Health Tips for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is a very crucial time in a woman’s life. During this phase, extra attention needs to be given to health and fitness. What you eat and how you exercise can determine a lot about your child’s life.

Here are 10 tips to stay healthy and beautiful when you are pregnant.

• Breakfast is fuel for the day: Have a good, healthy and balanced breakfast. If you want to make a quick breakfast, you can have ready to eat breakfast cereals, oats or muesli. Fortified cereals have a good amount of nutrients like iron, fiber and calcium. A 100 percent whole grain toast is a good option for those who experience morning sickness.
• Choose healthy snacks: A low-fat or fat-free yogurt with fruit is a healthy way to consume dairy products. Low fat cheese with whole grain bread can make a delicious option for snacks.
• The right Vitamins: Take pre-natal vitamins with iron and folic acid every day. Talk to your gynecologist to know about the prenatal vitamins that are appropriate for you.
• Lots of sea food lovers: Try to consume around 1 kg of seafood every week. You can include a variety of seafood, 2 to 3 times a week to get maximum benefit. Avoid fish that have high levels of mercury. Fish that are low in mercury include sardines, shrimp and salmon.
• Say No to soft cheeses and meats: As these foods may have bacteria that can harm your baby. Raw or undercooked meat or fish should be avoided.
• Rich fibre: Vegetables and fruits such as green peas, spinach, pears, and bananas, as well as whole grains and beans that include black beans and kidney beans are a good source of fibre.
• Limit caffeine and say no to alcohol: You can drink decaffeinated coffee or tea and substitute soda with water. Since the amount of alcohol a pregnant woman can have is debatable, it is better to avoid it.
• Exercise consistently: Regular exercise has many benefits. It can build your strength and help you get back into shape after your baby is born. Good exercise choices for pregnancy include: brisk walking, yoga, swimming, pilates and aqua natal classes. If you play sports, it is better to continue as long as you are comfortable with the activity.
• Do pelvic floor exercises: These exercises strengthen the bladder, vagina and back passage. They can feel weak during pregnancy because of the extra pressure put on them. The pregnancy hormones can also slacken your pelvic floor.
• Other foods to avoid during pregnancy: One should avoid food made with raw or lightly cooked eggs, raw sprouts, especially alfalfa sprouts during pregnancy as these include bacteria that could harm the baby.

A little caution and care on your behalf can prevent a lot of complications during pregnancy. Besides, this will benefit not only you but the baby as well.