What Can a Mother Do to Ensure a Healthy Baby

Now that you're meaning, taking care of yourself has never been more of import. Here's how to keep y'all and your baby as healthy equally possible.

Prenatal Wellness Care

Key to protecting the wellness of your child is to get regular prenatal intendance. If yous remember you lot're pregnant, telephone call your health care provider to schedule your showtime prenatal engagement. Many health intendance providers, though, won't schedule the offset visit before viii weeks of pregnancy, unless there is a problem.

Watch Your Baby Grow

At this first visit, your health care provider volition probably do a pregnancy examination, and will figure out how many weeks pregnant yous are based on a physical examination and the date of your final period. He or she volition also utilise this data to predict your delivery date (an ultrasound washed sometime subsequently in your pregnancy will aid to verify that date).

If you're good for you and there are no complicating run a risk factors, most health care providers will want to run across you lot:

every 4 weeks until the 28th calendar week of pregnancy
then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks
so once a week until delivery

Throughout your pregnancy, your health care provider will check your weight and blood pressure while also checking the growth and development of your baby (by doing things like feeling your abdomen, listening for the fetal heartbeat starting during the second trimester, and measuring your belly). During the span of your pregnancy, you lot'll too take prenatal tests, including claret, urine, and cervical tests, and probably at to the lowest degree one ultrasound.

When choosing a wellness intendance provider to counsel and treat you lot during your pregnancy, your options include:

obstetricians/gynecologists (too known as OB/GYNs): doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth, as well as women's health care
family practitioners: doctors who provide a range of services for patients of all ages — in some cases, this includes obstetrical intendance
certified nurse-midwives: avant-garde practice nurses specializing in women's health care needs, including prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care for uncomplicated pregnancies. There are too other kinds of midwives, simply you should wait for 1 with formal training who's been certified in the field.

Whatsoever of these is a good selection if you're good for you and there'southward no reason to anticipate complications with your pregnancy and commitment. Still, nurse-midwives practise demand to take a doctor available for the delivery in example an unexpected problem arises or a cesarean department (C-section) is required.

P

Nutrition and Supplements

At present that you're eating for ii (or more!), this is non the time to cut calories or continue a diet. In fact, it'due south just the opposite — you need virtually 300 extra calories a day, specially later on in your pregnancy when your baby grows quickly. If yous're very thin, very agile, or carrying multiples, you'll need even more. But if you're overweight, your health care provider may suggest you to eat fewer extra calories.

Healthy eating is always important, but especially when you're significant. So, make sure your calories come from nutritious foods that will contribute to your baby's growth and development.

Try to maintain a well-balanced diet that incorporates the dietary guidelines including:

lean meats
fruits
vegetables
whole-grain breads
depression-fatty dairy products

Past eating a healthy, balanced nutrition you're more likely to get the nutrients you need. But you will need more of the essential nutrients (especially calcium, iron, and folic acid) than you did earlier you became significant. Your health care provider will prescribe prenatal vitamins to be sure both you and your growing baby are getting plenty.

Just taking prenatal vitamins doesn't hateful y'all tin eat a diet that's lacking in nutrients. Information technology'south of import to recall that y'all still need to consume well while pregnant. Prenatal vitamins are meant to supplement your nutrition, and aren't meant to be your only source of much-needed nutrients.

Calcium

Nigh women xix and older — including those who are meaning — don't often get the daily 1,000 mg of calcium that's recommended. Because your growing baby'due south calcium demands are high, you should increment your calcium consumption to prevent a loss of calcium from your own bones. Your doctor volition also likely prescribe prenatal vitamins for you lot, which may contain some actress calcium.

Expert sources of calcium include:

low-fat dairy products including milk, pasteurized cheese, and yogurt
calcium-fortified products, including orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
dark dark-green vegetables including spinach, kale, and broccoli
tofu
dried beans
almonds

Iron

Pregnant women need most 30 mg of fe every day. Why? Because atomic number 26 is needed to brand hemoglobin, the oxygen-conveying component of red blood cells. Red blood cells circulate throughout the body to deliver oxygen to all its cells.

Without plenty fe, the body tin can't brand plenty red blood cells and the body's tissues and organs won't get the oxygen they need to part well. So it'south especially important for significant women to get enough iron in their daily diets — for themselves and their growing babies.

Although the food can exist found in diverse kinds of foods, iron from meat sources is more hands absorbed by the body than iron found in institute foods. Fe-rich foods include:

ruby-red meat
dark poultry
salmon
eggs
tofu
enriched grains
dried beans and peas
stale fruits
night leafy dark-green vegetables
blackstrap molasses
iron-fortified breakfast cereals

Folate (Folic Acid)

The Centers for Disease Command and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all women of childbearing age — and especially those who are planning a pregnancy — get well-nigh 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acrid supplements every day. That tin exist from a multivitamin or folic acid supplement in improver to the folic acid plant in food.

So, why is folic acrid and so important? Studies have shown that taking folic acrid supplements ane month prior to and throughout the first 3 months of pregnancy decrease the take a chance of neural tube defects.

The neural tube — formed during the first several weeks of the pregnancy, perchance before a woman even knows she's meaning — goes on to become the infant'due south developing brain and spinal string. When the neural tube doesn't form properly, the result is a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.

Once again, your health care provider can prescribe a prenatal vitamin that contains the right amount of folic acid. Some pregnancy health intendance providers even recommend taking an extra folic acid supplement, especially if a woman has previously had a kid with a neural tube defect.

If you're buying an over-the-counter supplement, remember that most multivitamins comprise folic acid, but not all of them have enough to meet the nutritional needs of pregnant women. So, be certain to check labels carefully before choosing one and check with your health care provider.

P

Fluids

It's important to potable enough of fluids, specially h2o, during pregnancy. A woman's blood book increases dramatically during pregnancy, and drinking plenty water each day can assistance prevent common problems such every bit dehydration and constipation.

Practise

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes (that'southward 2 hours and thirty minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week if you're non already highly agile or doing vigorous-intensity activity.

If you are very agile or did intense aerobic activities before becoming significant, you may exist able to keep up your workouts, every bit long equally your physician says it's prophylactic. Before starting time — or standing — any do routine, talk to your dr..

Exercising during pregnancy has been shown to exist very beneficial. Regular practice can help:

prevent backlog weight gain
reduce pregnancy-related issues, similar dorsum pain, swelling, and constipation
improve sleep
increment free energy
boost your mood
fix your body for labor
lessen recovery time after the nascency

Low-bear on, moderate-intensity exercise activities (such as walking and swimming) are great choices. You also tin endeavour yoga or Pilates classes, videos, or exercise apps that are tailored for pregnancy. These are depression-touch on and they work on strength, flexibility, and relaxation.

Simply you should limit loftier-bear upon aerobics and avert sports and activities that pose a chance of falling or abdominal injury. These include contact sports, downhill skiing, scuba diving, and horseback riding.

It'due south besides important to be aware of how your body changes. During pregnancy, your body makes a hormone known as relaxin. It'southward believed to help prepare the pubic area and the cervix for the nascency. The relaxin loosens the ligaments in your trunk, making you less stable and more decumbent to injury.

And so, information technology's easy to overstretch or strain yourself, peculiarly the joints in your pelvis, lower dorsum, and knees. Likewise, your center of gravity shifts as your pregnancy progresses, and so you may feel off-balance and at risk of falling. Proceed these in listen when you choose an activity and don't overdo it.

Whatever type of do you choose, make sure to take lots of breaks and drink enough of fluids. Slow down or terminate if y'all get short of breath or feel uncomfortable. If you take whatever questions near doing a sport or activity during your pregnancy, talk to your health care provider.

Sleep

It's important to get plenty sleep during your pregnancy. Yous'll probably experience more than tired than usual. And as your baby gets bigger, it volition be harder to find a comfortable position when y'all're trying to sleep.

Lying on your side with your knees bent is probable to exist the most comfortable position as your pregnancy progresses. Information technology also makes your heart's job easier because it keeps the baby's weight from putting pressure level on the large claret vessels that behave blood to and from your heart and your feet and legs. Lying on your side can likewise help preclude or reduce varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and swelling in your legs.

Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant women sleep on the left side. Because ane of those big blood vessels is on the right side of your abdomen, lying on your left side helps keep the uterus off of it. Lying on your left side helps blood flow to the placenta and, therefore, your baby.

Ask what your health care provider recommends. In most cases, lying on either side should practice the trick and help take some pressure off your back. For a more comfortable resting position either manner, prop pillows between your legs, behind your back, and underneath your abdomen.

p

Some Things to Avoid

When you're pregnant, what you don't put into your body (or expose your body to) is almost equally important every bit what y'all do. Here are some things to avert:

Alcohol

Although it may seem harmless to have a drinking glass of wine at dinner or a mug of beer out with friends, no one has adamant what's a "rubber amount" of alcohol to consume during pregnancy. One of the well-nigh common known causes of mental and physical birth defects, alcohol can cause astringent abnormalities in a developing fetus.

Alcohol is easily passed along to the baby, who is less equipped to eliminate alcohol than the mother. That means an unborn baby tends to develop a high concentration of booze, which stays in the baby'south arrangement for longer periods than information technology would in the mother's. And moderate alcohol intake, also every bit periodic binge drinking, tin can damage a baby's developing nervous system.

If y'all had a drink or two before you even knew you were pregnant (as many women practise), don't worry as well much near it. Merely your best bet is to non drinkable whatsoever alcohol at all for the residual of your pregnancy.

Recreational Drugs

Pregnant women who use drugs may be placing their unborn babies at risk for premature nascence, poor growth, birth defects, and behavior and learning problems. And their babies could also be born addicted to those drugs themselves.

If you're pregnant and using drugs, a health clinic such equally Planned Parenthood can recommend health intendance providers, at footling or no toll, who can help you quit your addiction and have a healthier pregnancy.

If yous've used any drugs at any time during your pregnancy, it's important to inform your health intendance provider. Even if yous've quit, your unborn kid could nonetheless exist at chance for health bug.

Nicotine

Pregnant women who smoke pass nicotine and carbon monoxide to their growing babies. The risks of this include:

prematurity
low birth weight
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
asthma and other respiratory issues in the child

If you smoke, having a babe might be the motivation you need to quit. Talk to your health care provider near options for boot the habit.

Caffeine

High caffeine consumption has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, so it'south probably wise to limit or fifty-fifty avoid caffeine birthday if you can.

If you're having a hard fourth dimension cutting out coffee cold turkey, here's how yous can start:

Cut your consumption down to one or two cups a twenty-four hours.
Gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you get by combining decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee.
Eventually endeavour to cut out the regular java birthday.

And call up that caffeine is not limited to coffee. Many teas, colas, and other soft drinks contain caffeine. Try switching to decaffeinated products (which may still have some caffeine, merely in much smaller amounts) or caffeine-free alternatives.

If you're wondering whether chocolate, which also contains caffeine, is a business organisation, the good news is that you can have information technology in moderation. Whereas the boilerplate chocolate bar has anywhere from v to 30 milligrams of caffeine, there's 95 to 135 milligrams in a cup of brewed coffee. So, pocket-size amounts of chocolate are fine.

p

Food Smarts & Other Precautions

Although you need to eat plenty of healthy foods during pregnancy, you also demand to avoid nutrient-borne illnesses, such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis, which can be life-threatening to an unborn baby and may crusade birth defects or miscarriage.

Foods yous'll want to steer clear of include:

soft, unpasteurized cheeses (often advertised as "fresh") such as feta, goat, Brie, Camembert, and blue cheese
unpasteurized milk, juices, and apple tree cider
raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, including mousse, tiramisu, raw cookie dough, homemade ice cream, and Caesar dressing (although some store-bought brands of the dressing may non comprise raw eggs)
raw or undercooked meats, fish (sushi), or shellfish
processed meats such as hot dogs and cafeteria meats (unless they are reheated until steaming)

Also, although fish and shellfish tin can be an extremely healthy part of your pregnancy nutrition (they contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and are high in poly peptide and low in saturated fat), you should avoid eating:

shark
swordfish
king mackerel
tilefish
tuna steak (bigeye or ahi)
marlin
orange roughy

These types of fish may contain high levels of mercury, which tin can cause damage to the developing brain of a fetus. When you choose seafood, limit the total corporeality to nigh 12 ounces per calendar week — that'southward nigh two meals. Also, if yous like canned tuna, pay attention to the type in the can. Canned light tuna by and large contains smaller fish and can be eaten twice a calendar week. But albacore/white tuna contains larger fish and should only be eaten one time per week. Check any local advisories before eating recreationally caught fish.

Changing the Litter Box

Pregnancy is the prime time to get out of cleaning kitty's litter box. Why? Because toxoplasmosis can be spread through soiled cat litter boxes and can cause serious problems, including prematurity, poor growth, and severe eye and encephalon harm. A pregnant woman who becomes infected often has no symptoms simply can all the same pass the infection on to her developing infant.

Over-the-Counter and Prescription Medicines

Even common over-the-counter medicines that are generally safe may be considered off-limits during pregnancy because of their potential effects on the baby. And some prescription medicines may too cause harm to the developing fetus.

To brand sure you don't have anything that could exist harmful to your baby:

Inquire your health intendance provider which medicines — both over-the-counter and prescription — are safe to have during pregnancy.
Talk to your health care provider about any prescription drugs you're taking.
Allow all of your wellness care providers know that y'all're pregnant so that they'll go along that in mind when recommending or prescribing any medicines.
As well remember to talk over natural remedies, supplements, and vitamins.

If you were prescribed a medicine earlier y'all became pregnant for an affliction, illness, or status you lot still have, talk with your health intendance provider, who can assistance you weigh potential benefits and risks of continuing your prescription.

If you become ill (e.one thousand., with a cold) or have symptoms that are causing you discomfort or pain (like a headache or backache), talk to your wellness care provider about medicines you can accept and alternative ways to help you feel better without medicine.

Healthy Pregnancy Habits: From Commencement to Terminate

From the first week of your pregnancy to the fortieth, it's important to take care of yourself and then yous can take intendance of your baby. Fifty-fifty though you have to have some precautions and exist e'er-aware of how what you what you lot do — and don't do — may affect your baby, many women say they've never felt healthier than during pregnancy.

heltonexinglity.blogspot.com

Source: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/preg-health.html