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Having healthy habits before and during your pregnancy is absolutely critical to the health of your baby. Healthy women tend to conceive more quickly, have less complicated pregnancies and deliveries, and have healthier babies.
Maintain a Normal Weight
The weight of the mother can have a great effect on the overall health of the baby, as well as the risk to the mother during pregnancy and childbirth. Underweight mothers are at greater risk of having low birth weight babies; and overweight mothers are at greater risk for high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. However, dieting during pregnancy can deprive the fetus of nutrients that are essential to healthy growth and development. So any dieting to establish a normal body weight should be done before pregnancy.
Quit Smoking, Stop Drinking Alcohol, Limit Caffeine Intake
Smoking, drugs, caffeine, and alcohol all greatly increase the risks of miscarriage and low birth weight babies. Caffeine can be found in coffee, soda, and tea. Drink 8-10 glasses of non-caffeine beverages each day, such as water, juice, and milk.
Exercise Regularly
Exercising before pregnancy prepares the heart and muscles for the extra strain put on your body during pregnancy. During pregnancy, exercise keeps the heart and muscles healthy for delivery and can lead to a quicker recovery. Exercising after delivery helps the new mother return to her normal pre-pregnancy body, reduces stress, and boosts energy levels, which will help her take care of her new baby.
Exercise can include a wide-variety of activities, such as walking, running, yoga, aerobics, weightlifting, and swimming. Always talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise regiment.
Eat a Nutritious Diet, Including Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains
A well-balanced, nutritious diet provides your body with the critical nutrients that it needs to keep you and your baby healthy.
Folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defect, which occurs during the first month of pregnancy, usually before you even know you are pregnant. For this reason, it is important to have enough folic acid in your diet before becoming pregnant, as well as while you are pregnant. Folic acid can also be found in asparagus, cooked spinach, romaine lettuce, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, orange juice, and sunflower seeds.
Iron makes the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body and to your baby, so your body will need almost twice as much iron during pregnancy. Tiredness and fatigue can be signs of low iron intake. Iron can be found in whole grains, fortified cereals, lean meats, dried peas and beans, dark green vegetables, and dried fruits/nuts. To help your body get the most iron out of these foods, eat them with foods that have high levels of vitamin C, such as berries, tomatoes, peppers, orange juice, broccoli, cantaloupe, cauliflower, kale, and potatoes.
Calcium is important to help your baby develop strong bones, and to help you maintain strong teeth and bones, especially as your body deals with the extra stresses of pregnancy. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, are significant sources calcium, but it can also be found in broccoli, collard greens, kale, canned salmon and sardines, shellfish, almonds, and dried beans. Many other products, such as bread, orange juice, and cereals, are calcium-enriched, which can be a significant source of calcium for those are lactose intolerant or are not otherwise getting enough calcium.
Take Your Vitamins
As previously mentioned, folic acid, iron and calcium are all critically important to the development of your baby and your health. All three can be found naturally in a variety of foods, but are also available in over-the-counter multivitamins and in prescription prenatal vitamins.
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