Pregnancy requires you to take care of yourself in more than one way. There are some of the key aspects of prenatal care that must be observed to ease out the discomfort and to avoid any complication in the journey of motherhood, right from the time you conceive till the day you deliver the baby. Here is a complete guide to help you keep healthy while you are pregnant.
Regular prenatal visits to the doctor
Prenatal medical consultation is the first and most important aspect of your pregnancy period. Regular check ups will ensure the healthy growth of your baby and will also help you avoid any complication. The doctor must have your medical history for reference. On the first visit to the doctor, your uterus shape and size will be examined along with any cervical abnormality check up. These tests are of utmost importance to avoid any fatal problems of pregnancy. The urine and blood test will determine the presence of bacteria in your urine, check high sugar and protein levels. Several other checks are also performed on the blood sample for low iron levels, blood cell count, infectious diseases such as syphilis, hepatitis and blood type.
Weight gain
Weight is also an important aspect during pregnancy. You must ask your doctor about the ideal weight for you as it may differ from one women to another. If you don’t weigh enough when you get pregnant, you will need to put on some weight for the safe and easy delivery. Whereas, if you are on the heavier side, you might have to shed some kilos of your weight during pregnancy.
Balanced diet
Eating a balanced diet and healthy meal is important for you as well as for your baby. Be careful while eating. Eggs, meat and fish must be fully cooked to avoid any type of infection. You must not have fish for more than 2 to 3 servings in a week. Do not eat Swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel as these fishes have high level of mercury which can be harmful to the baby. Consume 4 or more servings of dairy product for calcium. However, do not consume unpasteurized milk or unpasteurized milk products. Say ‘No’ to caffeine and too much of sugar.
Vitamin intake
Folic acid helps to prevent any brain or spinal cord problem in your baby. Therefore, 1 mg of folic acid must be taken during and before pregnancy. Your doctor may also prescribe the prenatal vitamins. You must ensure that you are not taking any minerals or vitamin supplements without the consultation of your doctor.
Medicine and drug supervision
You must be extremely careful while taking any medicines and you must not take it without consulting your doctor. Avoid self prescribed medicines that you can get over the counter such as pain relievers. Even the medicines that can be bought without a prescription can cause defects to the baby, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Working tenure
It completely depends on you and the nature of your work to decide for how long you can keep working. You must not lift any heavy object during pregnancy. Standing for long duration can be rough on your body and radiation, lead or any such heavy metal can be damaging to the baby. If your work requires you to sit in front of the computer screen, you can continue working during your pregnancy but you must take regular breaks.
Exercise
At least 30 minutes of exercise daily will help to ease the discomfort of pregnancy. You must continue with your exercise regime after consulting your doctor. However, don’t overdo it and drink plenty of water. In case of any dizziness, blurred vision or any such condition, call your doctor immediately.
Sex during pregnancy
It is perfectly ok to have sex during pregnancy, unless you have any complication that can put you and the baby at risk. During pregnancy, your desire for sex may increase or decrease due to the changes in your body. You must try different positions such as being on the top or lying on the side. Your partner must not blow the air in your vagina as it can be fatal to both you and the baby.
Lifting up the mood
Pregnancy brings a huge amount of discomfort along. You must take enough rest, plenty of fluid intakes, stretch your legs gently and avoid greasy meals to deal with discomforts such as nausea, leg cramps, constipation etc.
Call your doctor
Call your doctor immediately, if there is any sort of bleeding or discharge from your vagina. Sudden or heavy swelling of face and fingers must also be addressed at the first instance. You must not avoid persistent headaches, cramps in lower abdomen, any changes in baby’s movements, chills or fever, blurred vision, infections or anything that doesn’t feel right to your body.
