Top 5 Healthy Lifestyle Changes Now That You Are Pregnant

Taking care of your health is instrumental in determining your well-being. Living a healthy lifestyle becomes even more critical when you conceive. You have a greater responsibility now and need to ensure that whatever you consume or do positively impacts the unborn child’s health. 

Getting the correct information about pregnancy self-care and all the healthy habits you need to adopt is incredibly easy; even sometimes, you become overwhelmed by the information. There are so many sources, leading to an overload of information. Hence, we are here to make this problem easier for you. 

Below are some of the proven and tested healthy lifestyle tips for pregnant women. But, before that, it is imperative to mention why choosing a good doctor is necessary during pregnancy. 

Significance of Prenatal Healthcare

When you learn about your pregnancy, an OB-GYN will be essential to your lifestyle. Good prenatal healthcare is vital in determining that you have a healthy pregnancy and a safe delivery. 

Many young mothers are unaware of the consequences of wrong or mishandled childbirth. It can cause birth injuries. They might be lifelong health concerns for the baby and may even lead to death. Hence, to avoid such consequences, a good healthcare provider must take care of you. 

In case of such circumstances, it is advised to contact birth injury attorneys who can guide you regarding the legal consequences of medical negligence and the damages you and your baby is eligible for. 

Here are the top five lifestyle changes you need to make to ensure a healthy and smooth-sailing pregnancy.

1. Eat A Healthy Diet

In pregnancy, eat food rich in folate; spinach, asparagus, black beans, and citrus. Moreover, eat foods rich in iron and vitamin C to increase your body’s strength and immunity. 

Eat meat, greek yogurt, eggs, seafood, lentils, and whole grains, and drink milk daily. Your healthcare provider will give you a more in-depth take on your diet and might even refer you to a nutritionist that will provide you with a proper diet plan. 

Moreover, eat 5 to 6 small meals daily and avoid skipping meals, especially breakfast. Take any supplements that your obstetrician recommends for your health. If they don’t suit you, tell your physician, and they’ll change it.

During pregnancy, you’re more prone to feeling weak and your blood pressure and blood sugar levels being low. Hence, ensure that you take your meals on time and consult your healthcare provider immediately in case of any problems.

2. Maintain A Healthy Weight

Most OB-GYNs recommend that you get to and maintain a healthy weight when trying to conceive. It helps create the optimal environment for conception and reduces the risk of hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy. If you are overweight, the chances of you being prone to them increase tenfold. Moreover, they can also lead to many birth complications. 

When you are initially at a good weight, it helps track the weight you naturally gain through your pregnancy. You must ensure that your weight gain is stable and within your healthcare provider’s standard weight chart. It will help shed post-partum weight more quickly, and your baby will grow healthy. 

Being underweight is also very dangerous, both for you and the baby. This is because a malnourished mother lacks the necessary nutrients to nurture the baby. This leads to a weak baby who is prone to congenital disabilities. 

According to the Institue of Medicine, healthy pregnancy weights for different body types are as follows:

• Obese should gain 11 to 20 pounds.
• Overweight should gain 15 to 25 pounds.
• Normal-weighted people should gain 25 to 35 pounds.
• Underweight women should gain between 28 to 40 pounds, sometimes even more if needed. 

3. Stay Hydrated

Drinking water is essential for a healthy pregnancy. During pregnancy, your body’s functions change. Our system has 50 percent more blood to ensure healthy fetus development. It also aids in maintaining good digestion and an ideal level of homeostasis. 

When you consume a good amount of water daily, you’ll see that blood flow and normal blood pressure would be easier to maintain. Moreover, you won’t feel dehydrated or constipated. You must drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water daily during pregnancy. 

4. Exercise Regularly

Remember, staying active during your pregnancy is essential. If you engaged in regular exercise or some form of physical exertion before pregnancy, continuing it shouldn’t be too hard. However, you need to ensure that you get cleared by your healthcare provider for physical exertion before you engage in it.

Moreover, it is advised that you engage in easy and less intense physical activities like swimming, walking, and yoga. They help increase core strength and flexibility, aiding in a healthy delivery. They will ensure you get your essential physical exertion for the day without over-exerting yourself. 

An excellent physical exertion regimen helps maintain weight, lessen pregnancy problems, improve sleep, and boost mood. Your mental, as well as physical health, improves. On average, a pregnant woman who engages in a good daily physical activity routine has a lower downtime post-partum than one who doesn’t.

5. Avoid Animals

While this might come as a shock to a lot of animal lovers, pregnant women should avoid animals as much as they can. If you come in contact with or have to interact with one, you should ensure that you wash their hands thoroughly afterward.

Moreover, avoid handling or cleaning litter boxes or dog stools during pregnancy. This is because it can put them at risk for infections. Cleaning a litter box might cause toxoplasmosis. 

Although you should avoid them altogether, in case you have no other choice but to look after them, it is advised that you wear gloves and wash your hands properly. 

Bottom Line

Pregnancy is a time of joy for young mothers. However, navigating through the complex path to a healthy pregnancy is often hard for them. To ease this path for them, we bring you these five lifestyle changes that will most definitely pay off and make your pregnancy healthier and childbirth easier and smoother.