Staying Healthy During Your Pregnancy
June 2, 2010 by Paul
Filed under Weight Loss
Regardless if you have been aiming to get pregnant for a long time, or mistakenly became period pregnant, you know have to pay extra attention to your health. No one can really tell you how important it is to take care of yourself when you are pregnant, it’s just that important! If this is your first pregnancy, or even your third (you may need some reminding) start reading for a few quick health tips to keep in mind during your pregnancy.
Your first order of business when you think you may be pregnant is to schedule a prenatal care visit with your doctor. Your first trip may consist of blood work. Your doctor or other health care provider may ask you when the date of your last period was in order to estimate how old the baby is as well as the date of the delivery.
If you are healthy and there seem to be no impending complications most health care providers will want to see you about every month until the trimester. During your final months you’ll be expected to see your health care professional every 2 weeks until you reach the 36 week mark. Once you hit 36 weeks, you’ll be expected to visit your health care professional every week.
Staying healthy is important even when you’re not pregnant. It becomes even more important when you are carrying a baby. Do not think about cutting calories while you are pregnant, or going on a diet. This will harm your baby, because you will be depriving the unborn child of vital nutrients the baby needs to grow.
A normal sized woman will most likely be required to increase her caloric intake by 300 calories. However, your personal circumstance will impact how many calories you have to increase. Overweight women may be required to increase their calories but not as much as a woman of regular size. Check with your doctor.
In order to support healthy muscle growth and development in your unborn child make sure you are receiving enough calcium. Most women do not consume enough calcium even before they become pregnant, so it is especially important to take note of this. Some foods that are high in calcium include dairy products and dark green vegetables.
If you are planning to conceive, start implementing your healthy habits early. Taking care of yourself during your pregnancy is essential from the first week all the way up until you have your baby, and even beyond! Keep in mind that your health is your baby’s health!
