Health during pregnancy
Your health is now an important issue, you will probably be bombarded with advice from everyone your doctor, family members,
friends, co-workers, and even complete strangers. Everyone has an opinion as to how pregnant women should behave. Looking
after your health and that of your child is up to you so its important that you arm yourself with the right information and
do what you feel is right for you. Once you have visited your doctor or midwife they will be able to tell you exactly what
is right for you given your medical history, so it is important that you attend your antenatal appointments on a regular basis
to ensure that everything is on track for a happy healthy baby.
Nutrition
Now that you are eating for two it is not a time to worry about diets or staying thin, in fact you will need to eat
slightly more, around 300 calories extra a day, more if you are carrying twins. But don't think this is the chance to eat
as much as you like it is not. Try to bear in mind that if you balloon due to over eating you will find it harder in the later
stages of the pregnancy and you will have even more weight to lose if you want to get back your pre-pregnancy figure. Healthy
eating through a well balanced diet is, as always, the key but especially when you're pregnant. Your midwife can give you
an eating plan if you are unsure what to eat but on a basic level your diet should be made up of
- lean meats
- fruits
- fish
- vegetables
- wholegrain breads
- low-fat dairy product
By eating a healthy, balanced diet you and your baby are more likely to get the nutrients you both need. During pregnancy
you may need to take on extra essential nutrients in the form of a supplement. Your midwife or G.P. may prescribe prenatal
vitamins to be sure both you and your growing baby are getting enough. These may include
Calcium - During pregnancy you need around 1200 milligrams of calcium a day from natural food sources and supplements,
many multivits do not contain enough calcium so always check the label.
Natural sources of calcium include:
- low-fat dairy products including milk, cheese, and yogurt
- calcium-fortified products, including orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
- dark green vegetables including spinach, kale, and broccoli
- dried beans
Iron - Pregnant women need around 30 mg of iron every day. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying
component of red blood cells. Red blood cells circulate throughout the body to deliver oxygen to all its cells.
Some examples of iron-rich foods include:
- red meat
- dark poultry
- salmon
- eggs
- tofu
- enriched grains
- dried beans and peas
- dried fruits
- leafy green vegetables
- iron-fortified breakfast cereals
Fluids
It's also important to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, during pregnancy. A woman's blood volume increases dramatically
during pregnancy, and drinking enough water each day can help prevent common problems such as dehydration and constipation.
Exercise during pregnancy
As we all are aware exercise is important in everyone’s life but many of us tend to do silly diets to keep our weight
under control instead of getting hot and sweaty and working on our general fitness, we know its wrong but we still do it .
When you become pregnant it is not the time to embark on a rigorous new fitness drive. That is best done before you conceive,
so that you are as fit as you can be for the pregnancy. If you haven’t managed that and we know many won't, never the
less exercise no matter how little is important during pregnancy you need to keep your body mobile and as healthy as possible.
If you are not convinced we thought we would give you some of the reasons why it’s good for you and then leave the decision
as to what you do to you.
Exercise can help you:
- a recent study of 11 - 12 year olds found that whose who had mums who exercised whilst pregnant were more active
- you will look better, it increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow
- it relieves backaches, and improves your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, bottom, and thighs
- reduces constipation, by accelerating movement in your intestine
- boost energy levels, during pregnancy you may feel tired but exercise as mad as it sound helps as it makes your body release
endorphins
- help get a better nights sleep, by relieving the stress and anxiety
- helps prepare you and your body for birth, strong muscles and a fit heart can greatly ease labour and delivery.
- helps regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly, if you exercise you will put on less weight during your pregnancy,
remember weight gain is normal and essential but it can be controlled by exercise and healthy eating. Pregnancy is not a time
to try to lose weight the aim is to maintain a healthy increase and to retain a good level of fitness.
If you are convinced then the first thing to do when you are pregnant and considering what exercises you can and can't
do is get advice from your G.P.
There are many reasons why a doctor would suggest that you do not take rigorous exercise but on the whole, with their approval,
gentle exercise is ok. For some woman, given their medical history, it is not a good idea that they exercise so it is really
important that you talk it over before you undertake an exercise program.
Types of exercise
The first exercise to consider is free and can be done at any time day or night. Interested? Well you may not be as its
Walking. Many young people see it as something the older generation do when they retire but it is great exercise and if you
take a friend its a great excuse for some girly chat without the guilt of what else you should be doing, try it you might
be amazed.
The second thing to consider maybe water, exercising in water is normally safe and enjoyable during pregnancy, you may
find it helpful with the back pain in the later stages of your pregnancy. The water supports your whole body, and you can
be as energetic or relaxed as you want. You can choose to go alone and have a swim or you can join a class specifically for
pregnant women, many public and private pools offer antenatal classes, often run by trained midwives or physiotherapists,
its best to check out the qualification of the instructor before you take the class just to make certain they know what they
are doing.
Another thing to consider is cycling, many of us have an old exercise bike in the garage that was bought when we told ourselves
that it was time to get fit and then got bored after a week, now is the time to fish it out. Or if you are confident on a
push bike use that, they say you never forget but if it’s been a long time maybe when you’re pregnant is not the
time to test the old adage. As your pregnancy progresses it may be safer to use an exercise bike as there is much less chance
of you taking a tumble.
If you were already attending an exercise class before your pregnancy, it is important that you tell your instructor that
you're pregnant. They should be able to advise you on any parts of the class that are now unsuitable, not all instructors
have a full knowledge of what is appropriate in pregnancy so if you feel in any way concerned about their advice then run
it past your G.P or midwife before taking it. There are also exercise classes held specifically for pregnant woman where you
know they know what they are talking about, it is a good idea to ask your midwife if she knows of any and which she would
recommend. Just a few tips, whatever form of exercise you choose make sure you have a good fitting sports bra to protect your
breasts and remember to drink plenty of water throughout your workout.
Avoid
There are many obvious things you should avoid doing when pregnant, the baby is well padded but things can go wrong so
it is not worth taking the risk, below are just some of the things to avoid there are many others just use your common sense.
If you are not sure ask for medical advice before you do, it is always better to err on the side of caution.
- - Contact sports
- - Dangerous sports
- - Scuba Diving
- - high impact aerobic
- - jogging or running
Pelvic Floor
It cannot be stressed how important it is to do pelvic floor exercises not just during pregnancy but thoughout your life,
many women have ignored this advice and lived to regret it as it is much harder to build from nothing than it is to keep an
already strong muscle strong. What are they babbling on about you may be asking well, the pelvic floor is formed of layers
of muscle that support the uterus, bowel and bladder. Pregnancy and childbirth put pressure on these muscles, and you may
find that you leak wee when you sneeze or cough this is known as 'stress incontinence'. Sounds great doesn't it but do not
despair you can tone these muscles so they maintain their strength and regain it quicker after the birth by doing regular
simple exercises. All you do is pull in and tense your pelvic floor muscles, as if stopping the flow of wee, hold for five
seconds, then relax. Aim to do ten sets of five exercises each day. They may feel hard at the beginning but they are worth
doing.
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