Giving your baby the best start in life begins during the nine months of pregnancy and these effective tips can make sure that you know exactly what to do. It is an amazing time that can be a challenge if you are unsure what to expect. The advice below can help you know what to do.
Sunscreen is important during pregnancy. Avoid tanning beds, also. Your skin is quite sensitive during pregnancy, so your chances of sunburn are increased. Also, you want to look over the ingredients of the sunscreen you’re putting on, and make sure the chemicals aren’t harmful to your baby.
Stay away from household cleaning products when you are pregnant. Inhaling these products when you are pregnant can cause serious health problems for you and your baby. Have someone else in your home do your cleaning, or, if you have to clean, wear a protective mask over your nose and mouth.
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.
Pay a visit to the facility in which you plan to give birth. Look around and get a tour so you can meet the staff. You can ask questions and feel comfortable in the setting. It is a good idea for the father to come along as they will be communicating with the staff, too.
You should familiarize yourself with symptoms of premature labor. This will enable you to touch base with your doctor quickly if you experience similar signs.
Exercising in pregnancy is good for mom and baby. The benefits include decreased risk for gestational diabetes, less complaints of constipation and back pain and a quicker recovery from birth for mom. Stop exercising and see your doctor if you have signs, such as shortness of breath, dizziness, fluid leaking, uterine contractions or vaginal bleeding.
Take a child birthing class. These classes will help you near the end of your pregnancy. They will teach you exactly what to expect, and your partner should go along to. You will probably watch a movie of someone giving birth, learn a lot of new breathing exercises, and probably meet some new friends too.
When you become pregnant, make sure that you inform your job, as soon as possible, so that you are able to file for a maternity leave when the time comes. This will allow you to prepare in advance and allow your employer to find a replacement, for the time you are out.
Plan out your meals for the day in order to avoid snacking on items that aren’t good for you. Pregnancy is full of cravings and if we aren’t planning out our meals we can end up eating nothing but unhealthy snacks all day. Make sure to keep healthy snacks with you all day like carrot sticks and whole-grain crackers.
Do not hesitate to inform your obstetrician or midwife if you experience depression during pregnancy. There are antidepressants that are considered safe for pregnant and nursing mothers, and in many cases, the benefits of taking them outweigh the risks of letting your depression go untreated. You do not have to suffer, and you are doing a great thing for both your baby and yourself by speaking up and getting help.
As you can see from the tips above, knowing what to do to give your baby the best start in life begins right now. These effective tips will make it easy to decide what to do as you share this challenging time with your baby. Your baby will thank you for making the right choices.