Pregnancy is supposed to be such a joyous and magical time, but sometimes, it’s hard and can be quite rough on our bodies. Stretch marks, swollen feet, nausea, heartburn and feeling tired, are just a few of the wonderful gifts that come along with pregnancy. This article will give you some tips for coping with the darker side of pregnancy.
Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep each night. You need around 8 hours. Getting the right amount of sleep will help you to feel good, and it will also help your fetus to grow. During pregnancy many people feel very tired, and it is important to give your body what it needs.
Visit the hospital that you plan to give birth in. Tour and meet all the staff. This will help calm your nerves and answer a lot of your questions. It is a good idea for the father to come along as they will be communicating with the staff, too.
Shop around for a prenatal exercise class that you enjoy. You can take a yoga class that will teach you how to do exercises that are specialized for pregnant women. This will allow you to keep up your health and remain active, throughout your entire pregnancy. You could also make some new friends when you join a yoga class.
If you suffer from morning sickness, try sucking on sour candies like lemon drops or sipping tart lemonade or limeade. Ginger and peppermint are other natural ways to control your nausea; you can ingest these foods in the form of teas, candies and other forms that do not aggravate your symptoms.
When you are pregnant, you will want to limit the amount of alcohol that you consume. This means that when you are out with your friends, you will need to become more responsible for the sake of your baby. Practice good drinking habits to maximize the success of your pregnancy.
Enroll in a class that goes over everything related to childbirth. Sign up as early as possible so you are guaranteed a spot in the class. You may also want to take a class on breastfeeding. Both courses offer invaluable information to help you as you prepare for your baby.
If you are pregnant with your first child, you should babysit for a friend with a young baby; this will give you an idea of what it is like to care for a newborn. Also, this will help to make you feel a little more comfortable once your baby is born.
Find a good position for sleeping. During your third trimester, sleeping on your left side will put you in the best position for your blood flow to reach the fetus, your uterus and your kidneys. If you are more comfortable sleeping in a different position, that’s okay, just make sure not to sleep on your back.
If you are trying to become pregnant, you must eat a healthy diet that gives you all the nutrients that you need. Folate and folic acid can be very important in developing your child from the point of conception. You should also start taking a prenatal vitamin.
A healthy diet during pregnancy includes foods that are packed with nutrition to help your baby get off to a great start. Include a variety of foods that provide the fiber, vitamins and minerals that will help your baby develop properly. Get rid of the nutritionally empty junk foods that use up your daily calorie intake with no benefit to your baby.
As stated in the beginning of this article, even though pregnancy is supposed to be a magical time, it also has its dark side. Coping with all the terrible side effects can be tough. Hopefully, this article has given you some helpful ideas for battling the “bad side” of pregnancy.