There are a lot of things that you do not have control of when you are pregnant, but there are a lot of ways you can stay healthy for you and the baby. Browse the following paragraphs for tips and tricks that you can use to assert your influence over the coming months.
During pregnancy, avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol easily travels from the pregnant woman right to the baby, through the placenta. This is why it is recommended that women wishing to become pregnant or those that already are pregnant refrain from drinking any type of alcohol. Consuming alcoholic beverages while pregnant can cause mental and physical birth defects as well as making it more likely that miscarriage or premature birth will occur.
It’s important to reduce your caffeine intake or cut it off completely. If you consume caffeine during pregnancy, it can have a detrimental effect on your developing baby. That is the reason that it is so critical to stay away from caffeine while you are pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you start to experience a high level of vaginal discharge. This may be an indication that you have an infection, which is not all that uncommon for a pregnant woman. If this goes untreated, serious causes for health concern may arise for both the mother as well as the baby.
The shade that the line turns out to be on a pregnancy test will not determine if your pregnancy is strong. If the test you use is not digital, the shade of the line may vary, and you should not concern yourself regarding this. The line is just the line, it’s only letting you know if you’re pregnant at all.
Before you even become pregnant, take a prenatal vitamin. Your baby will start to develop his neural cord, which will turn into his spinal cord and brain during your first trimester. Facilitate healthy development of these structures by including adequate amounts of calcium, folic acid and iron.
Consult your doctor as soon as you make the decision to try for a baby. It is vital you get your doctor’s approval before you attempt to get pregnant, so you know you have done everything you could to make sure your pregnancy is a healthy one. Your doctor can also make recommendations for lifestyle changes that can help you conceive.
Blood Flow
During the later part of pregnancy, it is best to lie on your left side to sleep. Sleeping in this position allows the fetus to receive optimal blood supply, while also allowing you to receive the proper blood flow to the uterus and kidneys. Don’t sleep on your back, as this position is not good for blood flow.
Take a few minutes to actually write down a birth plan. Make sure you give instructions to people that will be at the hospital for the delivery. Be sure to pack an overnight bag that includes your insurance card, camera, pre-registration forms, your birth plan and clothes to bring your new baby home in.
Avoid certain foods while pregnant to protect your baby’s health. Avoid raw seafood, any soft cheeses as well as unpasteurized milk.
Protein is an important part of a diet when you are pregnant, so make sure you eat foods that provide you with protein. Protein is a very important nutrient that is good for you, and one your baby needs to grow healthy. Some of the foods you can eat that have a high protein content are beans, nuts, chicken, eggs, meats, seeds, and soy products.
Gentle exercise when you are pregnant is a beneficial thing. In addition to reducing the chance of a miscarriage, exercising will help to reduce the length of time a pregnant woman is in labor.
You don’t need to just let pregnancy happen; as you have read, there are a number of areas in which you can control what occurs. As you approach your due date, there are many different changes that can be made to ensure a happier and healthier mommy and baby.