tube defect and vitamin-D is essential for the development of baby’s skeleton and bone structure.
7. Cut out alcohol. There is no amount of alcohol that is acceptable during pregnancy as drinking any amount of alcohol in the mother’s blood reaches your baby through umbilical cord which can lead to severe problems such as miscarriage; stillbirth and it can also cause a range of lifelong physical, intellectual and behavioral disabilities in your baby. These disabilities are known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. So it is advised to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.
8. Avoid smoking during pregnancy as smoking during pregnancy can result to acute health problems for both you and also increases the risk of premature birth, low weight and likely to stay sick for a long time and in some cases it may also lead to the sudden infant death syndrome.
9. Omit caffeine as caffeine consumption during pregnancy may lead to miscarriage and low birth weight. It also affects the development of the baby and also increases the baby’s heart rate.

While pregnancy you want to do everything to ensure a healthy birth to your baby and the tips discussed above would certainly help you to do that. So enjoy this time and pamper yourself and prepare for the big day and if you have any questions about any of this advice then discuss them with your doctor and seek help.