Having a baby is the most exciting time in a woman’s life. It is an inspiration for them to make responsible and healthy lifestyle choices.
Many expecting mothers struggle with what they can do to ensure their pregnancy is healthy. This is normal and has become increasingly common, especially for first-time mothers. They suffer from stress and anxiety trying to meet the ‘right health tips.’
It would help if you remembered that self-care and conscious choices are the foundation of a healthy and full-term pregnancy.
So, here are some of the health tips that you should keep in mind to ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy. Without further ado, let us get straight to the topic.
- Prenatal Healthcare
If you feel your menstrual cycle has been delayed for far more than average and you’re feeling morning sickness, fatigue, and crankiness, you might be pregnant. These are the tell-tale signs of pregnancy.
Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider to see whether you’re pregnant. You can also take a pregnancy test from a drug store to check.
Ensure that you consult a good gynecologist with recommendations and a healthy delivery rate to ensure that you and your baby are safe. It would be best if you always ask for advice from family and friends before you hand yourself over to a gynecologist.
Moreover, having an experienced gynecologist lessens the likelihood of birth injuries for your baby. But, still, they can leave a lasting impact on the child’s life and can even lead to lifelong motor problems. As per civil law, you have every right to sue the responsible party and claim damages. For more information, visit www.childbirthinjuries.com.
Once you’ve had a thorough examination by a good ob-gyn, they’ll give you a schedule for your appointments. Usually, healthcare providers refer a regular check-up once every month leading up to 28 weeks and once every two weeks leading up to 36 weeks.
You must ensure you make it to each appointment and follow the doctor’s advice strictly. However, you can always meet your doctor outside your appointment window if you don’t feel well.
- Good Nutrition and Prenatal Supplements
Now that you’re eating for more than one person, you must ensure a proper intake of vitamins and minerals. You should not go on a diet or try to cut calories. It would be best to consume at least 300 more healthy calories daily than your old diet.
You must ensure a good diet followed by doctor-prescribed prenatal supplements to ensure that you and your baby get all the essential nutrients and vitamins.
If you are underweight, you need to be extra conscious about your diet and supplements. Moreover, if you’re carrying twins or more, you need to ensure that you either consult a nutritionist for a proper diet plan or talk to your healthcare provider to see what you need to consume for a healthy pregnancy.
Ensure that all your calories come from nutrition-dense foods and that they contribute to the baby’s growth and healthy development. Include all food groups in your diet and take all your supplements timely. While prenatal supplements give you the essential nutrients you need, you can’t replace them with solid food.
- Don’t Stress About Your Weight
Many young mothers struggle with gaining weight during their pregnancy. This is especially true in women who deal with body dysmorphia. They think that they have gained a little too much weight and that they don’t look good. This leads to them over-working themselves during their pregnancy, ultimately putting them in harm’s way.
On the flip side, many new mothers also think they haven’t gained enough weight in their first and second trimesters or don’t ‘look pregnant.’ This leads to them overeating which ultimately leads to other health problems.
Some women lose weight during their first trimester due to nausea and morning sickness. This is entirely normal, and there is no need to panic.
Remember, our bodies are incredibly diverse. While some women start showing by the start of their second trimester, some don’t even properly show in their third trimester.
Instead of getting stressed about these things, talk to your healthcare provider. You can talk about your weight fluctuations and tell them about other mental health concerns.
They’ll let you know the ideal weight you need to maintain for a healthy pregnancy according to your body type. A healthy weight also helps you in the delivery, and you can quickly bounce back to a good weight after pregnancy.
- Regular Exercise
If you have been physically active before pregnancy, continuing it after becoming pregnant shouldn’t be too hard. However, make sure that you engage in exercise after consulting with your healthcare provider. You can do it regularly if they state it’s safe for you.
You can engage in low-impact exercises like swimming and walking. You can also do yoga, Pilates, or activities specially designed for pregnancy. They often target increasing your flexibility and strength and improving mood swings.
Exercising during pregnancy can be very beneficial for you. If you engage in it regularly, you can avoid excessive weight gain, reduce pregnancy problems, improves sleep, boosts your mood, and even prepares your body for labor. Moreover, it decreases the recovery time postpartum.
You also need to ensure that you are aware of the relaxin levels in your body. Relaxin is a hormone produced in women’s bodies to prepare their cervix and pubic area for delivery. It loosens ligaments and makes you more prone to injury. Hence, have your healthcare provider review your exercise routine when you exercise or do any form of physical exertion.
Bottom Line
Pregnancy is the happiest time in anyone’s life. You are welcoming a new life and beginning a beautiful new chapter. If you want things to go smoothly, keep these four health tips in mind. They are tried and tested ways of ensuring you will have a healthy pregnancy and that your overall health does not diminish.