Did you know that 8% of all pregnancies involve some complications which would have harmed the mother and child if left untreated?
Pregnancy lasts for 280 days, and in this period, the mother and unborn child are constantly at risk. For nine months, mothers worry about how they can maintain a healthy pregnancy to keep their babies safe.
This makes the world even scarier than it already is to pregnant women. Fortunately, we’re here to help ease the burden on your shoulder. So whether you’re pregnant or planning to, here are some tips that can help foster a healthy pregnancy!
Plan Your Pregnancy
It will be easier to foster a healthy pregnancy if you become pregnant when you know you’re ready. By ready, we don’t only mean financially but also physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Getting pregnant comes with many changes not only in your body but in your life as a whole. You must know that you are ready and can handle these changes.
As such, it’s best to plan when you want to get pregnant. This means using pregnancy pills or getting tubal ligation, whichever works best.
Note that women who give birth too early or too late are more likely to give birth to premature babies. Thus, consider your age as you plan for your pregnancy.
Regret having a tubal ligation and would now want to become the best parents for your child? Don’t lose hope yet!
Tubal reversal can help you get pregnant after sterilization. However, before you proceed, talk to some experts to know more about the procedure and how much an average tubal reversal cost.
Go to Your Prenatal Checkups
Prenatal checkups lay the foundation for not only a healthy pregnancy but also healthy labor and delivery. So the moment you learn you’re entering motherhood, schedule a checkup with a midwife. Don’t miss even a single appointment.
During these prenatal checkups, you can discuss and learn more about essential matters related to your pregnancy with your doctor. This includes stress factors to avoid, the growth of your baby, and more.
Your doctor will also prescribe prenatal vitamins to help ensure your optimal health. Thus with prenatal care, you can be more confident about avoiding pregnancy complications.
Further, a regular prenatal checkup is also crucial in detecting pregnancy threats. Prenatal checkups require you to undergo physical exams, laboratory tests, and weight checks.
These help your doctor identify complications that may endanger you and your baby. As a result, such threats can be immediately remedied.
Be Extra Careful of What You Eat
Pregnant women need around 300-500 more calories a day than normal. This is especially true during the third trimester. However, it doesn’t mean that just anything can pass to meet this need.
You have to be extra careful of what you digest as your baby eats exactly what you eat. This is a common pregnancy tip, but it’s often neglected. Imagine how much harm fast-food or junk foods would do to your unborn child.
As such, make it a point to eat healthy snacks such as fruits, green veggies, milk, and cheese. However, make sure not to eat soft or unpasteurized cheese or milk as it can cause food poisoning. In addition, some fishes are high in mercury, so make sure to research before eating.
Don’t forget to rehydrate often. Limit your alcohol or caffeine intake. These, along with nicotine or tobacco, can cause birth and developmental defects and disabilities.
You also need to consult your doctor before taking any medication.
Take Prenatal Vitamins
In addition to a healthy diet, taking a prenatal multivitamin can ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you and your baby need during pregnancy. Key vitamins that you need include iron, calcium, and folic acid.
Folic acid is crucial in the production of red blood cells. These are especially helpful in the development of your baby’s brain and spinal cord. As a result, it lowers the risk for some major congenital disabilities in the spine and brain.
The best food sources of folic acid are dark green vegetables such as spinach and asparagus. Eating fruits such as oranges and grapefruit along with fortified cereals also works.
It’s ideal for women of reproductive age to get 400 mcg of folic acid every day. This helps prevent congenital disabilities in the future. For pregnant women, daily intake of folic acid ensures a healthy pregnancy.
Meanwhile, bananas, milk, and cheese make a great source of calcium. Pork, poultry, dark green leafy vegetables, and dried fruit gives you iron.
Exercise Promotes Healthy Pregnancy
Exercise is another health booster that you need to maintain throughout your pregnancy. Having a baby bump is no reason to stop physical activeness. Rather, regular exercises not only improve your posture but also prevent backaches and other common pregnancy discomforts.
The key is to do everything in moderation. Don’t perform at your former level, and instead, find an exercise routine that you’re comfortable with.
It’s encouraged to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 times a week, if not every day. Of course, it’s still important to consult with your doctor. Some pregnancies might require the least movement; thus, exercise might not be ideal.
Minimize Stress
It’s normal for stress to visit now and then during pregnancy. However, it can cause high blood pressure and heart complications if stressed constantly. This can affect your baby and may even cause your baby to come out ahead of schedule.
As you may know, babies born too soon are more likely to develop health problems. Worst case scenario, mothers lose their babies too early in life.
If you want to maintain a healthy pregnancy, do your best to stay calm and happy by avoiding stressful situations. If possible, cut back on doing unnecessary activities.
Instead, practice relaxation activities such as yoga or meditation. These prove to be handy during the labor and delivery period.
Here’s to a Healthy Pregnancy!
Pregnancy is one of the most vulnerable periods in a woman’s life. There are a lot of surrounding factors that can endanger not only the life of your unborn child but yours too. So make sure to keep these tips in mind for a healthy pregnancy.
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