15 Health Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Health Tips for a Healthy pregnancy is very much essential for staying healthy during pregnancy, if you're pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, you probably know some of the basic pregnancy advice about taking care of yourself and the baby.

Here are more valuable pregnancy tips, from taking vitamins to what to do with the kitty litter that can help ensure safe and healthy prenatal development.

1.For a Healthy Pregnancy see your doctor or midwife: 

As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, get yourself registered for antenatal care. Make an appointment with your GP or a  midwife at your local surgery or children's centre. Or register online with your local maternity service. 

Organizing your care early means you’ll get good advice for a healthy pregnancy right from the start. You’ll also have plenty of time to organize your diary for ultrasound scans and tests that you may need.

2.Take a Prenatal Vitamin:

Even when you're still trying to conceive, it's smart to start taking parental care. Your baby's neural cord, which becomes the brain and spinal cord, develops within the  first month of pregnancy, so it's important you get essential nutrients, like folic acid, calcium, and iron, from the very start.

3.Eat Folate-Rich Foods:

In addition to drinking 8-10 glasses of water each day, you should eat five or six well-balanced meals with plenty of folate-rich foods like fortified cereals, asparagus, lentils, wheat germ, oranges, and orange juice. "Folic acid is crucial for the proper development of the baby's neural tube (it covers the spinal cord), and it's vital for the creation of new red blood cells," says Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D., author of Feed the Belly. 

4.Eat Enough Food:

We know—you're eating for two. But packing on too many extra pounds may make them hard to lose later. At the same time, not gaining enough weight can put the baby at risk for a low-weight birth, a major cause of developmental problems.

But what should be the ideal food of an expectant mother? And what about the diet of the woman who has suppose to give birth to a child?

The food of expectant mother is not something special. Only thing is she should not overeat under the impression that she needs more nutrition for the child which is growing in her body. Her diet should, however, include enough of fruit, vegetables and milk.

5.Educate Yourself:

Even if this isn't your first baby, attending a childbirth class will help you feel more prepared for delivery. Not only will you have the chance to  learn more about child birth and infant care, but you can ask specific questions and voice any concerns. You'll also become more acquainted with the facility and its staff.

Now is also a good time to brush up on your family's medical history. Talk to your doctor about problems with past pregnancies, and report any family incidences of birth defects.

6.Get some rest:

The fatigue you feel in the first few months is due to high levels of pregnancy hormones circulating in your body. 

Try to get in the habit of  going to sleep on your side. By the third trimester, sleeping on your side reduces the risk of stillbirth compared to sleeping on your back.

If your  sleep is disturbed at night, try to take a quick nap in the middle of the day or go to bed early to catch up. If that’s impossible, at least put your feet up and try to relax for 30 minutes. 

If backache is disturbing your sleep, try lying on your side with your knees bent. Placing a wedge-shaped pillow under your bump may help ease the strain on your back. 

7.Mild Exercise:

Staying active is important for your general health and can help you reduce stress, control your weight, improve circulation, boost your mood, and sleep better. Take a pregnancy exercise class or walk at least 15-20 minutes every day at a moderate pace, in cool, shaded areas or indoors in order to prevent overheating. 

Pilates, yoga, swimming, and walking are also great activities for most pregnant women, but be sure to check with your doctor first before starting any exercise program.

8.Indulge Yourself:

You may think you're busy now, but once the baby comes, you'll have even fewer precious moments to yourself. Be sure to get at least eight hours of sleep a night, and if you're suffering from sleep disturbances, take naps during the day and see your physician if the situation doesn't improve.

9.Be careful about food hygiene:

Thoroughly wash utensils, boards and your hands after handling raw meat, Store raw foods separately from ready-to-eat foods. Food hygiene is especially important now you’re pregnant.

10.Wear Sunscreen:

Being pregnant makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so you're more prone to sunburn and chloasma, those dark, blotchy spots that sometimes appear on the face. Apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher (many brands now offer chemical-free formulas, if you prefer a green option) and wear a hat and sunglasses.

11.Cut out alcohol:

Any  alcohol you drink rapidly reaches your baby via your bloodstream and the placenta.

 
There is no way to know for sure  how much alcohol is safe during pregnancy That’s why many experts advise you to cut out alcohol completely while you’re expecting.

It’s particularly important to avoid too much alcohol during the first trimester and the third trimester. 

In the first trimester, drinking alcohol can increase your risk of miscarriage, while in the third trimester it can affect your baby's brain development. 

12.Cut back on caffeine:

Too much  caffeine may increase your risk of miscarriage. Caffeine is in coffee, tea, cola, chocolate and energy drinks. 

Some experts have suggested that too much caffeine may contribute to your risk of having a  low birth weight baby, although more research is needed to be sure. 

Current guidelines state that up to 200mg of caffeine a day won’t cause harm to your developing baby. That’s the equivalent of two mugs of instant coffee.

13.Stop smoking:

Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for you and your baby. Smoking increases your baby’s risk of:

•         Premature birth
•         Low birth weight
•         Stillbirth
•         Sudden infant death syndrome

Smoking also makes the following pregnancy complications more likely:

•         Miscarriage
•         Ectopic pregnancy
•         Placental abruption

14.Write a Birth Plan:

Write down your wishes and give a copy to everyone involved with the delivery. According to the American Pregnancy Association, here are some things to consider when 

Wright your birth plan:

- Who you want present, including children or siblings of the baby
- Procedures you want to avoid
- What positions you prefer for labor and delivery
- Special clothing you'd like to wear
- Whether you want music or a special focal point
- Whether you want pain medications, and what kind
- What to do if complications arise

15.Know When to Call the Doctor:

Being pregnant can be confusing, especially if it's your first time. How do you know isn’t? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

- Pain of any kind
- Strong cramps
- Contractions at 20-minute intervals
- Vaginal bleeding or leaking of fluid
- Dizziness or fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Constant nausea and vomiting
- Trouble walking, edema (swelling of joints)
- Decreased activity by the baby

This is the high time to care of mother during pregnancy, because healthy baby is fully depends on mothers take care of herself, so we hope this article will help every pregnant women for their healthy pregnancy.

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