Taking care of your baby cannot be done without taking care of yourself. Dear expecting mothers, this is your cue to take command of your health for your sake and of your child. This includes following a healthy lifestyle which cannot exclude a nutritious diet.
Certain nutrients—like protein, iron, folic acid, iodine, and choline—are especially important during pregnancy. Getting adequate calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and fibre is also crucial.
Making wise dietary decisions can support both your pregnancy and the health of your unborn child. Here are some practical tips to ensure safe and healthy prenatal development and give your baby the best possible start in life.
Consume a pregnancy vitamin
If you’re planning to get pregnant, it’s a wise idea to start taking prenatal vitamins. This is due to the fact that the neural tube—which eventually grows into the brain and spinal cord—begins to form in the first month of pregnancy, making it critical that you receive vital nutrients like folate, calcium, and iron from the beginning. Prenatal vitamins can be obtained with a prescription from a physician.
Exercise
Maintaining an active lifestyle can benefit your general health by lowering stress, enhancing circulation, and elevating your mood. It might also promote deeper slumber. Exercise can support a healthy pregnancy in numerous ways, including reducing the risk of preeclampsia, according to studies.
Attend a pregnancy fitness class or go for a moderately paced walk for at least 15 to 20 minutes each day, preferably inside or in a cool, shaded environment to avoid overheating.
Most pregnant women can benefit greatly from Pilates, yoga, swimming, and walking; nevertheless, consult a healthcare professional before beginning any fitness regimen. But pay attention to your body and do not go overboard.
Buy a good pair of shoes
Your feet may expand with your bump, due to your natural weight gain shifting your centre of gravity, which puts more strain on your buttocks. The feet may flatten out or experience excruciating overpronation as a result of this increased pressure over time.
Additionally, you may retain fluids, which can cause swelling in your ankles and feet. It’s crucial to wear loose-fitting, comfy shoes while you’re expecting. Additionally, to avoid tiredness and swelling in the ankles, legs, and feet, be sure to elevate your feet multiple times during the day.
Increase your water intake
Your blood volume increases by up to 50% during pregnancy in order to handle all of the extra activity that comes with moving waste and carbon dioxide away from your unborn child and delivering oxygen and vital nutrients to them through the placenta. Thus, in order to maintain that gain, you must drink more water.
Constipation, haemorrhoids, UTIs, exhaustion, headaches, oedema, and other painful pregnancy symptoms can all be avoided by drinking water. Try drinking eight to ten glasses a day.
Consume foods high in folate
Folic acid is extremely important for the proper development of the baby’s neural tube—which covers the spinal cord—and is also integral for the creation of new red blood cells. You should have five or six well-balanced meals a day that include lots of folate-rich foods such as orange juice, asparagus, lentils, wheat germ, oranges, and fortified cereals (which include added folic acid, the synthetic form of folate found in many vitamins and supplements).
Cut caffeine, eat fruits to recharge
Limiting caffeine during pregnancy is advised by most doctors because it can be detrimental to both you and the unborn child. However, cutting back can be difficult, particularly if you’re accustomed to your daily coffee. If you need a little boost, consider munching on some fruit. Fruits with natural sugars, such as apples and bananas, can help increase energy levels.
Maintain hygiene
Hand washing frequently helps shield you against illnesses that can lead to serious difficulties for your unborn child, including birth deformities. Using ethyl alcohol-based hand sanitisers with at least 60% alcohol is a recommended choice.
Take rest
Pregnancy often causes difficulties in sleeping because of strange pregnancy nightmares, insomnia, numerous bathroom trips and aches and pains.
It may be necessary to modify your routine and go to bed a little earlier or, if feasible, take naps during the day in order to get enough sleep during pregnancy. Additionally, if you want to be comfortable enough to sleep, you might wish to acquire a pregnancy pillow.
Closing thoughts
Pregnancy can be wonderful, exciting, emotional, stressful, and tiring—all at once. Being good to yourself may help you meet the needs of your body, cope with your feelings and follow healthy lifestyle habits.
