10 Tips to Stay Healthy during Pregnancy

10 Tips to Stay Healthy during Pregnancy

Congratulations! You’re pregnant!! It’s such an exciting time in your life. If this is your first pregnancy, you might be pretty worried about how it will go and how to keep your baby healthy. To keep the baby healthy, you have to be healthy yourself. You have to make it a priority because that beautiful baby growing inside of you is using what he/she needs to grow straight from your body. These 10 tips will help steer you in the right direction to staying healthy during your pregnancy…..

1)Make your diet important. Your baby needs healthy food, not sugar and fat. Eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, calcium-rich foods, and foods low in saturated fats.

2)Vitamins. Ask your doctor about taking a daily prenatal vitamin which can ensure you get the right amount of vitamins during pregnancy. Make sure to get plenty of folic acid and calcium. Folic acid is found in foods such as spinach, oranges, broccoli, and kidney beans. Milk, yogurt, and spinach are packed with calcium.

3)Don’t smoke or drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of having a baby with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD can cause abnormal facial features, severe learning disabilities, and behavior issues. Smoking is unhealthy for you and your unborn child. It increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), premature birth, miscarriages, and several other unhealthy outcomes.

4)Exercise. Get moving. There are obvious health reasons to exercise, but while pregnant it is even more important that you stay healthy. Be sure to talk to your doctor about what the right amount of exercise is for you but as a general rule, you should exercise 30 minutes 3-5 days a week. Exercise has multiple benefits for mothers-to-be, including increased circulation and oxygenation, decreasing swelling in the extremities, minimizing common pregnancy discomforts, and building strength and stamina for your upcoming labor and delivery.

5)Relax and pamper yourself. Your body is going through a lot right now. So many changes are happening and so fast. The pregnant body is absolutely amazing what it can do. But life after pregnancy will be a lot different, and busy. Take this time to pamper yourself and find ways to relax. Read a book, schedule massages, meditate, or anything else you find relaxing and spiritually filling.

6)Rest. Ample sleep, 7-9 hours, is important for you and your baby. Your body is working over time to grow that beautiful being inside of you. Treat it well. Try to sleep on your left side to improve blood flow to you and your child.

7)Hydrate. If you thought it was important to stay hydrated before, it is even more important during pregnancy. Aim to drink more than 8 glasses of water a day.

8)Avoid certain foods. Some foods are more likely to cause food poisoning, especially raw foods. Avoid foods such as raw or rare meats, liver, sushi, raw eggs (found in mayonnaise), soft cheese (feta and brie), and unpasteurized milk.

9)Make a birth plan. Don’t “wing” it. It is true you really can’t predict exactly how to birth of your baby will happen. There are so many factors that play a part, but having a birth plan will give you a blueprint of what you would like happen. Know ahead of time whether or not you will ask for pain medication or if you would like to have the baby naturally. If you want to have the baby naturally, prepare by signing up for Lamaze classes and involving your birth partner. It will be incredibly important that you have someone to support you during labor and delivery.

10)Get a flu shot. The flu is hard on the pregnant body and can you very sick. Ask your doctor about getting the flu shot. Also, ask how long it lasts and when you should get a follow up shot.

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