Dealing with a pregnancy can be a scary and difficult thing to do, especially if it is your first time. If you’re a first time mom or a concerned husband, read on to see what kinds of things you ought to expect and be aware of during a pregnancy.
Be sure to stay active while pregnant. Use low-impact exercises – walking and swimming – that keep you moving without putting too much stress on your body. This will help prevent excess pregnancy weight gain, improve the quality of your sleep, and increase circulation to your lower limbs, all of which can be a challenge when pregnant.
Make sure the water you’re drinking during your pregnancy is safe. Tap water may contain fluoride, percholate, and lead, while bottled water may contain the same impurities as well as other chemicals such as BPA. Instead, invest in a tap water filter, and use a stainless steel or glass water bottle when out of the house.
Do not avoid sex when you are pregnant. Many women are under the assumption that sex can harm their unborn child, but this is not true. In fact, sex can be helpful. Women have high hormone levels when pregnant, and having sex can help relieve some of the stress that these hormones give them.
It’s important to remain stress-free for everyone, but more importantly for pregnant women. Stress can cause a lot of problems in pregnancy, including for the baby. Some premature births have been linked to extreme stress.
When you are pregnant and your stomach finally starts expanding go buy yourself some comfortable maternity clothes. Your going to be pregnant for the next several months, so you might as well be comfortable. This also makes sure that you don’t have to keep buying new clothes as you continuously expand.
When you find out you are pregnant the first thing you want to do is go to see the doctor, especially if you feel you have found out late in the pregnancy. This will make sure the doctor has a good look at your health and the child’s health and gets you on a program to fit the two of you best.
Take breastfeeding classes and bone up with some books prior to giving birth. Breastfeeding is best for baby but there can be a lot of pitfalls along the way that could sabotage your progress. Taking a class prior to having to actually breastfeed, will help you be calmer and more in control of feeding your new baby.
Do not take any medications when you are pregnant until you have asked your doctor if it is okay. Depending on your pregnancy, certain medications can cause you or your baby serious medical problems. Many antidepressants need to be avoided as they could cause your child to be born with birth defects.
If the stresses of life get to you while you are pregnant, indulge in a relaxing prenatal massage. Many therapists are trained to provide massages to pregnant women and know which areas to avoid, as well as, which areas might need the most attention. A massage makes a lovely gift to yourself as your due date draws closer.
Eat five or six well-balanced meals every day. This will help you to get all the nutrition that you need, as well as the calories. You should not be eating junk food all day. There is no nutritional value in that, and the only thing it will do for you is put on extra pounds.
As you can see, there are a lot of things to think about and keep in mind, when dealing with a pregnancy to ensure a healthy, happy baby. Make sure to be aware of the advice in this article at all times, so that you can know what you should and shouldn’t do for your baby.