While mothers undoubtedly experience the most drastic changes during pregnancy, there’s a good chance that others will notice their lives changing as well as they prepare for the birth of a baby. Whether you are an expectant mother or a dad-to-be, the information in these tips and tricks will offer valuable insight into pregnancy.
Quit smoking as soon as you find out that you’re pregnant, and avoid exposure to second-hand smoke. The dangers of cigarette smoke to your baby are so extensive that it is absolutely worth the stress of trying to quit during your pregnancy. The sooner you quit the less extensive the damage will be.
Pass off the cat litter cleaning duties to someone else once you have found out you are pregnant. Changing cat litter while pregnant can cause you to develop toxoplasmosis. While toxoplasmosis is generally mild to the mother, it can cause serious complications in the fetus. Be safe and just avoid it entirely.
Consider bringing a doula on board for your birth. Doulas are people who are trained birthing coaches. A doula can give you both ideas and support as you inch closer to giving birth. They can also help your partner become a better birth coach as both you and your partner can feel better when you have such an experienced person with the two of you.
Make sure you go ahead and get checked for any sexually transmitted diseases when you do find out you’re pregnant. Sexually transmitted diseases when left untreated can cause many serious health problem for both you and your unborn child. Many tests for sexually transmitted diseases can be done through urine, blood or a pap smear. If the results show that you are infected with one, your baby may need to be delivered through a C-section.
When pregnant, you should exercise regularly. Exercising regularly throughout your pregnancy will help you avoid gaining excessive weight. Exercising can also increase your circulation which will help you prevent leg cramps at night. Try to avoid exercising in the evening as it will make it difficult for you to go to sleep.
Avoid going to hot tubs and saunas while you are pregnant. You want to avoid getting overheated, since that can be especially harmful to the baby. Additionally, many spas offer massages that use oils that can cause early contractions. You should avoid rosemary, clary sage, and juniper.
Read up on the birth process and how it works. Textbook type books may provide you with a lot of factual details and medical terminology, but reading a first-hand account will give you a much livelier and realistic perspective. Read several birth stories to help you feel calm and relaxed about the labor and delivery of your child.
One of the best things that you can do when you are pregnant, is to purchase books on pregnancy that will allow you to develop a structure for what to expect in the upcoming months. This will assure that there are no surprises so that you are prepared when the time comes to give birth.
When you become pregnant, make sure to tell your boyfriend or husband as soon as possible if he does not know already. It is under your discretion as to when you should tell your parents and friends as you should only do this when you feel comfortable in revealing this information.
Whether this is a first pregnancy or not, there is always something new to learn about being pregnant and how to deal with it. Even an experienced mom will enjoy learning new things and coping tips to deal with the experiences of pregnancy.
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