Top tips for a healthy pregnancy – Part 1

Top tips for a healthy pregnancy – Part 1

Pregnancy is a very important phase in a woman’s life, not only for her, but also for the unborn child. It is in the woman’s interest to make this journey safe and healthy to achieve the end result of a healthy baby.

Top tips for healthy pregnancy

Here are some pointers to make sure you achieve his goal.

1. If you think you are pregnant or even if you plan to get pregnant, plan a visit to your doctor and make sure you are doing everything right to conceive; from eating the right food to avoiding alcohol and smoking. Even being in a smoke filled room is an absolute no. If you are pregnant, you may be required to take supplements in addition to your food. Vitamins like folic acid, iron, calcium and even multi-vitamins are sometimes needed to fill in the gaps. Folic acid, in particular is very important in the initial stages to prevent neurological problems in the baby.
2. Make sure to discuss your food habits with your doctor. You may be advised to include cereals like ragi, whole wheat, jowar or bajra in your diet as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. It is a good idea to reduce processed food, junk food, fried food and sweetmeats as they tend to have empty calories that increase your weight but do not supply essential elements that the body needs. The importance of a balanced diet during pregnancy cannot be emphasized enough.
3. If you have countless cups of coffee in a day, cut back now. All caffeine containing beverages should beminimised or preferably stopped. Substitute with green tea or low fat milk with honey.
4. Talk to your doctor about how much weight you should gain during the course of your pregnancy. If you are underweight, you should put on twelve to eighteen kilos during the nine months, but if you are overweight, ten kilos is the upper limit.
5. Learn to do Kegel’s exercises. This set of exercises increases the tone of the vaginal and perineal muscles and eases the pain during labour and delivery. Another important aspect and means to control pain is by learning the correct way to breathe. Lamaze is a form of breathing that you and your partner can learn and practise so ensure a smooth labour.

Some hospitals and nursing homes encourage you to attend antenatal classes where all these aspects are covered and you are encouraged to ask questions and erase your doubts.

In the next part we’ll tell you more about the types of birth, medications and lifestyle changes that may have to make once the child arrives.