Congratulations on your pregnancy! During this time of anticipation, you will have the opportunity to take active steps towards ensuring health for yourself and your unborn baby. You will learn about healthy exercises, nutrients you will need, car safety and what to avoid during pregnancy. Being armed with this knowledge will help ease your mind, allowing you to enjoy your pregnancy with the assurance that you are taking care of your baby.
Measured Exercise
Just 30 minutes of walking per day can make a huge difference in the health of your pregnancy. If you start early on in your pregnancy, you will find it easier to maintain until delivery. With fatigue being common during pregnancy, you will find that the release of endorphins in your system after a workout helps to uplift your spirits and increase your energy. Exercising can also help relieve discomfort associated with pregnancy, such as with backache and fatigue. There is also evidence that it may help prevent gestational diabetes.
Prenatal Vitamins
Taking prenatal vitamins helps supply mother and baby with the nutrients they need during this time of rapid growth. Prenatal vitamins provide some nutrients that may be missing even after a balanced diet. Folic acid, iron, iodine, and calcium are especially important. Gilbert Webb MD explains that pregnant mothers are likely to have anemia, so prenatal vitamins play a vital role during pregnancy. Avoiding over-the-counter medications such as aspirin and naproxen is important. A possible alternative to these pain relievers could be acetaminophen, once approved by your doctor. Drinking water relieves many symptoms such as cramps, headaches and constipation, so it is important to hydrate before trying medication.
Vehicle Safety
Although there is no specific rule on when a pregnant woman should stop driving, some minimize driving around 30 weeks of pregnancy. At this point it becomes hard to get in and out of the driver’s seat and the steering wheel can cause discomfort. For those who choose to drive while pregnant, wearing a seatbelt is very important. A 3-point lap and diagonal seatbelt is important because it protects you from being ejected from the car in the event of an accident. The shoulder strap takes the weight and pressure off the baby. The lap belt should be placed well under your stomach and across your hips.
It is important to keep checking that it does not ride up onto your stomach. The shoulder belt should be off to the side of your stomach and between your breasts. It should never be on top of your stomach, as this would cause a large risk of injury in the event of a collision.
Cautious Attitude
It is important to avoid activities that may be harmful during pregnancy. Anything that involves lying on your back for more than three minutes should be avoided, especially after the third trimester. This is because as your pregnancy progresses, lying on your back places the weight of your stomach directly onto your spine, major blood vessels, and intestines. This could cause lack of blood flow to the baby. Most pregnant women experience shortness of breath, and others suffer hemorrhoids and digestive problems from lying in this position. A good tip is to use plenty of pillows to get into a comfortable position on your side.
There is a wealth of information that floods expectant moms from the moment they find out they are pregnant. Being informed is the key to taking the right steps during pregnancy and into parenting. Taking these steps to ensure safety is important for an expecting mother.
