Congrats on your pregnancy!! Now you’re carrying an extra weight and this could be very stressful. Your work load has increased as you are now fairing for two. Certain tips would be highlighted in order to give you knowledge on how to manage the stress and care for you and your baby.
Have it in mind that healthy eating is the key to your baby’s growth and development. Certain foods should be cultivated or adopted and certain foods should be avoided, junk foods especially in order to gain the nutrients you need.
During pregnancy, you need more protein and calcium for your growing baby. Folic acid would also be needed in order to protect against neural tube birth defects as well as more iron to help red blood carry oxygen to your baby.
Here are quick tips to help you care for your pregnancy:
- Prenatal Care: A good prenatal care is essential for you and your baby. A regular visit to the clinic is needed and could go a long way to help (especially if it is your first pregnancy). You could get a doctor or a midwife and let your care giver know if you are under any medication or have any medical concerns.
- Eat Healthy: As stated earlier that eating healthy is the key, these healthy choices are what contain the nutrients that you and your baby need.
- Protein: A developing baby needs plenty of protein for growth. Foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans are rich sources of protein should be consumed. Eggs also provide amino acids needed by you and your baby.
- Fruits and vegetables: It is recommended that pregnant women consume lots of fruits during pregnancy as they contain many important nutrients needed for their pregnancy especially, Vitamin C and Folic acid. Fruits such as oranges, grape and honeydew are known to be rich sources of vitamin C. a good source of folic acid can be found in dark leafy vegetables. Other sources of folic acid include legumes.
- Calcium: this is essential for building strong bones and teeth, normal blood clotting and muscle and nerve clotting. If the consumption of calcium through feeding is being neglected, your body will take calcium from your bones and this can lead to future problems. Milk, cheese, and puddings are good sources of calcium.
- Work whole-grains into your diet: Enriched, whole-grain breads and cereals are fortified with folic acid and iron and have more fiber than white bread and rice and should be added to your diet.
- Moderate exercise: Having a good but moderate exercise program will aid in providing the strength and endurance needed to carry the extra weight you gain during pregnancy, help ease the aches and also help handle the physical stress of labour. Do not push yourself too hard or let yourself get overheated during exercise.
- Get some rest: Give yourself a break. Try as much as possible to combat stress and get a sound sleep. Take it easy as much as you can, try getting a nap or two during the day and let other responsibilities slide a little.
- Say no to alcohol: You are carrying a baby, what you feed in is what the baby gets too. Any alcohol you drink reaches your rapidly through your bloodstream and would definitely affect him/her negatively. Consuming alcohol increases stillbirths and miscarriage rate. So please, just say no to alcohol.
- Swear off all illicit drugs: This is similar to alcohol but could be more dangerous to your baby’s health as it increases the risk of miscarriage, placental abruption, premature delivery, deformities and other illnesses in children.
- Quit smoking: Smoking during pregnancy increases the chance that a baby will be stillborn or die in infancy. For every cigratte you don’t light, your baby’s chances of being healthy increases.
- Take care of your emotional health: During pregnancy, most women experience mood swings. Depression is relatively common condition, so it is advised that you share your feeling with your caregiver in case of a referral for professional assistance. Avoid any domestic violence which endangers the health of you and your baby.
Please feel free to share your comments or even add to the tips in the comment section below. You can also ask your questions here.
