Do’s and Don’ts During Pregnancy

When you find out you have a blessing or two on the way, getting excited and nervous is the first natural response. From the moment of conception to birth, understanding the changes in your body and mind takes a lot of efforts and patience. With all this on your plate, there are many other guidelines you need to remember while carrying a little bundle of joy!

Pregnancy can be hectic, but you do not want to get stuck into an information overload, and stop yourself from enjoying some of the best days of your life. When you have all the attention, being a little picky is justified. Here are some points you better ask your partner to write down on post-its for you (take all the help you need, future mama!) to have a safer pregnancy.

Do’s For All Three Trimesters

One of the first things new mamas learn about their terms are what not to do. If you are a foodie or loves exercising, some points can be a real bummer but there are more things you can do than you cannot!

• Stick to the Prescription – We cannot stress this enough, please stick to what your doctor has prescribed, while googling about symptoms and being informed is always a plus point, you never know the whole picture. Also, any old mamas telling you their experience might not know that you are going through a completely different one. Pregnancy is different for all women!

• Strictly Avoid Exposure To Toxic Solvents – Cleaning solvents that are harsh and have warning specifically written for pregnant women should be avoided at all costs. Pesticides, lead and high mercury content solvents are also prohibited. Make sure you are taking strict measure to steer clear of them.

• Folic Acid in Abundance – A complete absence of neural tube defects is often a result of good folic acid intake. It is recommended that you start taking it three months prior to the conception but it’s never too later for this. Just keep up with the amount prescribed in your medicines according to the trimester you are in.

• Iron and Calcium Intake – Healthy bones mean healthy baby! Baby teeth, muscles and bones all need vitamin D and for that you need to increase your average calcium intake. A balanced diet is usually enough to cover for iron and calcium deficiencies but if you have any other complications, do talk about this with your doctor.

• Safe Travels at All Times – Correct seat belt usage is often neglected as a petty thing, but during pregnancy, it can have a lasting impact. Learn from a pregnancy coach or ask your doctor about the right way of buckling up when in a car or flight. Safe travels is top priority, do not compromise on this.

• Reduce Stress – Reducing stress decides what type of term you will have. Mindfulness is recommended but many women experience increased anxiety during these times. When you are developing a new bond with your significant other, some uncertainties are bound to come up. Take help from professional and let your baby have a joyful right from conception.

• Increase Sleep – Aiming for six hours of sound sleep will eventually lead to nine hours a day. Short naps are often very powerful in helping you reduce tension in your body and muscles. Sleep cycles get disturbed when there is so much happening in your body, do not resist the changes, but do keep an active eye on them.

• Exercise – a must ritual for the to-be mamas, getting up and moving those stiff muscles under the guidance of a coach or trainer are always advised by the doctors. While there are a lot of limitations in this department, it is truly a delight to let loose the knots in your chancing body.

Don’ts for All Three Trimesters

Now coming towards some don’t because as much as you like being the center of attention – it comes with some cons too. Here is a compact bullet list to help you and your partner gather some of the major don’t during your terms.

• No More Vigorous Activities – Any activity that involves a risk of falling down or bending is not for you! Leave it for someone else and always know that asking for help is way better than regretting being tough in this situation. While you will be staying strong for your baby, keeping your boundaries in front of you will help you.

• Mercury Balancing – Highly toxic in nature, fish with high mercury content are not safe during pregnancy. Polluted water offers most of these residues, hence boiling water is a safer option. Large marine fish are out of the question during your trimesters. Some of the fish you should be avoiding include, shark, tuna, marlin, orange rough and swordfish.

• Steer Clear of Heavy Lifting – Again, exercising is very important for proper development of the baby. But anything that increase stress levels in body and mind are not for you. Weights are not going anywhere, you can get back in shape with the help of a coach post-delivery!

• No Saunas Mamas! – While saunas and hot baths look very tempting during this condition, they are not advised by professionals. Fainting occurs if the temperatures are too high, leading to fetus damage. Hot baths are relaxing for sure, but you can always consult a specialist to guide you with other mindfulness techniques.

• X-ray, No. – X-rays should be avoided at all costs during a pregnancy, unless there is no other option left and the case is complicated enough already. Safety of the child should be your first priority in all situation (though mamas know it well already!)

These are some of the go-to points, but the list is bigger than these. If you are still confused about some information, try reaching out to your doctor. Happy pregnancy, mama!

• No Alcohol or Tobacco – A complete avoidance of alcohol is advised by all sane and real doctors. Even if you carry on with small intake of alcohol or tobacco, chances of stillbirth and miscarriage increase drastically. Fetal alcohol syndrome, involving facial abnormalities and negative intellectual development can also occur as a result of negligence.