Taking Care Of You And Your Baby While You're Pregnant

Making the discovery that you are pregnant is one of the most life-changing ones that you will ever make. This can most definitely cause many emotions to be experienced such as joy, fear, anxiety, and worry because if this is your first pregnancy, you will not know what kind of mom you will be. And the thing to remember is that children do not come with instructions so you will do your best and remember by loving your child, feeding your child, and providing a loving and caring environment is all you need to do in order to be a good mom. You can reassure yourself by doing this while you also fantasize about the nursery your baby will have or imagine how adorable he or she will look in those harry potter baby clothes if you are a fan that is.  

However, before you allow yourself to get lost in those thoughts is that you need to focus on the here and the now. That means you need to focus on how you can take the best care of yourself and your growing baby during your pregnancy! Let's go over that now.

1. Rest While You Can

You are exhausted for a reason. You are growing a baby and that is taking up a lot of your energy, and those hormones are also making you very tired. You need to conserve as much energy as you can to grow that baby so that means you need to rest as often as you can. Sleep as well as you can which means you need to find time to take naps if your bladder is keeping you up at night.

2. Learn What Is Safe To Eat And What Is Not Safe To Eat

The best thing to do is as soon as you find out that you are pregnant, you should go and hire a nutritionist or dietician that specializes in pregnancy. This way, you will know what foods and drinks to avoid such as unpasteurized meats and cheeses as they are the most likely to carry harmful bacteria that can harm your baby. You already know not to drink, smoke, or do drugs during pregnancy and be sure to stay away from any of that. Also, be sure to avoid fish that have high levels of mercury such as swordfish, shark meat, tuna steaks, and King mackerel.  

However, be sure to have the correct servings of low-mercury fish such as salmon because it is high in essential fatty acids which is essential for your baby's brain and eye development. If you cannot afford to go to a dietician, then you need to research the foods that are safe to eat and that are not during pregnancy.

3. Don't Literally Eat For Two But At The Same Time Make Sure You Are Eating Enough

Eating for two is a term that many pregnant women tend to take literally. However, all you need in the second and third trimesters are anywhere between an extra 300 to 500 calories a day which is not eating for two. And in the first trimester, there is no need to increase your caloric intake. If you gain too much weight, you are increasing the risk of developing pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. That is why it is recommended for women to gain between 25 to 35 lbs during pregnancy and nothing less or more (only more if there is a multiple-pregnancy). 

However, on the flip side, it is important to eat enough to sustain yourself and your baby. If morning sickness is getting the worst of you and you cannot eat or keep anything down, then you need to go to the doctor and get medical intervention if it is severe.

4. Drink Plenty Of Water

Staying hydrated is essential during pregnancy and in order to do that, you need to make sure that you take in from 6 to 10 glasses of water per day. It is important to drink water because it helps keep the circulation moving which provides the oxygen that your baby needs to grow. And, it also flushes out the toxins as well. Additionally, getting that extra H2O also helps reduce nausea.  

It may be hard to get that water in especially if it turns you off but remember that you and your baby need you to be properly hydrated. You can also take in sips at a time instead of drinking it all at once.

5. Reduce Stress As Much As Possible

It is a known fact that stress is a part of life and you may even be more stressed by worrying about the pregnancy and what kind of parent you will be. However, it is important to not let your thoughts get carried away, and you need to also learn how to manage stress. Because being under too much stress is not good for you or the baby. That means it is essential to learn how to meditate, or even take prenatal yoga, and practice deep breathing. Managing stress during pregnancy is really essential!

6. Get Plenty Of Exercise

Unless you have a pregnancy that has complications and your care provider put you on bed rest, you need to do some moderate exercise. It will help keep the circulation going and keep you healthy. This means to take brisk walks for a half-hour 5 days a week or light aerobics. Swimming is also good. You can go and look into prenatal exercise classes if you are concerned about what is safe and what is not.  

Don't run marathons, don't spend too much time in the heat, and don't lift heavyweights. Other than that, you are safe.  

Now that you know how to keep yourself healthy as well as your growing baby, you can utilize those tips while knowing that the odds are in your favor that you will have a great pregnancy and a healthy baby. A baby that will be so adorable wearing batman baby clothes if that is what you are thinking about right now! In other words, you have a lot to look forward to and enjoy this exciting time!