How to Have a Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a special time in your life that brings many changes to your body and your baby. It is important to take good care of yourself and your baby during this period. Here are some tips for a healthy pregnancy that can help you have a smooth and safe journey.

Take a prenatal vitamin

A prenatal vitamin is a supplement that contains essential nutrients for you and your baby, such as folic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamin D. Folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects, which are serious birth defects of the brain and spine. Iron can help prevent anemia, which is a low level of red blood cells that can cause fatigue and weakness. Calcium and vitamin D can help build strong bones and teeth for you and your baby.

You should start taking a prenatal vitamin before you get pregnant or as soon as you find out you are pregnant. You can ask your doctor or midwife for a recommendation or a prescription. You can also buy prenatal vitamins over the counter at pharmacies or online. Make sure to follow the instructions on the label and do not take more than the recommended dose.

Eat a balanced diet

Eating a balanced diet is important for your health and your baby’s growth and development. You should eat a variety of foods from different food groups, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. You should also drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid dehydration, which can cause headaches, dizziness, and constipation.

Some foods that are especially good for you and your baby during pregnancy are:

• Folate-rich foods: These include lentils, asparagus, oranges, fortified cereals, and leafy green vegetables. Folate is a form of folic acid that occurs naturally in foods and can help prevent neural tube defects.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: These are found in fish, nuts, seeds, and oils. Omega-3 fatty acids can help support your baby’s brain and eye development and may also lower your risk of preterm birth and postpartum depression.
• Fiber: This is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. Fiber can help prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, and gestational diabetes by keeping your blood sugar levels stable.
• Calcium: This is found in dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, as well as in fortified plant-based milks, tofu, broccoli, kale, and almonds. Calcium can help build strong bones and teeth for you and your baby and may also lower your risk of preeclampsia, which is a serious condition that causes high blood pressure and protein in the urine.
• Protein: This is found in meat, poultry, eggs, fish, beans, nuts, seeds, soy products, and dairy products. Protein can help build muscle tissue for you and your baby and may also lower your risk of preterm birth.

Some foods that you should avoid or limit during pregnancy are:

• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, fish, or shellfish: These can contain harmful bacteria or parasites that can cause food poisoning or infections that can harm you or your baby.
• Unpasteurized milk or cheese: These can contain harmful bacteria such as listeria that can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
• High-mercury fish: These include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and tuna. Mercury is a toxic metal that can damage your baby’s nervous system.
• Alcohol: Alcohol can cross the placenta and affect your baby’s brain development and cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which are a range of physical, mental, and behavioral problems that can last a lifetime.
• Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase your heart rate and blood pressure and affect your sleep quality. It can also cross the placenta and affect your baby’s heart rate and breathing. You should limit your caffeine intake to no more than 200 milligrams per day, which is about one to two cups of coffee or four cups of tea.

Exercise regularly

Exercise is beneficial for your physical and mental health during pregnancy. It can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your mood, reduce stress, relieve back pain, prevent gestational diabetes, and prepare your body for labor and delivery.

You should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as walking, swimming, cycling, or dancing1. You can also do some strength training exercises, such as squats, push-ups, lunges, and planks, to tone your muscles and improve your posture12. You can also try some prenatal yoga or pilates classes, which can help you relax, stretch, and breathe deeply1.

Some exercises that you should avoid or modify during pregnancy are:

• Exercises that involve lying on your back after the first trimester: These can reduce blood flow to your uterus and make you feel dizzy or nauseous. You can modify these exercises by lying on your side, propping yourself up with pillows, or using an exercise ball or a wedge1.
• Exercises that involve jumping, twisting, or bouncing: These can increase your risk of injury, falls, or pelvic floor problems. You can modify these exercises by reducing the impact, keeping your feet on the ground, and avoiding sudden movements1.
• Exercises that involve contact sports or activities with a high risk of falling: These include skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, martial arts, and soccer. These can endanger you and your baby by causing trauma, bleeding, or placental abruption. You should avoid these exercises altogether during pregnancy1.

You should always consult your doctor or midwife before starting any exercise program during pregnancy. You should also listen to your body and stop if you feel any pain, discomfort, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, contractions, vaginal bleeding, or fluid leakage. You should also drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise to prevent dehydration and overheating.

Write a birth plan

A birth plan is a document that outlines your preferences and expectations for your labor and delivery. It can help you communicate with your doctor, midwife, nurse, partner, and other support people about how you want to give birth and what kind of care you want for yourself and your baby.

Some things that you may want to include in your birth plan are:

• Where you want to give birth: This could be at a hospital, a birthing center, or at home.
• Who you want to be with you: This could be your partner, a family member, a friend, a doula, or anyone else who can provide emotional and physical support.
• What kind of pain relief you want: This could be natural methods, such as breathing techniques, massage, acupuncture, or hypnosis, or medical methods, such as epidural, nitrous oxide, or narcotics.
• What kind of interventions you want to avoid or accept: This could be induction of labor, augmentation of labor, fetal monitoring, episiotomy, forceps, vacuum extraction, or cesarean section.
• What kind of care you want for your baby: This could be immediate skin-to-skin contact, delayed cord clamping, breastfeeding initiation, vitamin K injection, eye ointment administration, or circumcision.

You should write your birth plan in a clear and concise way and share it with your doctor or midwife beforehand. You should also keep an open mind and be flexible as things may change during labor and delivery due to medical reasons or unforeseen circumstances.

Educate yourself

Educating yourself about pregnancy and childbirth can help you prepare mentally and emotionally for what’s ahead. It can also help you make informed decisions about your health and your baby’s health.

You can educate yourself by:

• Reading books or articles about pregnancy and childbirth.
• Watching videos or podcasts about pregnancy and childbirth.
• Taking classes or workshops about pregnancy and childbirth.
• Joining online forums or groups for pregnant women or new parents.
• Asking questions to your doctor or midwife or other health professionals.

Some topics that you may want to learn more about are:

• The stages of pregnancy and fetal development.
• The signs and symptoms of labor and how to cope with them.
• The possible complications of pregnancy and childbirth and how to prevent or treat them.
• The benefits and risks of different pain relief options and interventions during labor and delivery.
• The postpartum period and recovery after childbirth.
• The newborn care and feeding.

Change your chores

Some household chores may be unsafe or uncomfortable for you during pregnancy. You may want to change some of your chores or ask for help from others.

Some chores that you may want to avoid or limit during pregnancy are:

• Lifting or moving heavy objects: These can increase the risk of back injury, strain, or placental problems. You should avoid lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds during pregnancy1234.
• Standing for a long time: This can cause swelling, varicose veins, or low blood pressure. You should avoid standing for more than an hour at a time and take frequent breaks to sit or lie down12.
• Bending or reaching: These can worsen sciatica, a painful inflammation of the sciatic nerve, or cause dizziness or falls. You should avoid bending forward or reaching overhead and use a stool or a ladder if you need to access high places124.
• Climbing or balancing: These can also increase the risk of falls or injuries. You should avoid climbing stairs, ladders, or stools and ask for help if you need to hang curtains or clean fans12.
• Using harsh chemicals: These can irritate your skin, eyes, nose, throat, or lungs and potentially harm your baby. You should avoid using products that contain ammonia, bleach, oven cleaners, pesticides, or solvents and opt for natural or mild alternatives124. You should also wear gloves and a mask and ventilate the area well when cleaning.
• Cleaning the litter box: This can expose you to toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that can cause serious birth defects. You should avoid handling cat feces and ask someone else to clean the litter box for you125.

You can still do some light chores that do not involve any of the above risks, such as dusting, sweeping, folding laundry, or watering plants. However, you should always listen to your body and stop if you feel tired, sore, or unwell. You should also ask for help from your partner, family members, friends, or hired help if you need it. Remember that your health and your baby’s health are more important than having a spotless home.

Pack your hospital bag

A hospital bag is a bag that contains everything you and your baby may need during your stay at the hospital or birthing center. It is a good idea to pack your hospital bag at least a few weeks before your due date, in case you go into labor early or have an unexpected complication.

Some items that you may want to pack in your hospital bag are:

• For yourself: Your ID, insurance card, birth plan, medical records, phone, charger, toiletries, comfortable clothes, nursing bras, pads, slippers, socks, robe, pillow, snacks, water bottle, books, magazines, music player, or anything else that can make you feel more comfortable or relaxed.
• For your baby: Diapers, wipes, clothes, blankets, hats, mittens, socks, burp cloths, pacifiers, bottles, formula (if not breastfeeding), car seat, and a going-home outfit.
• For your partner or support person: Clothes, toiletries, phone, charger, snacks, drinks, money, camera, and anything else they may need to support you or entertain themselves.

You may want to pack two separate bags: one for labor and delivery and one for postpartum recovery. You can leave the second bag in the car until you need it. You can also check with your hospital or birthing center about what they provide and what they allow you to bring. Some items may be restricted due to infection control or safety reasons.

Relax and enjoy

Pregnancy can be a stressful and overwhelming time for many women. However, it can also be a wonderful and exciting time to bond with your baby and prepare for motherhood. You can try to relax and enjoy your pregnancy by:

• Practicing self-care: Taking care of yourself physically and emotionally can help you cope with the changes and challenges of pregnancy. You can practice self-care by getting enough sleep, eating well, staying hydrated, exercising moderately, avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, taking prenatal vitamins, and following your doctor’s advice.
• Seeking support: Having a strong support network can help you feel less alone and more supported during pregnancy. You can seek support from your partner, family, friends, doctor, midwife, doula, counselor, or other pregnant women or new moms who can understand what you’re going through.
• Doing things you enjoy: Finding time to do things that make you happy and relaxed can help you reduce stress and anxiety during pregnancy. You can do things like reading, watching movies, listening to music, meditating, doing yoga, getting a massage, taking a bath, or anything else that brings you joy and peace.
• Celebrating milestones: Marking the milestones of your pregnancy can help you appreciate the journey and look forward to the future. You can celebrate milestones like hearing your baby’s heartbeat, feeling your baby kick, finding out your baby’s sex, having a baby shower, taking maternity photos, or decorating your baby’s nursery.

Remember that pregnancy is a unique and special experience that only lasts for a short time. Try to cherish every moment and embrace every change as a sign of your baby’s growth and development. You are doing an amazing job of creating and nurturing a new life inside you. You should be proud of yourself and excited for what’s to come.