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Healthy During Pregnancy

Congratulations! Becoming a mother is one of the most exciting times in a woman's life. Now that you are pregnant, taking care of yourself has never been more important. It's crucial to arm yourself with information about the many ways to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.

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Prenatal Visit

As soon as you suspect you might be pregnant, call your doctor to schedule an appointment. At this visit, your doctor will determine how many weeks pregnant you are, predict your delivery date, review your health history and make sure your pregnancy is going well.

Here are some top recommendations for a healthy pregnancy:

What to Do During Your Pregnancy

Take the right vitamins
Take a complete prenatal vitamin containing iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and at least 600 micrograms of folic acid every day during the first three months of pregnancy to reduce birth defects and promote fetal growth. Take 500 mg of calcium each day also.

Exercise regularly
Get 20 to 30 minutes or more of moderate physical exercise at least 2 to 3 times a week. Physical activity during pregnancy lessens discomfort and fatigue, provides a sense of well being and increases the likelihood of early recovery after delivery. Yoga, walking and swimming are especially good options.

Stay Hydrated
Drink extra fluids (water is best) throughout pregnancy. Blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy, and drinking enough water each day can help prevent common problems such as dehydration and constipation. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water is optimal.

Get plenty of rest
Resting as often as possible, especially on your left side, provides the best circulation to your baby and helps reduce swelling.

Get involved
Join a support group for moms-to-be, or join a class on parenting or childbirth.

Wash hands frequently
Especially after handling raw meat, cleaning litter boxes, using the restroom or gardening to prevent an infection from bacteria or viruses that can cross the placenta.

Eat healthy
Make sure you are getting the right nutrients you and your baby need. You will need to eat about 300 extra calories a day, especially after the first trimester – you are eating for two! It is important to eat a healthy diet with fortified whole grains and foods that are natural sources of folate, such as green leafy vegetables, orange juice and nuts.

Get proper prenatal care
Have all of your prenatal testing done, including “triple marker screening”. Ask your doctor if you should consider amniocentesis or other genetic testing.

Baby-proof your home
Start to create a safer environment for your baby.

What to Avoid During Pregnancy

Smoke
Cigarette smoking can lower a baby’s birth weight and is associated with miscarriages, tubal pregnancies, stillbirths, infant mortality and may cause long-term learning disabilities. Try to avoid second-hand smoke too.

Use recreational drugs
Drugs, including marijuana, have detrimental effects similar to those of tobacco smoking. Limit alcohol consumption. These substances can harm a fetus and have negative long-term effects on your baby.

Ingest excessive caffeine
In some studies, drinking large amounts of caffeine has been associated with miscarriages, premature deliveries and low birth weight babies. Although small amounts of caffeine are probably safe, it’s best to limit yourself to no more than 150 milligrams (mg) of caffeine: 1 cup of coffee per day. Caffeine is also a common ingredient in food (e.g., chocolate), so 150 mg adds up more quickly than you might think.

Exceed your limits
Try to reduce your stress level as much as possible. Get the support you need from your family, other pregnant women, your partner or mental health professionals.

Have unnecessary x-rays
Be sure to tell your dentist or physician that you are pregnant so extra care can be taken.

Handle Uncooked Meat
Don’t expose yourself to the risk of food-borne illnesses and infections, such as Listeria and Toxoplasmosis by eating undercooked meat. Also be careful when handling cat, guinea pig and hamster litter and be sure to wear gloves when gardening.

Expose yourself to excessive heat
Avoid extreme sun, saunas, hot tubs and steam rooms. If you develop an infection and have a high fever let you doctor know immediately. Excessively high heat is one of the most common causes of birth defects.

Overdo it
Don’t over-exert yourself. You are more prone to fatigue, overheating and injury while pregnant.

Neglect your health
Report any problems or concerns you have to your doctor.