We are living in a world that gives a lot of value to pregnancy and motherhood. Since we are girl’s adults around us start telling us that it is essential that we have children of our own when we grow up, regardless of all other things that we are doing in life. To prepare us, for our role in the future they give us baby dolls, etc. Hence, we all grow up with a desire to become mothers at some point.
Once you start talking about the desire to get pregnant or you announce that you are expecting, all of your friends and family get super excited and they start telling you how happy they are, how it is a wonderful period of your life, etc.
We won’t deny that there are plenty of beautiful things about pregnancy. Of course, we are talking about it, given that you planned to be pregnant. To prevent unwanted pregnancy, it is essential to get informed about healthy birth control. But, it is also necessary to be aware and prepared for everything that comes with it. From the moment you get pregnant your body starts going through tremendous changes, both mental and physical. Some of those transformations are visible, others are not but we know about them from our doctors or experiences of other women. But some changes can catch you by surprise.
Although all of those things are perfectly normal and plenty of women get adapted surprisingly quickly some risks come with pregnancy. That is why it is necessary to be in contact with your healthcare provider from the moment you find out you are pregnant and follow all the advice to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
The Importance of Healthy Pregnancy
Some people told us “But isn’t it important to be healthy in general? Why do emphasize the importance of being healthy while pregnant?” So why healthy pregnancy is important? Quite simply, it is because a healthy mother will give birth to a healthy child. Health care during pregnancy is called prenatal care. Getting proper prenatal care lowers the risks of premature birth or complications with the baby before or after she or he is born. It also lowers the risk of a mother developing conditions such as preeclampsia which can put both her and baby’s life in danger.
Healthy Childbearing Age
Many women are wondering about the healthy age to give birth. So, as you know, technically, it is possible to get pregnant from puberty to menopause. When we translate that in years it means that we can get pregnant from when we are about 12 years old to 51. However, Evelyn Harper, an expert from Top Mom, agrees that the best time to get pregnant is between your late 20s and early 30s.
What Will Happen During the First Visit to the Doctor
When you come for the first appointment, the doctor will do a pregnancy test to confirm the pregnancy. She or he will also establish how many weeks you are pregnant, and based on that, they will tell you when you are due. If, after a physical exam, the doctor determines that you are healthy and that there are no risk factors, they will explain how to have a healthy pregnancy and schedule your next appointment. Given that everything is okay, you will have appointments every four weeks until the 28th week and every two weeks until the 36th week. From then until delivery your doctor will want to see you once a week to make sure that you give healthy balanced birth to your kid.
Exercise During Pregnancy
The general recommendation is that people have 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week to maintain good health. If you were exercising regularly before, you should be able to continue while being pregnant as well. However, according to healthy pregnancy tips, it is always best to check with your doctor whether and how to adjust the exercises. Talk with the doctor also, if you never exercised before but are thinking to start now to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Low impact workouts such as walking, yoga, swimming, etc., are always good options.
What to Eat During Pregnancy
Some women are worried about gaining weight too much weight during pregnancy. If this is a case, it is advisable to discuss this with your doctor. Keep in mind that 25 to 30 pounds weight is perfectly normal and expected. During this period, you need nutrients for yourself and the baby, so it is not time to think about diets and things like that. However, it is also essential to eat healthy and nutritious food and not just anything that comes at your hand’s reach. So what are healthy pregnancy foods? You will need a lot of minerals and vitamins. The best way to get them is to eat a lot of fruit and veggies. You will also get fiber from eating them. Besides that, it is recommended that you eat starchy foods like potatoes, oat, bread, corn, millet, pasta, etc. You also need to make sure that you consume plenty of lean protein that comes from nuts, poultry, fish, dairy, etc.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
The truth is that no matter how healthily we eat it is often difficult to get sufficient amounts of everything we need just from food. That especially stands for pregnant women because they need more of everything that we usually need. That is why it is advised that pregnant women use supplements of minerals and healthy pregnancy vitamins. Some of them are folate or folic acid, vitamin B 12, iron, vitamin A, omega 3, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D.
What to Avoid
Of course, there are some foods that you need to avoid to maintain a healthy pregnancy. The main reason is that the chemicals such as those from alcohol may complicate the pregnancy and harm the baby. Apart from that, some bacterial toxins found in certain foods can also have adverse effects. Some of the things you need to avoid are unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, liver pate, uncooked hot dogs, ham, etc. It is also advised to avoid uncooked seafood, certain types of fish (swordfish, king mackerel), raw eggs, alcohol, unwashed salads, etc.
Conclusion
If it is planned, being pregnant can indeed be a wonderful experience! As we mentioned, the majority of women adapt to the changes easily and carry the pregnancy without any problem. But, keep in mind that regardless of how good you feel, it is critical to follow the advice for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. That is the best way to make sure that everything goes smoothly. What did you do to stay healthy while being pregnant?
