8 ways to stay healthy during pregnancy

A healthy pregnancy is the goal of every expectant mother. Here are 8 straightforward steps to maintaining a healthy body during pregnancy.

A healthy pregnancy is the goal of every expectant mother. Conflicting reports of what is considered “best for baby” make this topic quite confusing. Fortunately, some simple, straightforward, and time-tested methods of maintaining maternal health are still the best way to go.

Visit your obstetrician or midwife regularly. Your healthcare professional will screen you and your baby for complications and offer personalized advice throughout your pregnancy. Ask questions and let your provider know what’s happening, especially if you feel uneasy about anything your body is doing.

Lay off the vices. Alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and illicit drugs can all do damage to your unborn baby. They can also make it difficult for you to enjoy your pregnancy. If you have specific questions on how to eliminate these substances, or how much your body can tolerate during a pregnancy, speak with your health care professional.

Stay hydrated. “Morning sickness,” or, for many women, “All-Day Sickness” can leave you dehydrated. Dehydration can cause all kinds of problems: fatigue, headaches, dizziness, insomnia, increased heart rate, and elevated body temperature. All of these are heavily exacerbated by pregnancy. Avoiding dehydration can help temper them significantly. Try drinking a bottle of water (approximately 16 ounces) at each meal. Continue sipping water throughout the day.

Eat a balanced diet. This does not mean you should balance your sugar with your caffeine. Instead, eat whole grains for energy, protein (preferably with heavy doses of iron) for building life, and vegetables and fruits for an array of necessary vitamins. Some of the most important nutrients for pregnant women include:

• Folic acid. It prevents birth defects and can be found in leafy green vegetables (spinach, collard greens), broccoli, citrus, and beans.
• Iron improves the blood supply of both mother and baby and can be found in red meat, egg yolks, leafy green vegetables, raisins, and artichokes.
• Calcium supports bone growth in the baby and prevents bone loss in the mother and can be found in dairy products, broccoli, citrus, leafy green vegetables, beans and dried herbs. For maximum impact, calcium should be consumed with Vitamin D.

Every meal should contain some heart-healthy fats (like nuts, meat, avocado, eggs, and dairy — not frying or hydrogenated oils). Fats aid in the transmission of vitamins and minerals into your bloodstream ensuring that you get the benefits of all the healthy foods you eat.

If you cannot get a balanced diet, or if you are unsure of your intake of these essential nutrients, take a prenatal vitamin. Look for one that has high doses of folic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamin D. Iron can impact nausea levels, so look for a low-iron dose if you’re experiencing a lot of nausea.

Exercise as much as you feel comfortable. If you’ve been a couch potato for the last 5 years, pregnancy is not the time to start training for a triathlon. However, moderate exercise is probably a good idea. Walking, prenatal yoga, and even moderate weight training can help build strength and endurance for pregnancy and labor, improve your postpartum recovery time, help maintain healthy weight gain, and reduce your chances of delivery complications. Check with your doctor if you’re nervous about exercising. Also, be sure to watch your heart rate, particularly if you are at risk for preeclampsia (your doctor can advise you as to your specific target heart rate).

Sleep, sleep, sleep. Sleep as much as you can. In the early weeks, this might be very easy (pregnant women often report “passing out” at the end of every day during their first trimester), but will become increasingly difficult as the months progress. Proper sleep not only helps you sustain your energy levels during the day, it helps your body increase blood supply (which can help stave off dizziness).

By being proactive in adopting good habits, you can enjoy a healthy pregnancy and be ready to focus on the exciting addition that will soon be a busy part of your family.

Benefits of exercise during pregnancy

Most expectant mothers have heard time and again they should exercise. Between morning sickness in the first trimester and increasing fatigue and awkwardness in the last part of pregnancy, exercising’s not easy. Here are some reasons why exercise is so good for you at this time–perhaps knowing why will help motivate you.

1. Increased energy levels. Growing a baby is hard work! Expectant mothers often feel tired, even at the beginning when the fetus is still quite small. It might seem backwards, but expending a little energy for exercise actually will increase your overall energy level. And who couldn’t use that? Be wise, though. This isn’t the time to break new fitness records and push yourself too hard.
2. Sleep better. Sleep is an elusive thing for many pregnant women. They have a harder time falling asleep, and their night’s rest is interrupted with frequent trips to the bathroom. Exercise can help with this. Many moms say they sleep more deeply and wake up feeling more rested if they have exercised. Plan your sessions before early evening to avoid feeling too wakeful at bedtime.
3. Good for baby, too. Studies show babies of moms who exercise during pregnancy are born at healthier weights and have a reduced risk of diabetes. There is some thought that these babies also do better with the stress of birth.
4. Less of the typical aches and pains. Many mothers who exercise avoid some of the muscle tension and pain that is so often a part of pregnancy. Stretches and back exercises can do a lot to relieve these symptoms and give your body the strength it needs for the big job of carrying a baby.
5. Natural endorphins. Exercise causes your brain to release endorphins, elevating your mood, making you feel more energetic and reducing feelings of anxiety or gloominess.
6. Reduce your risk of gestational diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends exercise for women who are at risk, and it only makes sense it’s a good preventative measure for even those who aren’t at risk.
7. Feel better about yourself. Doing active things to make yourself more healthy will promote a better attitude, too. Self-image is a tough thing for some women during pregnancy, and you’ll feel better about yourself knowing that you are doing what you can to be healthier.
8. Speed your recovery. When you remain fit during pregnancy, your body will bounce back faster. Better muscle tone will put you that much farther ahead in helping your body return to its pre-pregnant state. You’ll need it–being a new mom is demanding, and having a fit body will be to your benefit.

When Not to Exercise

There are some situations in which an expectant mother should avoid exercise. Your doctor will let you know, but a couple of the common conditions requiring this are pre-eclampsia and pre-term labor. In some instances, you may be required to be on bed rest.

Some mothers feel light headed during pregnancy. This is often caused due to changes in your blood pressure and volume. The blood vessels become more relaxed, reducing blood pressure and although normal, can cause dizziness. In some cases this can make exercise unsafe, or should be done with caution. If you notice dizziness, take it nice and slow when changing positions, and be sure you are getting plenty of water.

 Worrying About Pain During

Labor? Tips To Prepare For

Childbirth!

Childbirth includes both labor (the process of birth) and delivery (the birth itself); it refers to the complete process where an infant makes its way from the womb down the birth canal to the outside world.

Childbirth is a wonderful experience for a woman, but for those who are experiencing it for the first time, there may be a little bit of uncertainty.

For others, the pain of labor and delivery is one of the major things of childbirth that worry about having a baby.

Although it is expected to have labor with relatively little pain, the best thing that you can do is to prepare yourself for the pain during labor and delivery and also prepare some easy approaches for managing it.

One of the best ways to overcome the pain of labor is to lessen your anxiety regarding the pain because it guarantees you that coping with the pain is achievable when the time comes.

Mostly, the pain during labor (childbirth) occurs due to uterine muscle contractions and through pressure on the cervix. This pain exhibits itself as cramping in the abdomen, groin, and back, tiredness, achy feeling all over. You may also experience pain in your sides or thighs as well.

The pain during labor also increases pressure on the bladder and bowels near the baby’s head and the stretching of the birth canal and even vagina.

The pain during labor varies from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy. According to cases, it sometimes resembles menstrual cramps or severe pressure or a feeling of diarrhea cramps.

If it is for the first-time, then your pain of labor will be given a higher rating than women who’ve had babies before.

You cannot determine the intensity of labor pain to seek a pain management. It always depends upon the recurring nature and the duration of pain with each contraction.