A pregnant woman needs special treatment – the development of the child she is expecting depends on her health and condition. Therefore, during pregnancy you need to take care of yourself and your health to create optimal conditions for pregnancy.
Diet – how to eat properly during pregnancy?
It is not true that during pregnancy you have to eat for two: in the first trimester a woman does not need extra calories, only in the subsequent trimesters can she eat slightly more than before. It is not the quantity but the quality of food that matters. During pregnancy, you need to eat healthily to provide your body with all the valuable nutrients: vitamins and minerals, fats and proteins, and healthy carbohydrates.
Vegetables and fruits, as well as meat products, dairy products, fish, cereal products – these are the basic elements of the diet. They should come from a reliable source and always be fresh.
During pregnancy, you should not eat raw meat, fish or eggs because it poses a risk of bacterial infection. Vegetables must be washed well to avoid infection with e.g. Toxoplasmosis.
The blacklist includes sweets and sweet carbonated drinks, which are also unhealthy. Sweet cravings can be satisfied with fruit or dark chocolate, which contains valuable magnesium. During pregnancy, you can drink coffee in reasonable amounts, but alcohol is completely forbidden; even a glass of wine can threaten the proper development of the fetus.
Physical activity – it is worth exercising during pregnancy
Movement and exercise are allowed and even recommended during pregnancy. The exceptions are situations in which the pregnancy is at risk. However, if your pregnancy is uneventful, it is worth being physically active. Exercise and moderate training have a positive effect on the body – they oxygenate it, improve fitness, and if they take place outdoors – they strengthen the immunity of a woman expecting a child. Above all, activity helps maintain a healthy body weight. The ideal exercises for a future mother are yoga for pregnant women, swimming, walking, Nordic walking and pilates.
Health care – remember about tests and medications
Every pregnant woman should control herhealth and monitor her child’s development. For this purpose, care by an obstetrician is necessary during the 9 months of waiting for a baby. You need to take care of yourself (avoid sick people, risky situations such as lifting or excessive effort, working in harmful conditions, taking medications that may be dangerous to the child) – this is especially important inthe first weeks, i.e. in the so-called period of organogenesis, when the organs and systems of the fetus are formed. It is particularly important to follow the recommendations of a gynecologistwho will order tests during pregnancyand may prescribe appropriate supplementation (referral to ultrasound or prenatal tests).
Taking care of your health does not only apply to pregnancy – it is important to maintain hygiene, because a lack of it can lead to infections. This applies to intimate hygiene, but also oral hygiene: you should brush your teeth and visit the dentist to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Any disturbing symptoms should be consulted with a gynecologist – attention should be paid to spotting or vaginal bleeding, lower abdominal pain and cramps. If necessary, you can use sick leave.
Taking care of your immunity – it is worth strengthening your body
Pregnancy is a unique time when a woman’s immunity is weaker than before conception. The immune system could treat the fetus as a foreign body that needs to be eliminated, which is why nature has weakened its function while waiting for the baby. This makes the mother-to-be more susceptible to illness and infections. To avoid getting sick, which may negatively affect pregnancy, and taking medications, it is worth strengthening your immune system.
This can be helped by walking outdoors, avoiding large crowds in the fall and winter, and eating a healthy diet that increases resistance to viruses and bacteria.
Pregnancy appearance – take care of your body
As your belly grows during pregnancy, the risk of stretch marks increases. These are skin changes that can be eliminated with proper skin care. From the beginning of pregnancy, and especially in the third trimester, use oils and creams for stretch marks. It is also worth massaging the skin, which improves circulation and nourishes the skin.
During pregnancy, it is worth ensuring an adequate amount of sleep – rest has a beneficial effect on the complexion, and skin protection – it is important to use creams with UV filters on sunny days – otherwise, discoloration may appear on the skin, which is facilitated by pregnancy hormones.
