Remember that you are carrying another life with you, so filling your brain with as much knowledge about the right things to do during a pregnancy is key. As you consider what changes you will need to make during your pregnancy, the tips in this article should help you!
If you want to have better sleep when you’re pregnant, you should drink less fluids because you have a smaller bladder capacity. Be sure to drink lots of water during daytime hours, but reduce your intake prior to bed. This will reduce your need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Track cycles if you plan on conceiving. If you learn your cycle, it can help you find the best time to try and get pregnant. It will allow you to also know when you probably got pregnant, helping you to pinpoint an accurate due date.
You should add three to five hundred calories to your diet during pregnancy. Keep in mind that pregnancy involves eating for two, so both of you need to be fed. Try to eat food that is healthy, such as vegetables and fruits.
Your OB/GYN or family doctor will recommend that you take a prenatal vitamin while you’re pregnant. Remember to take your prenatal vitamins every day. These will help supplement some vitamins you might not get enough of in your diet and will help the baby grow strong and healthy in the womb.
Don’t touch your cat’s litter box after becoming pregnant! A cat’s soiled litter may have harmful chemicals that are not beneficial to a pregnant woman. Ask a family member to take over the chore, or ask a neighbor for help until your baby is born.
It is best you know what to look out for during premature labor so you know when is the right time to call the doctor. Hopefully, you will never need to use these tips. However, having knowledge will help keep you calm in the event that something happens. If you can recognize a problem just as it is beginning, you may be able to stop anything bad from happening.
Tell your doctor if you notice your feet are getting swollen. While this may be a normal part of the pregnancy, it may be a symptom of preeclampsia. This dangerous condition causes high blood pressure in pregnant women. This condition needs to be treated to ensure that you have a healthy birth.
If you are experiencing leg cramps while sleeping, do some stretches before going to bed. There are few pregnant women who cannot recount a night spent waking up with knots in their legs. If you stretch before you go to sleep each night you’ll be able to prevent those late night cramps.
Folic Acid
It is important that the prenatal vitamin you consume contains the ideal dosage of folic acid. Folic acid prevents neural tube problems and helps your fetus develop.
Don’t feel bad declining food from food-pushers. Increase your calories but make sure that you do not overeat. Saying thanks but no thanks is perfectly acceptable, so don’t hesitate to do it.
Look for maternity clothes from thrift and consignment shops. You will be wearing these items temporarily, so there is no need to pay full price. This is great for your wallet, and also helps the environment through reducing the need for new clothing.
Keep away from alcohol when pregnant. Alcohol easily travels from the pregnant woman right to the baby, through the placenta. This means that anyone that is pregnant or trying to get pregnant should not consume alcohol. Drinking alcohol while pregnant increases the chance of mental and physical birth defects and increases any risk of miscarriage and premature birth.
Skin does have a certain amount of elasticity; however, it can only stretch so much. Do not worry if your belly itches as it expands. If you skin becomes itchy, take a lukewarm shower instead of a hot one. The hot water used in baths and showers removes essential oils from the skin, which worsens itching. Be sure to moisturize with something heavy, such as cocoa butter, or petroleum jelly. Get clothes that are loose fitting and resist the urge to scratch; try rubbing the itches with lotion instead.
If you and your significant other are planning to start a family, you should each visit with a physician for a check-up. This will determine if you are in the best physical health before you try having a baby, and whether you need any tests due to your personal medical history. This also lets you ask questions about potential pregnancy.
Follow the same routine each night. The routine will help you to relax in the evenings, which can be hard to do during your pregnancy. Plan adequate time to relax and unwind in the evenings. A warm shower works to relax you and may make you sleepy, or try drinking caffeine-free tea.
Lamaze classes are a great help. These classes can teach you much, no matter the birthing style you are planning for. Classes offered at your hospital usually have facility tours.
Always go to the store to buy food after you have eaten. During pregnancy, it is common for you to crave unhealthy foods. Although it’s fine to indulge on these foods sometimes, you should still typically eat food that is very nutritious in order to benefit you and the baby. If you feel satisfied while grocery shopping, there’s less of a chance of you buying foods not on the list.
Helpful Advice
Refer back to the advice shared here, when necessary. Perhaps you may even know someone to pass this article on to, someone who could benefit from its tips on pregnancy. You never know when an information exchange can turn into helpful advice from someone who appreciated your helpful advice before.