Did You Know? - Zealous Baby Care

Tips For A Healthy Pregnancy

Here are some tips to ensure you have a healthy, safe, and enjoyable pregnancy.

Regular exercise is always important and should be maintained during pregnancy.
Keeps you healthy and makes you feel good mentally and physically.
Helps to prevent gestational diabetes that develops during pregnancy.
Makes labour and delivery less painful.
Do low impact exercise like walking, swimming, Kegel, stretching, yoga, etc.
Do not exercise against doctor order.
Consider your medical condition and discuss with your doctor what is best for you.
Make plans for exercise you can do to help you recover and back to your pre- pregnancy self.

Take time for yourself to relax and rejuvenate your mind and body.
Tell your loved ones what you need and do not feel guilty in taking time for yourself.
Talk to your healthcare providers about your concerns.
Talk to a counsellor and consider joining a support group.
Build a support team and accept their help.
During pregnancy you will experience hormonal, physical, and emotional changes. Get help if you have concerns about your mental health; not everyone feels happiness and excitement during pregnancy. This is not unusual and can be dealt with.
Preexisting mental conditions will also have a profound effect on your pregnancy and so you must consider these factors and prepare for it.
Tap into the various support provided for you until you find a fit.

7-9 hours of sleep is recommended for adults aged 18-64 by The National Sleep Foundation
Lack of sleep can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, longer labour, pulmonary hypertension, increase risk of cesarean delivery
Pregnancy can cause insomnia due to number of reasons like:

– Restless leg syndrome

– Uncomfortable position

– Abdominal discomfort

– Insomnia

– Leg cramps

– Anxiety

– Vivid dreams

– Tenderness in breasts

– Heartburn

– Hormones

Tips to Help You Sleep:

Eat healthy for you and your baby
Folate and folic acid are very important for your baby
Calcium, vitamin D, protein, and iron are very important in the development of your baby
Eat a balanced diet
Use a food guide to help with your choices
Prepare your food safely to reduce getting sick
Discuss with your healthcare providers the best course for you

Pregnancy will bring lots of changes to your body and resting is just as important as good sleeping.
Bed rest may be ordered by your doctor for several reasons.
If you are on bed rest, this is a good time to catch up on your reading, write in a journal that you can share with your baby later, write a book or short stories, take that extra or upgrade course online, etc.
Make vison board lining up with your future plans.
Start a blog.
Join a pregnancy community that suits you or create one.
Prepare for your baby -what you want and how you want it.