Heath & Wellness Guide: How to Have a Healthy Pregnancy?
Expecting a baby is an exhilarating time that often inspires women to opt for a healthier lifestyle. And its reasonable that before you’re able to take care of your little munchkin, it’s important to take care of yourself first. As your baby grows and changes td1whrough each trimester, your body experiences changes, too. Here, you will find legitimate expert-approved tips to have a smooth and healthy pregnancy. These tips can also be followed if you are not pregnant yet, but planning to be. It can help you get used to new lifestyle changes and give the best possible start to the new chapter of life.
Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Why is it so important to gain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy? Gaining the right amount of weight will help your baby grow to a healthy size and weight. Gaining too little or too much can cause serious health complications for you and your unborn child. An ongoing scientific study suggests that putting on too much weight can make you prone to gestational diabetes and elevated blood pressure during pregnancy. It may also elevate your risk for developing type 2 diabetes and hypertension later in life. Healthy pregnancy weight gain may help you have an easier labour and smooth delivery.
BMI for Healthy Pregnancy
The number of pounds you should gain during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is defined as a measure of weight with reference to height. Here is the general weight gain guide for women expecting a pregnancy:
- If your pre-pregnancy weight is normal (BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9), you should gain around 25 to 35 pounds during pregnant
- Underweight women (BMI below 18.5) should gain 28 to 40 pounds weight during pregnancy
- An overweight woman (BMI ranging from 25 to 29.9) should gain only 15 to 25 pounds of weight
- If BMI is 30+, only 11 to 20 pounds of weight gain is recommended
It’s critically important to have gradual weight gain throughout each trimester. Although you need some extra calories to support your own and baby’s nutrition, it’s not necessary to “eat for two”. If you are already at a healthy weight, you need about 300 to 500 extra calories a day than your pre-pregnancy calories.
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Summary: A certain degree of weight gain is expected during pregnancy. Too little or too much may signal certain health concerns so intermittent prenatal care and weight tracking is important. The weight you should gain during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI).
Healthy Pregnancy Tips
Are you trying to get pregnant or expecting? Staying healthy before, during and after pregnancy takes so many aspects of your life into account. So this article will be your wellness guide to healthy pregnancy diet, foods to eat and foods to avoid during pregnancy, stress management and much more.
Prenatal Screening
Pregnancy can be a period of stress, excitement and worry for any expecting mom. Although most of the babies are born healthy, it is important for you to understand whether your baby is healthy or have specific health condition. Prenatal screening is a way to determine if your baby is more or less likely to have any birth defects or genetic disorders. Prenatal screenings include blood tests, certain type of ultrasound (checking measurements, anatomy and positioning of the baby) and cell-free DNA screening. These tests are generally recommended during first or second trimester of pregnancy.
First Trimester Screening
First trimester screening labs typically check, but may not be limited to, the following:
- A complete blood count to assess hemoglobin and platelets to screen for anemia and thrombocytopenia (decreased clotting ability).
- Your blood type – ABO and Rh factor. If you are Rh negative and your partner, the baby’s father, is Rh positive, then you may develop antibodies to the fetus’s blood. This can be prevented by giving Rhogam during your 28th week of pregnancy
- Check your immunity to certain viruses such as measles (rubella), chickenpox (Varicella), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV
- Screen for certain STIs (sexually transmitted infections) such as Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis
- Screen for certain genetic disorders such as Sickle cell anemia, Cystic fibrosis
- A glucose screening test to rule out gestational diabetes for those at-risk populations
- A urine screening
- Cultures for group B streptococcus- a positive screening identify when that normally carry this particular bacteria. Treating with antibiotics during labor will decrease the risk for infectious complications in the newborn
Healthy Pregnancy Diet
An adequate and well-balanced diet is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle at any time; however, it is even vital if you are pregnant or planning to be. Healthy pregnancy meal plan should be a mix of nutrient-rich foods and beverages. The dietary intake of salt, solid fats, carbonated beverages and sweetened foods & drinks should be limited in order to stay healthy. According to research, there should be adequate intake of fruits and vegetables each day to support vitamin and fiber needs.
Whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal etc. should make a major part of your diet as they are an excellent source of fiber, B vitamins and many other needed nutrients. Calcium and vitamin D rich products such as low-fat milk or non-dairy soy, almond etc. are recommended to add in your daily diet during pregnancy. It is important to incorporate proteins from healthy sources such as lean meat, eggs, beans and fish that is low in mercury, to your meals.
Physical activity
Several observational studies suggest that active women have lower risk of experiencing problems later in pregnancy and labor. It may help relieve leg cramps, bloating and backaches. Staying physically active may help reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes (a state of high blood glucose during pregnancy that usually disappears after the baby is delivered). According to studies physically active women are less likely to develop postpartum depression. Incorporating physical activity in your day to day routine may help reduce the length of labor and risk of having a cesarean section.
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| DOs & DON’Ts Regarding Exercise During Pregnancy | |
| DOs | DON’Ts |
| Incorporate moderate activities such as walking, water and chair aerobics | Don’t engage in vigorous activities where you could fall such as basketball & soccer etc. |
| Stay hydrated before, during and after physical activity | Don’t overdo it. And avoid brisk exercise during hot weather |
| Wear comfortable clothes that fits you and support your breasts | Do not use steam rooms and saunas |
(Source: NIDDK)
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is always important, especially during pregnancy. The fluid intake must be increased during pregnancy as your body needs water to form amniotic fluid, generate extra blood, flush out toxins and carry nutrients. Drinking enough fluids during pregnancy may help alleviate the symptoms of constipation. Drinking lots of fluids while you’re pregnant can do wonders by softening the skin, reducing the edema (swelling) and decreasing the risk of both pre-term labor and pre-term birth. It is recommended that you drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water a day.
What would be the indication of having adequate fluid intake? If your bathroom visits have increased and your urine is light in color or colorless, it indicates that you’re on track.
Summary: Prenatal screening, staying hydrated, incorporating physical activity in your daily routine and following a healthy and balanced diet can help you walk through pregnancy smoothly.
What to Eat for a Healthy Pregnancy?
Pregnant? Looking for healthy pregnancy snacks that will make you and your baby happy? This blog will help you make your pantry a one-stop shop for nutritious foods to eat during pregnancy.
Here are several healthy foods to eat during pregnancy:
Folate-rich Foods
Folate, or folic acid, is an important nutrient in forming the neural tube, an embryonic precursor organ to your baby’s central nervous system. It starts developing within days 17 to 30th after conception and will eventually mature into your child’s brain and spinal cord. To reduce the risk of developing neural tube defects in babies 600 to 800mcg of folate intake is recommended during pregnancy. Natural food sources of folate include nuts, liver, green leafy vegetables, lentils and legumes.
It may be difficult to obtain this much folate and thus ACOG (the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists) recommend not only good dietary nutrition but taking a prenatal vitamin that contains the recommended folic acid, DHA and iron. Women should also start taking a prenatal vitamin at least a month prior to conception to assure they have adequate nutritional support.
Iron-rich Foods
Iron, sodium and potassium work hand in hand to increase blood flow. Adequate iron intake ensures that you and your baby have oxygen, the energy currency for cellular metabolism. About 27mg of iron per day is recommended for pregnant women. Taking iron alongside vitamin C can enhance its absorption. Leafy green vegetables, lean meat, poultry, and eggs are some sources of iron.
Good Fats
Healthy fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are essential for brain and eye development of your growing baby. Salmon is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.
Diet rich in fruits and vegetables
Fruits such as berries, oranges, mangoes, grapes etc. contain water, antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, carbohydrates and other plant compounds.
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Summary: Adequate nutrition including folate, iron and DHA should be incorporated pre-pregnancy and all the way through post-pregnancy. To achieve adequate nutrition reserve may be challenging for some through diet alone and therefore it is recommended to start a daily prenatal vitamin the includes the daily recommended amounts of folate, DHA and iron.
Not to Do List
Keeping in view the responsibility of two bodies during nine months of pregnancy, it can be stated that along with all the joy and excitement, pregnancy is also about a lot of sacrifices. Here is a list of practices that you need to avoid while conceiving:
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been linked with negative outcomes such as premature birth, low birth weight, permanent birth defects and developmental disabilities. It is therefore recommended to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking during pregnancy will limit the amount of oxygen available to the growing fetus and raises the risk of placental problems like placental abruption and placenta previa. Maternal smoking also has associated higher risk of premature birth, low birth weight, fetal organ damage, miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Raw or Partially Cooked Foods
Consumption of raw or partially cooked meat, meat derivatives and eggs is not recommended during pregnancy as it increases the risk of microorganism induced food poisoning. For instance, raw fish and shellfish including sushi.
Caffeine
High levels of caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight and difficult labor. However, you don’t have to cut it down completely, you may have 200mg per day in order to satisfy your caffeine cravings.
Summary: For your baby’s optimal health, avoid alcohol, caffeine (high levels), smoking and consumption of raw or partially cooked foods during pregnancy.
Wellness Guide for Sleep-deprived Mothers
Motherhood is a little more difficult from what you had in mind before being a mother. No doubt you love your little munchkin more than you could ever have imagined but you haven’t had “good sleep” in weeks or maybe months and this is not going to go away anytime soon!
So here are some strategies that could help you catch some extra ZZZs.
Amnesty Agreement with Partner
Sleep deprivation can bring about heightened emotional volatility in any mom. Therefore, it is important and helpful to develop an amnesty agreement with your partner. For example if the baby is bottle fed, you may ask your husband or partner to assist with some of the feeding schedule and somewhat distribute responsibility. In addition to this, try sharing all the household chores as much as you can.
Safe Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene practice includes some strategies that may help you sleep well. For instance, caffeine consumption can interfere with your sleep cycle and make you stay awake. Therefore, reduce the consumption of caffeine if you are sleep deprived because of those “mom duties”. On a side note, Caffeine consumption should also be limited while you are breastfeeding, as it can affect some babies as it has potential to be present in trace amounts in breastmilk. Coffee intake greater than 500ml daily may decrease breast milk consumption and also affect iron absorption. Avoid taking prenatal vitamins with coffee.
Spending some time scrolling before sleeping seems really pleasant. However, these electronic gadgets may disturb your internal body clock. Sticking to a flexible routine and putting your phones aside when you go for sleep can make it easy for you to combat sleeplessness.
Stress Management
Having a newborn can bring a lot of excitement and happiness to your life. But that little munchkin can also add to the stress and make you feel overwhelmed. However, here are some of the tips you can go for to manage the stress of being a new mom:
- Make your sleep a priority
- Stay physically active
- Eat healthy meals and snacks
- Say “YES” to help
- Take out time for doing what you love
- Monitor postpartum depression symptoms
Summary: Motherhood can be overwhelming especially if you are a new mother. So developing an amnesty agreement with your partner, practicing good sleep hygiene and managing your stress effectively can help you during this challenging time.
Bottom Line: Healthy Pregnancy
Before you’ll be able to take care of your little munchkin, it’s important to take care of yourself first. Your unborn baby is just waiting to slurp up all those nutrient-rich foods from all the food groups such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, proteins and healthy fats. Keep your healthcare provider posted of your dietary choices and let him/her provide you a personalized health guide with additional supplements if needed.
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