Tips To Maintain A Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy signifies a new meaning to your life as there is something so exquisite being created inside your womb. Thus, for fighting all odds it is imperative for the aspiring mother to be at her healthiest best. Here are some important tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy and keep complications at bay.

A healthy pregnancy is about having a perfect balance of healthy food, activity, rest, emotional wellbeing and pregnancy check-ups.

Here are some of the effective tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

Proper fetal brain development is positively related to nutritious food intake by the pregnant mother. Having a balanced diet and nutritious foods is one of the most important tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy. A balanced diet reduces chances of birth defects and leads to a healthy birth weight. Some other advantages of nutritious diet are balancing out mood swings, improving labor and delivery as well as significantly reducing chances of morning sickness, fatigue and anemia.

A balanced diet for a healthy pregnancy includes adequate amount of calcium, protein, whole grains, vitamin C, fruits and vegetables, folic acid, fat and iron in the food. For an exact nutrition requirement, as per your body, it is advised to consult a dietician.

Weight gain is natural during pregnancy, for which healthy foods and balanced diet is essential. A gain of 25-35 pounds of weight is normal during pregnancy, which is gradually seen as the baby grows. Make a note of your weight chart and keep your doctor informed about it.

During pregnancy, you should ideally get your nutrition from healthy food. However, sometimes basic food cannot meet the prenatal requirement and vitamin supplements may have to be given. This is one of the essential tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins and supplements provide some extra nutrition, which is cherished by the growing fetus. Vitamin B and folic acid (folate) are extremely essential to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

As per research studies, it is found that women who took folic acid supplements throughout the first twelve weeks of the nine months cycle gave birth to children with lower risk of neural tube defect like spina bifida. Usually 1 milligram of folic acid is there in the prenatal vitamin supplements however additional supplementation may be considered by your doctor, if appropriate.

Exercises offer a host of benefits thus making it the most advised medication by health experts. Pregnant women are also encouraged to engage in low-intensity exercises for around thirty minutes on a daily basis. Regular exercises is one of the best tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Exercises help in decreasing stress, strengthening muscles and improving blood circulation. But before beginning with any exercises, it is necessary to consult your doctor, who can guide you towards what is best for you and your baby.

In normal pregnancies, exercises have been linked with reduced backaches, increased energy levels, relief from constipation, improvement in strength and endurance level and improved sleep. Aerobic exercises like jogging, walking and swimming are known to stimulate the lungs and heart as well as joint and muscle activity which aids in the processing and utilization of oxygen. Aerobics are also known to increase strength and muscle tone as well as improve blood circulation.

Kegel and squatting exercises can also form an integral part of your workout routine. Kegel exercise focuses mainly on perineal and vaginal muscles and is done in the manner similar to starting and stopping of urination by a woman. Pregnant women have to tighten their perineal muscles and relax the same subsequently. With increased muscle control which comes as a direct benefit of regular exercises, pregnant women can increase the muscle contraction time subsequently. Such exercise helps both during the delivery and recovery after the same. These exercise tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy help in most cases, but for any specific concern, it is best to follow medical advice.

Pregnancy can make your body extremely vulnerable to external threats in the form of viral infections such as flu or common cold. Your immunity is not at its best making you all the more likely to fall sick. Such illnesses can make pregnant women feel highly uncomfortable but their chances of reaching the developing baby is significantly low. Some common forms of illnesses such as seasonal flu, upset stomach, common cold and runny rose can affect the moms-to-be. The most important tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy is to prevent yourself from such attacks.

There are various ways in which pregnant women can protect themselves. Coupled with daily exercise, well-balanced diet, ample rest and hygienic lifestyle, mothers can ensure complete protection for them and their young ones. There are vaccines available for various illnesses, which can be discussed with the doctor.

Another important of the tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy is to avoid taking medications, unless advised. Pregnant women who have a medical history for example, asthma, high blood pressure or anemia must seek medical advice to manage them and prevent complications related to it. Common health supplements and medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin are best avoided during pregnancy. Make sure to consult your doctor before taking any medication.

One of the most essential tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy include staying away from bad habits. To start with, you need to completely stay away from alcohol consumption, drug use and smoking cigarettes as these have been linked with serious health hazards in both the mother and child. Smoking can also lead to a wide range of pregnancy complications such as premature labor and delivery, ectopic pregnancy, vaginal bleeding and premature placental detachment. Alcohol consumption can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome causing the baby to be born underweight and coupled with severe central nervous system defects. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy might also lead to stillbirth, premature labor and even miscarriage in extreme cases.

Tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy would be incomplete without the mention of foods to be avoided during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a time when you can have weird cravings and urges in the middle of the night. But you need to take it easy and eat healthy since your nutrition has an essential role to play in regulating the health of your fetus. Unpasteurized milk, juice and cheese should be completely avoided as they carry increased risk of infection like listeriosis in both the mother and her unborn child. Processed foods is best avoided and make sure you cook meat very well before consuming it. Also stay away from smoked seafood, refrigerated food items and undercooked poultry, meat and seafood. In case if you have a family history of allergies, discuss it your doctor or a health expert and plan a healthy diet.

Pregnancy is very crucial and therefore the mother needs to be quite attentive all the time to ensure a healthy pregnancy. A combination of nutrition, exercises and healthy lifestyle together make up the effective tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

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