baby
After knowing about your pregnancy, you might be bombarded with thoughts concerning your baby’s health and safety. Surely, many people will be ready to help, but they will tell you their own experiences and what did and did not work for them. Since every pregnancy is different, you might not learn much from their experiences. Besides, all this unsolicited pregnancy advice is a surefire recipe for mental strain and confusion. Therefore, you must set healthy boundaries to prevent people from tossing unwanted opinions.
Another way to keep your baby healthy is by ensuring your own health. For that, you need information you can trust—something backed by expert opinion. Some pregnancy tips proven by medical science are mentioned below.
Take prenatal vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are essential for your baby’s development and prevent deficiency of any crucial elements in your body. Some doctors even recommend taking prenatal vitamins when trying to conceive the baby. In case this cannot happen, taking vitamins as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed is mandatory.
Lack of essential nutrients is associated with physical and mental weakness. Simultaneously, it can cause birth abnormalities in babies. For instance, a deficiency of folic acid places the baby at risk of neural tube defects.
While it is true that medical negligence causes birth injuries, often your laxity is the reason too. The risk of birth injuries is higher in babies who are weaker and cannot withstand the stress of labor and childbirth. Nutritional deficiencies can cause premature birth and low birth weight, leading to cerebral palsy (a common motor disability in babies).
Thanks to medical science, research is conducted daily to find more effective cures for cerebral palsy. A specialist doctor can brief you about the newest treatment for cerebral palsy based on your child’s condition.
However, ultimately the loss is too much to bear for the child and the parents, regardless of whoever commits the mistake. Both parents and medical practitioners should understand their responsibility toward a child and do their job well to prevent any harm from coming to them.
Exercise everyday
Exercise offers countless benefits for your health, whether you are pregnant or not. It improves your mood, relieves stress, reduces fatigue, improves concentration and attention, and strengthens your body, among other things. You need these benefits even more when you are pregnant. Your body is drained and supporting another life while your brain is fighting an extra dose of stress and anxiety.
You can engage in any exercise: yoga, Pilates, swimming, etc. Walking for 15 to 20 minutes every day at a moderate pace offers you incredible mental and physical health benefits during pregnancy. Some precautions you must take before engaging in physical activity during pregnancy include:
- Walk in a cool and shaded area to prevent overheating and exposure to the sun
- Talk to your doctor; ask their advice about the types of exercise you should engage in
- Listen to your body and never overdo
- Keep a water bottle while walking to keep yourself hydrated
Avoid risky household chores
You might be in the habit of performing household chores daily. Still, some of them can be very risky during pregnancy. For instance, scrubbing slippery floors (Washrooms), cleaning pet litter, and bending and mopping under the bed, can be dangerous during gestation. During pregnancy, weight can cause a shift in the center of gravity of your body, affecting your balance.
Exposure to harmful chemicals such as bug killer sprays, oven cleaner sprays, and household cleaners is not good for your health and your baby.
During pregnancy, climbing on ladders or stools should be the last thing on your mind. You are carrying another human being in your womb, which can impact your balance. Such activities always pose a risk of falls, making a case for early labor or separation of the placenta.
Since your body is weak and more prone to backache during pregnancy, avoid lifting heavy objects. Instead of lifting stuff, push it with your feet or legs. Also, avoid errands that involve standing for too long. This is especially important to follow in the morning when you are more prone to experiencing morning sickness and fatigue. Standing for extended periods can cramp your legs and strain your feet, leading to swelling.
Don’t take medications without a doctor’s advice
Without asking your doctor or midwife, you cannot take any medication during pregnancy. Some over-the-counter medications are so harmful during pregnancy that they can cause miscarriage. Even using natural and herbal remedies is not allowed. It is because natural ingredients present in them do not mean they cannot cause any harm. So, it is best to check with your healthcare provider even before taking a pain reliever.
Rethink your pampering sessions
Pregnancy is the time to pamper yourself. However, you still need to be careful about the activities you choose to coddle yourself. While going for facials and meni-pedi treatments is okay, you must avoid hot baths and saunas, as they can make you overheat. Also, certain essential oils, such as clary sage, rosemary, juniper, etc., are not suitable for you during pregnancy. So, know about essential oils that are good for you before going for a massage session.
Drink more liquids
Water helps with the transport of nutrients around the body. During pregnancy, your blood is tasked with taking nutrients to your baby. So, its workload doubles. The amount of blood present in your body also increases, which means you need more water to handle the extra activity your blood engages in.
Staying hydrated is essential for ensuring that your blood flows better and supplies nutrients and oxygen to your baby. Water also prevents constipation, headaches, swelling, and fatigue, making you quite uncomfortable on top of all the other pregnancy-related discomfort you feel. So, make it a goal to drink eight to ten glasses of water every day.
Drinking plain water is the best option, but it is not your only option. You can drink fresh juices and other no-sugary and caffeinated drinks.
Conclusion
Staying healthy during pregnancy must be your priority, as it ensures your unborn baby’s health. Some ways to stay healthy during pregnancy are mentioned above. These ways are proven by research, so following them will bring no harm to you and your baby.
