Take Care of Yourself Before the Baby is Born
So you’re pregnant? And you are asking yourself what are the most important factors in becoming a good mother? How will you raise and care for your new child? STOP! Before you even start thinking about things like that, you need to immediately begin taking care of yourself during the pregnancy. Here are a few quick tips. Be sure to get enough essential vitamins and minerals each and every day. When you are pregnant, you will be needing more iron than usual. Getting enough in your diet alone can be very difficult. Ask you physician if she recommends a daily prenatal multivitamin. One of the most important things you can do to reduce the chances of some birth defects is to get enough folic acid each day. Whether you do that with your diet or with a supplement, it is one of the most widely agreed upon recommendations. If you decide to go the food route, some of the foods that contain higher levels of folic acid are broccoli, asparagus, bananas, oranges, peas, nuts, spaghetti, bread, cereal and flour. Speaking of food, be sure to concentrate and focus on eating a healthy and well balanced diet. Stack up on plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains (such as whole-wheat breads or crackers). Be sure to eat enough calcium-rich foods (such as non-fat or low-fat yogurt, milk, and broccoli). You and your baby need strong bones. Avoid eating a lot of high fat items, such as butter and fatty meats. You will naturally gain some weight during pregnancy. After all, for nine months you are more than one person! On average, 25 to 30 pounds is a healthy weight gain over the 40 weeks of pregnancy. Be sure to check with your doctor to find out how much weight gain is right for you. You will need to get extra sleep. During your pregnancy, try to get at least seven hours of sleep (preferably nine hours) every night. You will not be as comfortable in your bed as normal, so getting extended hours of sleep can be difficult. Try to get in some easy exercise such as walking before bedtime. And while it may be hard, try to avoid extended catnaps during the day. Don’t be embarrassed to use as many extra pillows as it takes to make you and your belly comfortable. These are just a few easy to understand tips during your pregnancy to get you and your baby off to a head start on a healthy and happy life together.
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