Pregnancy: Taking Care of Yourself Physically and Emotionally

Pregnancy is a great time to start taking care of yourself both physically and emotionally. Following a few simple steps outlined below will give you and your baby the best chance for a smooth pregnancy:

See Your Doctor as Soon as Possible:

It’s important to schedule regular visits with your doctor as soon as your pregnancy test is positive. Getting healthy advice from the start and planning necessary tests and ultrasounds throughout the pregnancy is vital.

Maintain a Healthy Diet:

The goal during pregnancy is to have a healthy and balanced diet. Consuming the most natural form of each food source throughout pregnancy contributes to your baby’s healthy development. Here’s what you can do:

• Consume at least five servings of vegetables and fruits per day.
• Adequately consume staple foods like bread, pasta, and rice. Opt for those rich in fiber rather than refined ones.
• Ensure adequate intake of proteins such as fish, meat, eggs, nuts, legumes, and dairy daily.
• Consume fish at least twice a week. Fish contains protein, vitamin D, minerals, and essential omega-3 fatty acids, crucial for your baby’s brain development.

Take Additional Supplements:

Remember, no vitamin supplement can replace a healthy diet. However, if you have concerns about not eating well or overeating unhealthy foods, vitamin supplements may be recommended.

It’s advisable to take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily during the first three months of pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects affecting your baby’s brain and spinal cord.

Consume 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily, important for preventing bone loss in you and aiding your baby’s skeletal development.

Maintain Food Hygiene:

Ensure thorough washing of all salad ingredients. Eating undercooked meat can pose a risk, especially regarding toxoplasmosis infection. Consumption of unpasteurized milk, freshly made cheeses, and blue-veined cheeses like Roquefort can also pose infection risks.

Engage in Regular Exercise:

Regular exercise during pregnancy not only aids in making labor easier but also helps you tolerate the weight gain more easily. It can boost your morale and assist in dealing with depression often seen during pregnancy. It helps in getting back in shape after childbirth.

Start Pelvic Floor Exercises:

Pelvic muscles create a hammock for pelvic organs, preventing the bladder, vagina, and rectum from sagging. Due to increased abdominal pressure and hormones during pregnancy, these muscles tend to weaken. Starting pelvic floor exercises, tightening and releasing the pelvic muscles three times eight times a day, helps in both facilitating childbirth and preventing organ sagging.

Quit Alcohol Consumption:

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not recommended. Mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy may risk difficulties in learning and serious birth defects in their babies.

Limit Caffeine Intake:

Excessive caffeine intake is believed to increase the risk of miscarriages and having a low birth weight baby during the first trimester. Therefore, it’s essential to limit caffeine intake, avoiding cola and energy drinks. Your daily coffee consumption should not exceed two cups (providing around 200 mg of caffeine).

Quit Smoking:

Smoking during pregnancy can cause miscarriages, preterm birth, low birth weight, sudden infant death inside the womb, and even infant deaths. Hence, smoking is to be strictly avoided during pregnancy.

Get Some Rest:

In the first trimester of pregnancy, the pregnancy hormone makes you feel tired. As pregnancy progresses, disrupted sleep quality and the weight on the body make fatigue natural. Whenever you get the chance, take a nap. If not, at least try to relax by putting your feet up for 30 minutes.

By following these steps, you can enhance your well-being and give yourself and your baby the best possible start to a healthy pregnancy.