Pregnancy is both a joyous and a trying time. On the one hand, there is the joy of the promise of a new life; on the other, there is the worry that things don’t go as planned. At times new parents may be overwhelmed by the amount of information thrown at them about what to do and what not to do. The goal here is to give you useful tips for a safe and happy pregnancy.
10 Tips For A Safe Pregnancy
Have Good Quality Sleep Daily
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Don’t Forget to Exercise
Make An Outline of Your Birth Plans
Learn More About Your Health History
Monitor Your Weight
Always Wear Comfortable Shoes
Maximize Socialization
Have A Check on Your Mental Health
Be Mindful About Your Regular Chores
1. Have Good Quality Sleep Daily
Studies show that sleep disturbances occur in many pregnant women and are thought to be caused by changing hormone levels. Lack of sleep directly affects emotions by causing increased anxiety around topics of labour, delivery, changes in careers, and changing relationship dynamics. Expectant mothers must aim to sleep well throughout their pregnancy to cope with this anxiety. Though this can be challenging, they can minimize sleep loss by planning and prioritizing sleep, drinking plenty of fluids earlier during the day, sleeping on their sides, taking short naps, and avoiding stimulants before bedtime. However, if you struggle to get good quality sleep daily, don’t take it as a sign of something being wrong with you. Being able to balance the changing hormones, as well as thoughts regarding the change that is in your near future is a steep learning curve that takes patience to understand.
2. Maintain a Healthy Diet
What the mother eats is important for the baby’s growth. Expectant mothers should be mindful of what they ingest. A healthy, balanced diet is crucial! If one is unsure of what to eat, they can always consult their physician or certified nutritionist. Some simple healthy tips include:
· Avoiding fish with high mercury like shark
· Eating calcium-rich foods
· Eating food rich in fibre
· Taking supplements such as Vitamin D and folic acid
· Sometimes giving in to cravings (as they might be a sign of what your body is lacking)
· Avoiding alcohol and smoking
3. Don’t Forget To Exercise
Exercise is well known to help pregnant women to have more energy, less back pain, a better mental health outlook, and with the right exercises making the labour experience a little more manageable. Exercise can also allow expectant mothers to truly understand what their bodies are capable of, especially as the pregnancy progresses. Workouts for expectant mothers need not be complicated or involve a lot of equipment. If you have been working out prior to falling pregnant (highly recommended), then you’re more likely to be able to continue to exercise throughout the duration of your pregnancy, and even into the post-partum phase. If you haven’t been exercising consistently prior to falling pregnant, low impact exercises such as yoga, and walking are great, and they don’t require much equipment at all. In the third trimester, special exercises to prepare for delivery should be introduced. Pregnant women should exercise for at least 150 minutes (2.5h) every week.
4. Make An Outline Of Your Birth Plans
A birth plan is an outline of what an expectant mother will prefer during labour and at delivery. It should include:
· Contact information
· What kind of environment they prefer
· Labour and delivery preferences
· Doctor's and family contact information.
Some of these points may feel like they are unnecessary, but it is undoubtedly useful to have them in case things change at the time the baby is arriving. As well as keeping it yourself, always give a copy to your doctor and your partner.
5. Learn More About Your Health History
Knowledge of one’s health history is extremely important. Being aware of your families’ health history can help in addressing potential health problems during pregnancy. Family history can be shared with your doctor, provider, and family members to prepare for the child’s arrival.
6. Monitor Your Weight
A pregnant mother is likely to gain weight during her pregnancy. The general recommendation is to consume 300 additional calories on top of the normal intake to ensure that there are enough nutrients for the baby. Keeping a track of your monthly weight will tell you a lot both about yours and the baby’s health.
7. Always Wear Comfortable Shoes
Wearing comfortable shoes is good for your feet, especially during pregnancy. Arch support is recommended during pregnancy because of the extra weight the feet will be carrying. Pregnant women are also advised to wear shoes with room for their toes and support stockings to prevent ankle and foot swelling. Wearing heels can affect your balance and posture so should be avoided during pregnancy to avoid further musculoskeletal strain.
8. Maximize Socialization
Communicating with people is always helpful, so why not keep doing it your pregnancy? Join a support group and share your experience with others. This will help “take the edge off”, and you might even gain insight on how to deal with issues you may be having or prepare for things to come. If the idea of joining a support group doesn’t sit well with you, be sure to have a circle of close friends and family that you can engage with regularly. This helps to create a community in which you can go to for support at any time, not only during your pregnancy but also during the early postpartum days & weeks.
9. Have A Check On Your Mental Health
Mental health is crucial and expectant women can be particularly plagued by issues such as anxiety and depression. It is important to take care of your mental health during pregnancy. Slight worry during pregnancy is normal because it's a life-changing process. However, if you are feeling anxiety more often, you can discuss it with your partner and you can also seek help from a psychologist. Some easy tips are:
· Try and find activities that you can do, to help you feel relaxed more often
· Do not worry about labour or delivery process too much, remember it is part of normal women physiology and seek help from your health provider about specific concerns
· Share your thoughts, doubts and fears with your partner, a friend, or your doctor
· Also share those feel-good thoughts when you have them
· Eat healthy food and make sure you sleep properly to avoid mental stress
10. Be Mindful About Your Regular Chores
Expectant mothers are still able to carry out their regular duties, be it work or chores around the house. However, if your doctor advises you to alter what you’re doing, be sure to heed that advice. Also, there will be some restrictions such as avoiding heavy lifting and chores that may expose you to toxins that may harm the child, for example, cleaning cat litter.
Bottom Line
Always be sure to contact your doctor and ask them as many questions as possible so that your thoughts, doubts and fears can be addressed. Also, regular appointments with your midwife go a long way in helping to allay any fears that you or your partner may have. This will help you carry the baby to term successfully whilst also keeping yourself educated about your body and your pregnancy.
Most importantly, do not forget to envision the innocent, beautiful face of the life you are bringing to this world - that will be as rewarding as the efforts and sacrifices you are taking now.
Note: Not every aspect of each tip may be relevant to you and your situation. As always, be sure to speak to your health professional to get the best advice for you, and your upcoming bundle of joy. It truly is a wonderful time.
DK
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