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Pregnancy

5 Ways To Have a Healthy Pregnancy

Hi There! You are probably joining me because you saw the title and want to know ways to have a healthy pregnancy, right? And chances are that is because you are pregnant! Well, congratulations! This is an exciting time.

Ideally, you would want to start doing some of these things I am going to talk about before you get pregnant. But no worries if you have yet to. Because now that you are pregnant, it is just as good of a time as any!

So, let’s get started on how you can have a healthy pregnancy.

 

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5 Ways to have a Healthy Pregnancy

 

Vitamins

There are 3 major vitamins you should be taking when you are planning to become or just found out you are pregnant.

  • Calcium with D
  • Folic Acid
  • Multivitamin

The most talked about vitamin is Folic Acid and for good reason. Without adequate amounts of this nutrient, your baby is at risk for severe neural tube defects. And the best time to start taking this vitamin is before you conceive, but if this was a surprise pregnancy, start as soon as possible.

Many women may assume they get all the nutrients they need from their diet. However, this is more often not the case. Adding the proper supplements to your daily routine becomes critical when you are pregnant. You can learn more about the proper guidelines on what vitamins you should be taking while pregnant here.


 

Exercise

Becoming pregnant does not mean the end of your workout routine. Maintaining a moderate level of activity throughout your pregnancy will benefit both you and baby. And if you were less than active prior to becoming pregnant, it is not too late to start.

For the women who have their daily exercise routine:
Staying active and continuing your current level of activity is generally safe with healthy pregnancies. Of course, you will want to talk to your healthcare provider once you become pregnant. But essentially, you are preparing for the marathon of a lifetime: giving birth.

So staying in shape, with accommodations of course, will only be a good thing!

For the women who don’t really exercise everyday:
That’s okay! Start slow.

Now is not the time to introduce a crazy new exercise regime to your day. And you shouldn’t sign up for Crossfit. But you can start with walking every day. Try to have a goal of walking at least 30 minutes. And gradually you can introduce other light exercises.

You can look into exercise routines that are suitable for pregnant women, including those who want to start a healthy habit for their baby. While you are at it, pick clothes that will enable you to move comfortably and safely. 

Take notes from runners about wearing compression clothes, such as tights and socks. Compression socks used by pregnant women, for example, may help provide relief from swelling and discomfort. You can put them on for working out or even before going to bed.

pregnancy-advice-for-moms-teachworkoutlove.com

Water

If I had a dime for every patient of mine that told me, “yeah, I drink plenty of water”. But define “plenty”.

I have come across more people than not, who think they drink enough water, but they don’t realize they really are not meeting the 8-8oz cup guideline. Juices, sodas, teas. Those don’t count as water. (regardless of having any water in them).

Once you become pregnant, consuming enough water becomes more important than ever! Aim for 8 cups a day, but it won’t hurt to have more than that!

You want your urine to be pale yellow to clear. If it is concentrated, dark yellow- drink more water!


 

Diet

Have you ever heard the saying, “you are what you eat’”? Well, your baby is now also what you eat.

So, what you put into your body is so important. Now, more than ever.

There are foods you should avoid completely in pregnancy, see here. And, foods that are great to eat every day.

For help on understanding your daily needs and what that looks like, check this out: MyPlate from the USDA website.

 

Prenatal Care

Getting the proper prenatal care is essential to the wellbeing of yourself and your baby.

As soon as you become pregnant, you need to be getting on the phone with your health care provider to make an appointment.

There are important routine tests and monitoring that need to take place throughout your pregnancy. And if you are the type that is avoidant of doctors, buckle up. Because there are a lot of checkups in store for you and baby.

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The Most Important Piece of Advice in Having a Healthy Pregnancy

If I needed to summarize the most important piece of advice for your pregnancy into one sentence it would be this.

In order to take care of another life, you need to first take care of yourself.
There is no better time than right now to start getting serious about your health. Take these 5 things I talked about above and stick to them!

It isn’t just about you anymore, mama. Your baby’s health depends on it as well.

Talk soon!

Tazia, Mind of Mom

 

Get more:

Tips on Pregnancy Health & Related Articles


Infographic provided by Beyond The Box Nutrition, a trusted nutrition consulting company

 

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Tazia | Mind of Mom

I am a mom, wife and ER Registered Nurse. My goal is to share with you tips to get you through this journey of motherhood. It's a marathon, mama!

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