Congratulations – you have a new baby on the way! It’s an exciting and inspiring time for you and your family. It’s time to think about buying new clothes for the baby and re-decorating a room ready for their arrival. But first, you need to think about the health of you and the baby.
Health comes first, which is probably what your professional healthcare provider told you at the start. They might also have given you a list of recommendations for you to think about. The arrival of a baby is exciting, but you also need to adapt your lifestyle for a healthy pregnancy.
Use Prenatal Vitamins
When you’re pregnant, you have to think for two people; not only that, a growing baby requires supplemental nutrients and vitamins that leave gaps in your personal nutrient levels. As well as eating a healthy diet -recommended by your healthcare provider- find some prenatal vitamins.
Prenatal vitamins include the vitamins you need for a healthy body and a healthy baby. Most supplements contain folic acid, which prevents brain and spinal cord defects. It’s useful to take some folic acid before you get pregnant as well as during pregnancy for the best support.
Other vitamins included in a good prenatal supplement are vitamin D, calcium, vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, and vitamin E. If you find that prenatal supplements cause nausea, talk to your healthcare provider for a different supplement or some tips on an alternative supporting diet.
Take Some Exercise
While some people think that exercise might be dangerous to the baby, the opposite is the case. Light exercise during pregnancy has a host of benefits for both mother and baby, including increased oxygen levels, the ability to adapt to a changing body, and an easier time during labor.
Don’t worry; you don’t have to train for a marathon -that might be a little hard on the two of you- instead, keep up with light exercises such as walking, yoga, dancing, and swimming. It’s not advisable to take part in strenuous exercise, but if you do, inform the instructor you’re pregnant.
Exercising during pregnancy will keep your body in shape and increase oxygen in your system, which is helpful for the development of your baby. If you maintain a moderate exercise routine throughout your pregnancy, you should have an easier labor and bounce back more quickly.
Contact Health Professionals
Your health care provider is your expert resource for all things relating to your pregnancy. If you have any questions about your diet, supplements, exercise, medicines, or sex, you can pick up the phone or visit your practitioner in the clinic. Don’t hesitate to seek the answers you need.
Most health care professionals like ultrasound technicians work in local clinics where they have access to the latest equipment and devices. Not only that, they might be wearing high-quality scrubs from UniformAdvantage.com, which offers the very best in style, materials, and functionality.
Either way, your health professionals have qualified answers for anything that’s on your mind during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant for the first time, take full advantage of this and use it as an opportunity to learn the best practices to make your pregnancy feel comfortable throughout.
Create Birth Plan
You have nine months to think about the birth of your child, so don’t leave it too late. Although a birth plan is not strictly necessary, it can help considerably. A birth plan gives your medical professionals reliable information on how you would like your labor experience to proceed.
Things to think about when creating a birth plan are where you would like to give birth. Do you want to attend a hospital where they have professional staff and resources available, or would you prefer a home birth that’s more comfortable? Also, consider pain relief and delivery style.
There’s plenty of time to prepare your birth plan, so talk to your midwife about all the options and stay flexible for as long as you feel comfortable. Chances are, your feelings and ideas will change as your pregnancy moves along, so don’t be afraid to adapt your birth plan continuously.
Educate Yourself
If you are pregnant for the first time, it’s a chance to educate yourself and build resources for your pregnancy this time and for the future. There are plenty of books you can read and online resources available. These are all excellent sources, but so is talking to healthcare providers.
It’s a good idea to educate yourself on the best practices for a healthy and successful pregnancy. Consider your diet, exercise routine, and your mental wellbeing. However, it’s also important to become aware of the challenges some women encounter, such as depression.
Depression can occur at any stage of your material journey, so it’s good to know more about it, so you can recognize and treat it if it comes up. Talk to your midwife and healthcare professional about anything you read about in your studies and get a clear picture of what to expect.
Lifestyle Changes
Becoming pregnant is an exciting time, but it’s also a chance to reflect on your lifestyle and make some changes that will support your pregnancy and enhance your life after giving birth. Most of these changes involve becoming more active, changing your diet, and relaxing more.
When you become pregnant, it’s a chance to optimize your lifestyle for the benefit of yourself and your baby. If you weren’t an active person before, now is the perfect time to start. Light exercise is best for pregnant people, but it is also a good way to start after a period of inactivity.
Also, consider changes to your unhealthy habits, stop smoking and reduce your alcohol intake, for instance, and also pay attention to your relaxation levels. It’s important for pregnant people to rest their minds and bodies, so think of ways you can rejuvenate and schedule more of it in.
Dietary Changes
One thing that is likely to change significantly during your pregnancy is your diet; you are no longer eating for one person but for two. If you enjoy high-fat flavorsome food, you might need to switch things up for a time, think about nutritional requirements rather than the food’s taste.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to eat bland food all the time; it just means you need to focus more on what the food contains and how it benefits you and your baby, rather than its convenience or flavor. In reality, a healthy pregnancy diet can be flavorsome and fulfilling.
When it comes to a pregnancy diet, it’s all about the nutrient goals and filling in the gaps that appear due to your baby’s consumption requirements. There are plenty of diets to consult, but most of them will recommend high protein, legumes, dark leafy greens, nuts, and various fruits.
Drink More Fluids
Drinking between three and five liters of water every day is not only beneficial for your skin, your kidneys, your mind, and your mood, it’s also important for generating amniotic fluid that helps to create blood and tissue, as well as carry nutrients through your systems and evacuate toxins.
Again, being pregnant means thinking for two instead of simply yourself. This can take some time to adjust to at first which might result in a low of fluid. A pregnant body uses more fluid than normal, which can result in dehydration, nausea, overheating, and sickness, which is harmful.
If you normally drink water -perhaps to maintain the condition of your skin- you probably drink around five glasses every day. Normally, this is plenty, but when you’re pregnant, you need to increase this considerably. 8×8 ounce glasses are recommended, which is about two liters.
Focus on Sleep
Sleeping matters -but even more so when you’re carrying a baby. When you first become pregnant, you will probably notice significant changes in your tiredness levels; you have changing hormones to thank for this. Don’t be afraid to crawl into bed; sleeping always helps.
After the first trimester, the hormones find their balance, and your energy should return, but you can expect to become super sleepy again during the third trimester. This time it will have more to do with carrying a heavy load rather than any changes to your body’s hormone levels.
When you sleep, it’s worth thinking about your sleeping position and support pillows. Medical professionals recommend sleeping on your left side to support the flow of blood and nutrients to your baby. Don’t forget to tuck a pillow between your legs and under your stomach for support.
Treat Yourself
Being pregnant can feel like a full-time job sometimes -there’s so much you have to think about and consider- so like all jobs, don’t forget to take time off to look after yourself. Whether it’s a treatment, a cozy night in with a treat, or a special yoga retreat, make sure you strike a balance and stay as happy as possible. Nine months is a long time, so knowing how to re-energize yourself can help you stay motivated and healthy during your journey to successful labor.