Pregnancy can be scary and unsettling for someone who has not done it before. If you are a first-time mom, especially, then you will find lots of great advice on how to make it through and have the happiest and healthiest pregnancy you can. You and your baby deserve it.
Before you get pregnant you should read a book about being pregnant. This way you will know what to expect during pregnancy. Pregnancy books can also teach you many different things you may not have known about being pregnant. You will learn new things along with terminology about pregnancy.
It can be very fun setting up a nursery for your child and choosing the right furniture and room decorations. Make sure that you do not come in contact with any paint while you are helping with the decorating because that could be dangerous. Also, make sure not to help with wallpaper because the glue that is used is harmful.
Shop around for a prenatal exercise class that you enjoy. You can take a yoga class that will teach you how to do exercises that are specialized for pregnant women. This will allow you to keep up your health and remain active, throughout your entire pregnancy. You could also make some new friends when you join a yoga class.
Take a childbirth class. Classes are offered in many doctors’ offices and online. Topics covered include nutrition, exercise, relaxation, epidural anesthesia, pain relief in labor, preparing for labor and childbirth, as well as breastfeeding and baby care. Classes are generally offered once a week over a six to eight week period. Studies show that couples that attend regular childbirth classes are prepared and relaxed during childbirth.
It is important to love and appreicate your body when you are pregnant. By not appreciating it, you could cause yourself unnecessary stress or even depression. Keep in mind that once you have your baby, you can work on getting your body to look the way it did before you were pregnant.
When you are pregnant, you should not drink any caffeine. The harsh caffeine can, among other things, bring along a bad case of insomnia and create a consistent lack of required sleep. If you suffer from nausea, try eating crackers during the day. Eating a healthy diet can also help you get the restful sleep that you need.
Stay clear of saunas or hot tubs while pregnant. You want to avoid getting overheated, since that can be especially harmful to the baby. Some spas may use oils that are known to cause early contractions. Some of the oils to avoid include juniper, clary sage and rosemary.
Say no to exorbitant amounts of food! Only 300 extra calories a day are actually needed. Just say, “No thanks.” That is just fine and is often the right thing to say to too much food.
When planning to become pregnant, see you doctor prior to conception. Once you have seen the doctor and have gotten cleared to conceive, start changing your eating habits to include a healthy variety of foods. Start exercising now! It will help you stay in shape during the pregnancy and lower the risk of miscarriage.
Don’t be afraid to say no to anything you don’t want to do. If you are too tired to keep a movie date, it’s okay to skip it. You need to make sure that you are taking care of your body the best that you can, and everyone who is close to you will respect this.
When trying to become pregnant, charting your menstrual cycles may help you pinpoint your ovulation date, which is the time you have the best chance of conceiving. There are a variety of online charting sites as well as smartphone apps that can help you keep track of your periods, mood fluctuations, symptoms and other information.
To remember this special time in your life, consider taking pictures of your belly every week or month. You will be amazed at how much your body changes from week to week, especially in the last trimester. You will enjoy looking at these first baby pictures years from now, when your pregnancy is a distant memory.
Consider writing out a plan for your birth in order to make your desires and expectations known to all. You can outline exactly what you want to happen during the birth, easing your mind somewhat as you get closer to your due date. This can be very short or long, depending on your preference.
Avoid emptying the kitty’s cat box during pregnancy. If there is no way to avoid this chore wear gloves and a mask. There is a small chance of contacting a parasitic infection called toxoplasmosis from cat stool. Since it takes 48 hours for the spores to become infectious, the litter box should also be changed everyday. It is also a good idea to wear gloves when gardening, since neighborhood cats often defecate in flowerbeds.
One you make the decision to have a baby, you may become overly excited. However, you should be mindful about your health. Make sure you’re eating right, and that includes healthy food choices such as vegetables and fiber. Were you overweight before your pregnancy? Then, try to shed a few pounds during your first trimester. Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you have an excuse to be grossly overweight.
Wait until after your baby is born to get those new glasses or contacts. Pregnancy can change vision in ways that will probably resolve after the baby is born. No one wants to purchase expensive eyewear that will have to be replaced in a few months!
Do not worry too much about not gaining too much weight during the first trimester. With a lot of women going through morning sickness or having food aversions, it is usually hard to gain weight during this first phase. You will more then make up for it later on in your pregnancy.
Hopefully, this article has put your mind at rest a bit. There are a lot of great ideas and tips that you can put into use immediately to be healthier, happier and more comfortable. Pregnancy is hard, and this article will give you the tools you need to make it a little bit easier.