Being pregnant can be a lovely experience or a bad experience, depending on how you handle it. But, a negative pregnancy can become a positive one when you’re properly prepared. In this article we will discuss some valuable advice for pregnant women.
To get better sleep while you are pregnant, come up with a routine for bedtime. Keeping a regular routine every night allows the body to maintain good sleep rhythms which make drifting off easier. Use soothing tools like a shower that is warm, a good book or getting a massage.
Create a birth plan. Having a written document that expresses your wishes for your delivery will help the medical professionals involved understand what you want your experience to be like. Include things like who should be present at the birth and what procedures you want to stay away from during the delivery.
Do not feel required to announce your pregnancy to everyone as soon as you know. All women have their own comfort zone regarding when they want to tell everyone. Some women wait until they have reached the end of the first trimester and the highest risk of miscarriage is over. Listen to your heart and share the news when you are ready to.
It is important for pregnant women to avoid eating certain fish, like shark, swordfish, and tilefish. These fish contain high levels of mercury, which can cause health problems for your baby. There are some seafood that is safe for pregnant women to eat including canned tuna, pollack, salmon, catfish, and shrimp.
Do not let stretch marks stress you out, as they are completely unavoidable for many women. While applying cocoa butter and other creams may help to lessen the itching and irritation that comes along with rapid stretching of the skin, they cannot do much to prevent the marks themselves.
To better maintain non-pregnancy pants, try using elastic hair ties looped through your button holes over the button so that you can zip pants up as high as you can. Then, wear a long shirt that covers your pants. This trick can save you money since you won’t have to buy as many maternity clothes.
Avoid plastic containers that have BPA during your pregnancy. BPA acts like estrogen in the body and can have an adverse effect on babies. The BPA can have a feminizing affect on the fetus that you want to avoid. Switch out your plastics for glass and stainless steel to avoid the risk.
Slightly increase your calorie intake while pregnant. The phrase “eating for two” isn’t just a cute throwaway line. Expecting mothers need to eat about 500 additional calories a day to adequate provide for the baby’s needs. Make sure that extra calorie intake is composed of healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables.
While human skin has elasticity, there is a limit to how much it can stretch. Do not worry if your belly itches as it expands. To make it more comfortable, don’t take hot showers or baths. Hot water is not good for the natural oils on your skin which are needed to keep it healthy. Moisturize with a heavy cream, like petroleum jelly or cocoa butter. Don’t wear tight clothes and resist the urge to scratch.
One way to help to get rid of the back pain that sometimes occurs in late pregnancy is to practice pelvic tilts. Continuing to exercise in this way will not only help with the pain, it may also move your baby into a good birth position at the same time.
As mentioned earlier, your pregnancy can either make you happy or miserable, and it depends on how you manage it. Understanding the changes your body is undergoing can go a long way towards helping you to cherish this wonderful period of your life. Use the advice here to help you handle your pregnancy.