Great Tips to Maintain Safe Pregnancy and Give Birth to a Healthy Baby

Have you conceived recently? If yes, then there may be several questions in your mind: What should you eat? Can you do your regular exercises? And so on. It is very important to take good care of your health once you are pregnant. Read on to know how you can maintain safe and healthy pregnancy with vitamins, nutrition, good habits and much more.

Nutrition

Eating a healthy diet when you are pregnant is linked to good development of brain and healthy birth weight. This can lessen the risks of various birth defects. Your balanced diet will decrease the risks of anemia and other unpleasant symptoms during pregnancy such as morning sickness and fatigue.

A well-balanced pregnancy diet consists of the following:

• calcium
• vegetables and fruits
• adequate fat
• folic acid
• protein
• iron-rich foods
• vitamin C
• whole grains
• nutrients like choline

What to eat during pregnancy

Weight gain

You can fulfil your nutritional needs at the time of pregnancy is by eating lots of foods from each food groups daily. Gaining weight while you are pregnant is something natural and expected. If your weight was normal before you conceived, then it is obvious to gain at least 25 to 35 pounds. Make sure you discuss and monitor your weight as well as nutritional needs with the doctor at a private gynaecology clinic in London during your pregnancy.

The recommendations for weight gain will differ for the ones who are underweight before they conceive, suffer from obesity and have multiple gestation pregnancy like giving birth to twin babies.

What not to eat when you conceive

In order to protect yourself and your baby from a parasitic or bacterial infection like listeriosis, make sure all cheese, juice and milk get pasteurized. You should not meat from hot dogs unless they are heated properly.

Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, seafood and under cooked meat. If you or someone in the family has had a history of allergies, then you will have to speak with the doctor about other foods to avoid.

Prenatal vitamins

Most nutrients women need to take at the time of pregnancy should come from food though prenatal vitamin supplements have an important role to fill any gaps. It is really difficult to consistently plan nutritious meals on a daily basis.

Folic acid or folate is a B vitamin and very important for pregnant women. The supplements for folic acid taken several weeks before pregnancy and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy can lessen the risk of giving birth to a baby with a neural tube defect like spina bifida.

Exercise

Moderate exercise is not at all a safe option for pregnant women. It is something beneficial for both you and growing baby. You need to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activities evert week. It is important to talk to a doctor before starting with exercise regime, particularly when there are risk factors. If you had not been physically active before conceiving, then talk to a doctor about safe exercise to perform during pregnancy.

Majority of normal pregnancies, exercise can:

• improve quality of sleep
• increase blood circulation
• strengthen muscles and endurance
• decrease stress
• increase energy levels
• reduce backaches
• relieve constipation

Aerobic exercises include – jogging, swimming and walking that can stimulate your lungs, heart, joint activity and muscles. This can help to process as well as use oxygen.

Read More: How Does Regular Exercise Affect Your Mood?

Change your habits

Making good choices in your lifestyle will directly impact the health of your baby. It is important to say no to smoking, tobacco, consumption of alcohol and misuse of drugs. These are possible risks for you and your baby and can cause serious complication for long term.

Drinking alcohol in your pregnancy has been linked to various problems in the developing baby. Any alcohol consumed enters the fetal bloodstream from the bloodstream of the mother

Drinking throughout pregnancy may lead to fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS. Besides, FAS can cause your baby to have growth deficits such as short in height, being underweight and certain abnormalities in the central nervous system.

Consuming alcohol during pregnancy may cause several complications including:

• premature labor and delivery
• miscarriage
• stillbirth

Tobacco and smoking before pregnancy is a risk for serious harm to your developing baby. There are lots of proof that smoking during pregnancy is risky.

Smoking can affect flow of blood and oxygen delivery to a baby and their growth.

Cigarette smoking is a risk for low birth-weight babies, which in turn may be a risk for infant death and illness after the delivery.

Smoking is linked to several complications during pregnancy including:

• ectopic pregnancy
• premature labor and delivery
• premature placental detachment
• vaginal bleeding

If you need any help about misuse issues, then seeing a private gynaecologist as soon as possible is necessary.

Getting sick during pregnancy

The pregnant women are highly susceptible to certain types of infections such as flu or common cold. A pregnant woman is more likely to get ill if she catches influenza virus or flu. Though the flu may make you feel unwell, it most likely won’t affect your developing baby.

Some common illnesses or symptoms are:

• common cold
• runny nose
• seasonal flu
• upset stomach

It is necessary to consult with the doctor about safe treatments to use for any illnesses during your pregnancy. There are common medications and supplements such as ibuprofen or aspirin or though they may not be recommended during pregnancy. Prevention is the best way to avoid falling sick. Taking healthy diet and proper exercise will ensure good health.

A seasonal flu shot is the best line of defense in the flu season. It is advisable for all pregnant women who have greater risks of developing some complications from swine flu (H1N1)and seasonal flu virus.

Some women with past history of asthma may find their symptoms getting worse at the time of pregnancy. This is partly due to increasing amount of hormones in the system. You will have to talk to a doctor about your health history. They will be able to tell whether or not there are any risks to your baby’s health.

Prenatal care

All prenatal care checkups are necessary to enable the doctor c monitor you and your growing baby carefully during pregnancy.

It will give you an estimated time to ask the doctor about any concerns you have related to your pregnancy. Set up a schedule with the healthcare provider to manage all your questions as well as symptoms.

You need to see a private gynaecologist at Medical Express Clinic and get yourself checked when you conceive. This will enable you to know you are safe and will give birth to a healthy baby.