11 Ways to Have a Healthier Pregnancy
If you’re a first-time mom, the pregnancy lifestyle might be different than anything you’ve ever experienced. After all, you’re caring for yourself and a little human being. Maybe two. Maybe more. The fact is that being a healthy mom means not only being fit and eating well but also staying positive and calm throughout your nine months. Read the tips below to find out how to maintain a healthy pregnancy you can enjoy, rather than worry about.
Follow A Healthy Diet
Eating nutritious meals is key to give birth to a strong, healthy baby. You’ll need to eat extra calories and make sure that those calories come from sources like fruits and veggies, protein, dairy products, and grains.
Take The Right Vitamins
In combination with a balanced diet, your doctor might prescribe you a prenatal vitamin. These supplements are rich in important nutrients like folate, iron, and calcium, which prevent birth defects that might affect your baby’s brain.
Control Your Anxiety With Apps
It’s more than normal to get anxious about what’s going on in there. But don’t worry, you can stay calm by downloading different pregnancy tracker mobile apps. They can either be timers that count your weeks of pregnancy or simply keep you up to date on your bump’s development.
Practice Kegel Exercises
During pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles may weaken, resulting in urinary incontinence and other issues. Those muscles, which sustain your uterus and your bladder, will benefit from successful Kegel exercises.
Find An Ob-Gyn You Trust
The M.D. you choose to accompany your pregnancy should be someone you wouldn’t mind calling whenever you need them, whether for simple questions or medical emergencies. They’re the person who’s going to be with you from your first months to the first months of your baby, so choose wisely. Keep in mind that a gynecologist is a professional who works with the female reproductive system, so you should seek an obstetrician-gynecologist if you’re pregnant. To avoid high costs from appointments and ER visits, you can find the best health insurance with iSelect.
Don’t Be Afraid To Have Sex
No, sex or orgasms won’t harm the baby in any way. If you and your partner are free from STDs, sex is actually beneficial during pregnancy since it lowers your blood pressure and contributes to better sleep.
Avoid Certain Medications
Certain antibiotics are known to cause severe disorders to a developing baby if administered during pregnancy. Other drugs such as ibuprofen should be taken in moderation. If you’re ill or in pain, always consult your doctor to know which medications are safe.
Talk To Experienced Women
Other pregnant women are the best help sources. When you attend birth classes and read pregnancy blogs, you’re learning from those who have been in your place one or multiple times. Feeling overwhelmed? Another pregnant woman’s knowledge will calm you down.
Exercise Regularly
While exercising may sound crazy during pregnancy, light exercises like swimming and yoga can keep you fit, as well as manage weight gain and back problems that result from it.
Avoid Smoking And Drinking
If smoking can cause you a range of health problems, imagine the harm it will do to your baby. Smoking will put your baby in contact with dangerous chemicals, and drinking will do the same with alcohol, which your baby’s developing organs do not process well. Therefore, cigarettes and alcohol should be avoided at all costs if you don’t want to face a higher risk of miscarriage.
Keep Your Cravings At Bay
Craving junk food during pregnancy can be inevitable, but it’s not impossible to control it. You can substitute your unhealthy desires for healthier alternatives. For example, you could eat frozen yogurt instead of high fat ice creams, or substitute regular potato chips for baked sweet potato chips. Even if pregnancy isn’t your first rodeo, it’s a good idea to follow the tips above. This way, you’ll pave the way for a healthy birth and an even healthier baby.
