Making Pregnancy Better For Mom And Baby

TIP! Don’t put on too much weight while pregnant. The more weight you put on, the more you risk your child’s health and your own.

Many women do not know what to expect during their pregnancy, and many wonder about quite a few things. A big aspect of this is concern about the safety and health of the unborn child. The following information should help you to know how to take care of yourself, so that you can take care of the baby that is growing in your tummy.

Start Taking Prenatal

TIP! Try using full-service gas stations when pregnant or having your passenger or partner fill the tank while you’re in the car. Gasoline fumes can harm your unborn child.

Start taking prenatal vitamins before becoming pregnant. Throughout the first three months of pregnancy, the baby’s spinal cord and brain begin to form. If you wish to have a healthy baby, start taking prenatal vitamins even before you become pregnant. These supplements should include calcium, iron, and folic acid.

TIP! To get rid of an upset stomach when you’re in your first trimester, eating smaller meals more frequently is recommended. Keeping something in your stomach will help prevent upset stomach issues.

As a pregnant woman, it’s important that you protect your skin while you’re out in the sun. A pregnant woman’s skin is a lot more sensitive than before pregnancy; therefore, a sunburn can cause extreme problems down the road, such as melanoma.

TIP! Be sure to be checked for sexually transmitted diseases if you are pregnant. STD’s can affect your health and your baby’s health, if you do not take care of them.

Eat frequent small meals in order to calm your upset stomach. Keeping your stomach with something in it will help keep those upset stomach issues at bay. Opt for meals made with fresh, light foods. Foods that can help include lean meats, vegetables and fresh fruits.

TIP! Lots of folks get caught up in the excitement of decorating a nursery. Being around paint fumes while pregnant may not be the healthiest thing.

If you are pregnant, get your doctor to test you for STDs. Sexually transmitted diseases can create major issues for both your baby and yourself if they are left untreated. There are a lot of tests for diseases that are transmitted sexually. They can be done via blood, urine or a pap smear. If you are tested positive, you may need to deliver your baby by caesarian section.

TIP! It is important to stay hydrated if you become ill or get diarrhea when pregnant. Being dehydrated while you are pregnant can result in a hospital visit, which is expensive and unnecessary.

Be sure that you have a flu shot given to you when you get pregnant. You immune system isn’t what is used to be, and the flu is easy to catch. This could be dangerous to you and your unborn child.

TIP! Try to avoid hot tubs and saunas while you’re pregnant. Becoming overheated can endanger your developing baby.

If you experience high volumes of vaginal discharges during your pregnancy, inform your physician. This could be a sign of a vaginal infection, something common during pregnancy. If it is not treated, it could cause serious health problems for both you and your unborn baby.

TIP! A good bra choice for pregnant women is the sports bra. Reduce painful discomfort of pregnancy by giving your breasts the extra support they need.

Have pictures and stories prepared to share with your baby once they are older. Children get a big kick out of this. Collect tiny mementos and snippets of thoughts for them to enjoy when they grow older.

TIP! As you near the beginning of your 3rd trimester, you should go ahead and get a bag packed for the hospital. Putting it off for too long puts you at risk for having to go to the hospital empty handed.

Learn to reject food from people who pressure you to eat all the time. You need to raise your caloric intake when you’re pregnant, but that doesn’t need to mean eating all the time. Saying that you’re thankful but don’t wish to eat at the time is something you need to practice doing.

TIP! Read up on the birth process and how it works. Birth stories are generally told from a mother’s point of view.

Be sure to take a break and focus on yourself. After you give birth, life will get more busy and you won’t have much time for yourself. Take the time to visit with friends, get your nails done, or spend time doing something you enjoy. You will feel much better, and so will your unborn child.

TIP! Loop a hair tie through your button hole on your pants and then pull it over the button. This lets your pants survive longer while you are pregnant.

Even though your child isn’t born, talk to it daily. Research indicates that babies can feel your touch when ten weeks old. After this, your baby will become comfortable with your voice. Talking to your child can make you bond more with them as well.

TIP! Have a conversation with your baby each day. Research has shown that an unborn child at about 10 weeks can respond to touch.

While the human skin is elastic, it is limited in its ability to stretch. It is perfectly normal for the belly to itch as it is growing during pregnancy. Avoid taking a hot shower or bath to try to soothe your skin. The hot water takes away the skin’s natural oils, making it itch more. The way around this is to use a heavy substance to moisturize your skin. Useful substances include petroleum jelly and cocoa butter. Wear loose fitting clothes, and do not scratch!

TIP! During your pregnancy, continue to exercise, unless your doctor advises you against it. Just make sure your exercise consists of low-impact activities, such as walking and swimming.

There are a few foods that should be avoided by pregnant women because of the potential harm to the baby. You should not eat raw seafood, soft cheeses or unpasteurized milk.

Iron Needs

TIP! To remember the stages of pregnancy, you may want to keep a journal, including how your belly changes. Once you have a newborn to take care of, pregnancy will recede into the past, and having pictures can help you remember what it was like.

Take iron supplements, and be sure to eat food that contain lots of iron. You need to increase your iron intake by approximately 50 percent to supply the iron needs of you and your baby. The iron produces hemoglobin, which in turn transports oxygen through blood vessels. During the latter two trimesters, your iron needs will increase even further.

TIP! Take your iron pills and keep eating iron rich foods during your pregnancy. You’re sharing a body with another person, so you need about 50 pecent more when pregnant.

Make sure to floss and brush regularly when pregnant. Even when you’re not pregnant, this is an extremely important tip. When pregnant, it serves even more benefits. During pregnancy, a woman is more likely to develop gum disease and gingivitis. When you don’t care for your teeth, problems worsen. Brush and floss twice daily in order to avoid any mishaps.

TIP! If you are suffering from mood swings while pregnant, try yoga or meditation. These natural techniques are quite relaxing.

Consider using a doula to aid you during delivery. A woman who supports a woman throughout the pregnancy and birth is known as a doula. Most doulas offer both emotional support and aids in having a pregnant woman’s wishes for natural delivery.

TIP! Most pregnant women have morning sickness. If you’re struggling with morning sickness, you can make some lifestyle changes to help reduce your feelings of sickness.

Many moms-to-be aren’t fully sure of the best way to take care of themselves during pregnancy. As society gains more knowledge on the subject, what’s best practice tends to change. However, if you bring to bear the sensible advice in this article, you will have made a major contribution to your health, your baby’s health, and the enjoyment of your pregnancy.