It is always important to take whatever steps
you can to be healthy, but while you are pregnant it is even more important:
not only do you need to take good care of yourself, you are also profoundly
affecting the life of another person – your baby. Here's 7 tips to
help you along the way.
1.If you smoke, one of the most important things you can do is
to stop smoking: babies born to mothers who smoke have a lower
average birth weight, are more likely to be born prematurely, and
are at greater risk of death from sudden infant death syndrome
than babies of non-smokers. Sometimes mothers feel having a low
birth weight baby could be an advantage as it will make the baby
easy to deliver. This is not necessarily the case, as it may lead
to an emergency delivery, which can result in all sorts of complications.
Even if you are already pregnant, stopping smoking will benefit
the baby for the rest of your pregnancy. It is not only the baby
who benefits. You are likely to suffer from less morning sickness,
experience fewer complications and have a more contented baby after
the birth.
2. It is also important to pay attention to your diet. Many women
feel they should ‘eat for two’, but research has shown
that women only need an extra 200-300 calories a day while pregnant,
and you may be eating those extra calories anyway. What is important
is to ensure that you get the protein, vitamins and minerals necessary
to build another human being. Those extra 200-300 calories should
not be squandered on chocolate or crisps, but should be eaten as
fruit, vegetables, etc. It is also important to increase your water
intake, which will help avoid constipation.
3. It is generally a good idea to take a good quality multivitamin
and mineral supplement too. There are now ones specially formulated
for pregnant women. Ideally these should be started before you
become pregnant, so that you are in the best shape possible for
the pregnancy, and then continued throughout your pregnancy. An
adequate supply of vitamins and minerals is important right from
conception. For example, a deficiency of one of the B vitamins,
folic acid, in the first month of pregnancy may lead to the baby
being born with a cleft lip, congenital heart disease or spina
bifida. Omega-3 fatty acids (obtained by eating oily fish, flaxseed
oil, walnuts, spinach and spirulina, or taken as a supplement)
are important for the development of the baby’s eyes and
brain. Omega-3 also reduces the risk of premature birth and post-natal
depression.
4. Nobody knows how much alcohol it is safe to consume during
pregnancy, so many health experts feel it is better to avoid alcohol
entirely for the sake of the baby. This can seem hard on the pregnant
woman when everyone else is drinking, but it is important to remember
that alcohol is a poison for the growing baby, and no caring mother
willingly gives her baby poison.
5. Pregnancy is not a time to sit still. Although adequate rest
is vitally important, most experts believe that healthy pregnant
women should be taking 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day.
6. It is also important to minimise exposure to toxic chemicals
while pregnant, so spending a lot of time painting the house and
laying new carpets is not a good idea, especially in the early
stages of pregnancy when the baby is particularly vulnerable.
7. Many women find pregnancy stressful, and this can be a particularly
good time to turn to safe, non-invasive options such as Bach flower
remedies, homeopathy, kinesiology and other therapies.
Making a new life is something miraculous. Doing the best you
can for that new life starts long before you have the baby in your
arms for the first time.
About the author:
Jane Thurnell-Read is an author and researcher on health, allergies
and stress. She has written two books for the general public: "Allergy
A to Z" and "Health Kinesiology". She also maintains
a web site http://www.healthandgoodness.comwith tips, inspiration
and information for everyone who wants to live a happier, healthier
life.
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