8 WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY DURING PREGNANCY

Pregnancy can be overwhelming, but taking care of yourself has never been more critical. Aside from getting prenatal care, you should know what and what not to do to achieve a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

Here are eight tips on how to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.

Eat Nutrient-Rich Food

More than nutrient types are needed to sustain good health and promote your unborn child’s growth and development. The following are nutrients which are especially important to ensure optimal pregnancy outcomes:

• Folate (also known as Folic Acid)

  Folate is Vitamin B. It is essential for cell division and organ formation. This nutrient helps prevent brain and spinal cord malformations in your developing baby and anaemia in pregnant women.

  Folate-rich food: dark green vegetables (spinach, broccoli, asparagus); citrus fruits and juices, yeast extract, liver, dried beans, and fortified breakfast cereals

• Iron

  Iron is needed for red blood cell formation. During pregnancy, your blood volume expands to adjust for bodily changes. Your unborn baby must also store enough iron for the first six months after birth before consuming solid food. There are two forms of iron in food: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is better absorbed by the body than non-heme iron.

  Iron-rich food: Heme iron comes from animals, like red meat, chicken, and fish. While non-heme iron comes from plants, including green leafy vegetables, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, dried fruits, nuts, and egg yolks, too. To improve the absorption of non-heme iron, fortify yourself with vitamin C.

• Vitamin B12

  Vitamin B12 is required for blood formation. It is also important for maintaining your nervous system’s health. Vitamin B12, when combined with folic acid during pregnancy, can help to prevent birth defects in the spinal and nervous systems of your baby.

  Vitamin B12-rich food: salmon, meat, shrimp, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, yoghourt, and eggs; Vegans must take vitamin B12 supplements to meet the required daily dose.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids

  DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is one of the omega-3 fatty acids that are important for brain and eye development.

  But since large deep-sea fish may contain a heavy metal that is toxic to a foetus’s neurological system, pregnant women should only eat a maximum of three servings of cooked fish or shellfish in a week and avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. For albacore tuna, only one serving a week is enough.

• Vitamin A

  Vitamin A promotes the growth of cells and tissues and prevents night blindness. Excessive intake of vitamin A above 10,000 IU daily in the first trimester can cause congenital disabilities. Thus, in the first trimester, pregnant women should get their vitamin A from food rather than supplements.

  Vitamin A-rich food: eggs, milk, deep-red and yellow fruits and vegetables (papaya, mango, pumpkin, carrots), and dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach and broccoli)

• Calcium

  Calcium is for strong bones and teeth formation.

  Calcium-rich food: milk, cheese, yoghourt, beancurd, green leafy vegetables, lady fingers, small fish with edible bones like sardines, and calcium-fortified soymilk and fruit juice

  If you have lactose intolerance, you can consume low-lactose or lactose-free milk.

• Vitamin C

  Vitamin C is needed for bones, muscles, and blood vessels to form collagen. Pregnant women should obtain their vitamin C from food rather than supplements. There have been reports of rare cases where the infant becomes tolerant to the high dose of vitamin C from the mother during pregnancy. Thus, developing vitamin C deficiency after birth.

  Vitamin C-rich food: local fruits (papaya, orange, watermelon, banana, yellow pear, apple) and vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lady finger, spinach)

• Vitamin D

  Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption.

  Vitamin D-rich food/activity: fortified milk, margarine, and cold water deep-sea fish (salmon, sardines)

  Besides food, our bodies can also synthesise vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Spending 10 to 15 minutes outdoors twice a week is enough to synthesise the required amount of vitamin D.

  Extra calories should come from nutrient-rich food to provide you with the vitamins and minerals necessary for your baby’s growth and development.  It is important to speak with a nutritionist for you to have a proper meal plan.

Take Multivitamins

Most nutrients necessary for the baby’s growth and development come from the food that the mother eats. But taking multivitamins complements the diet when certain health conditions hamper the mother’s consumption of nutrient-rich food.

Here is a list of recommended supplements and their benefits:

• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) helps your baby’s brain and eye development

          Daily recommended amount: 300mg

• Folic acid prevents abnormalities in your baby’s brain and spinal cord

           Daily recommended amount: 5mg or 400-800mcg

• Iron helps form red blood cells and prevents anaemia

          Daily recommended amount: 27mg

• Vitamin C increases iron absorption

          Daily recommended amount: 100-200mg

• Calcium helps build your baby’s bones and teeth

Daily recommended amount: 1000mg

Talk to your gynaecologist about the daily amount of multivitamins you need to consume for your and your baby’s health.

Get Hydrated

The last superfood, aside from nutrient-rich food and supplements, is water. It delivers nutrients to the foetus through the blood cells. So, increasing your water intake is crucial to remain hydrated. The general guideline is eight to ten glasses daily. However, this could vary depending on a person’s body type and size.

Staying hydrated is important, most especially during the last trimester. Dehydration could trigger preterm labour contractions. Other benefits that will motivate you to drink more water include:

• Water keeps your urine diluted
• It prevents bladder infections
• It helps avoid constipation
• Water also minimises swelling as it flushes excess sodium from the body

Drinking too much or too little poses an unwanted health risk. Be guided accordingly by a gynaecologist regarding the recommended amount of water your body needs.

Avoid Raw and Unpasteurized Products

Red meats, livers, eggs, and cheeses are excellent sources of nutrients the baby needs. But eating raw and unpasteurised animal products could cause food poisoning. It includes:

• Raw or rare meat
• Liver, sushi, raw eggs (also in mayonnaise)
• Soft cheeses
• Unpasteurised milk

Some fish, even when cooked, can be harmful to the baby because of their high heavy metal content.

Stop Smoking and Drinking Alcohol

Cigarette smoke consists of poisonous chemicals like carbon monoxide and ammonia. These are absorbed into the mother’s bloodstream and the baby’s blood.

The health risks of smoking to the baby include:

• Lower birth weight
• Slower growth
• Higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Damage to airways, causing breathing problems or asthma

Do not drink alcohol before and during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Consuming alcoholic drinks during pregnancy may affect the development of the foetus and may lead to:

• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth
• Premature birth
• Brain damage and growth problems in the baby; the condition is called Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Stay Physically Active

Daily exercise can help you stay healthy during pregnancy. Research shows that regular physical activity improves physical fitness, is associated with incredible health benefits, and enhances mental health. This way, you could take better care of your baby after birth. It also prevents delivery complications for the mother and congenital malformations for the baby.

Check with your gynaecologist to determine how much physical activity suits you. 

Get Enough Sleep

Research shows that pregnant women’s sleep quality and duration have a marked impact on their blood glucose levels. Poor sleep puts her at higher risk of gestational diabetes.

Chronic sleep deprivation can potentially cause problems like:

• Depression
• Obesity
• Compromised immunity
• Higher risks of cardiovascular diseases

Healthy sleep habits are one way of improving pregnancy outcomes. Get screened if you experience sleep problems during pregnancy.

Avoid Stress

Short periods of stress are normal and perfectly safe for you and your baby. But prolonged periods of stress during pregnancy have been linked to adverse health consequences for pregnant mothers and growing babies.

Your body releases a blast of cortisol and other stress hormones when you get stressed. These hormones pump adrenaline into your muscles, making your heart beat faster. When stress levels do not subside, you and your baby could be at risk.

Some health issues that severe, prolonged stress can cause include:

• Hypertension
• Heart problems
• Depression
• Weakened immune system
• Preeclampsia
• Premature labour
• In some studies, disobedience and hyperactivity in toddlers

Finding ways to reduce unhealthy stress is important. You don’t have to feel guilty about feeling stressed. Control it as much as you can. But if you find it hard dealing with stress, discuss this in detail with your gynaecologist and how to properly cope with it.

Conclusion

The list discussed above contains some habits for you to stay healthy during pregnancy. Set an appointment with us to reach optimal health and be informed appropriately. We, at WS Law Women’s Clinic, listen to your individual needs and concerns regarding pregnancy during a detailed consultation.