A Healthy Guide Book for Your Early Pregnancy!
AGRITA CHHIBBER
You have been blessed with a baby! Congratulations!
Before diving completely into parenthood duties, take a moment to bask in this blessing and convey your gratitude to the universe.
When you get pregnant, it’s important to pay close attention to what you consume and to your overall health in general. Maintaining a nutritious diet for your child is crucial from the moment you conceive.
It’s common to start planning your eating routine as soon as you find out you have conceived. However, just like other people, you can be drawn to google, your mother or friends, or just your prior pregnancy practices for guidance.
You might be surprised to learn that every pregnancy experience is unique. The body’s reaction to physical or hormonal changes that may impact pregnancy may vary depending on factors such as age or the environment you are living in.
As a to-be parent, your task begins right now. Even if you can’t avoid every problem, you can have a healthy and joyful initial stage of pregnancy by following this helpful advice. You should consume more protein, calcium, iron, and important vitamins when you’re expecting. Eating a diverse range of lean meat, fish, whole grains, and plant-based foods will provide you with these.
The HOW TOs
- Consider food to be your fuel.
You’re not consuming for two, regardless of what the saying goes. Eventually, in your pregnancy, you might need more calories and nutrients, but you don’t have to increase your intake by double currently.
Pay attention to the quality of your food rather than its quantity. Give your body nutritious meals to fuel. Pick organic food wherever you can, and try to get your food locally. As a result, you are exposed to less pesticides.
- Pay attention to folate.
When you are pregnant and in the initial stage of pregnancy, you should be taking 600 mcg of folic acid daily. Start taking folic acid vitamins right away if you weren’t previously doing so before becoming pregnant.
This helps avoid spina bifida and anencephaly, two common and dangerous birth abnormalities. Some organisations even advise all women, not just pregnant ones, between the ages of 15 and 45 to take 400 mcg of folic acid daily.
Your doctor will most likely advise you to start taking prenatal vitamins after your pregnancy has been confirmed. These vitamins are made to fulfill the recommended daily dose of folic acid. About pregnancy vitamins…
- Take your pregnancy vitamins.
These vitamins assist in meeting your needs for calcium, iron, and zinc in addition to providing you with the necessary amount of folate. Additionally, they offer the recommended dosages of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The brain development of your infant is aided by these two kind of omega-3 fats.
- Eat the variety, please.
Try to eat different foods while you’re meal planning or just in the mood for a snack. Go for dark green spinach, blueberries, orange carrots, red apples, yellow bananas, and so on.
Foods with vibrant colors are highest in antioxidants and minerals. Additionally, a diversified diet will introduce a variety of flavors and tastes to your infant. Through the amniotic fluid, your kid consumes what you eat, so if you eat a diverse range of foods, so will your baby.
- Go to bed.
Your body is undergoing massive transformations and creating a whole new life-sustaining system for your unborn child. During the days when the placenta grows, you may probably feel completely worn out. You’re also experiencing significant hormonal and emotional shifts.
When possible, take naps. If you work, consider fitting a brief period of relaxation into your lunch break.
It’s possible that you need to sleep later at night than usual. Establish bedtimes and honour them so that your body gets eight or nine hours of rest every night.
- Stay moving.
Frequent exercise aids in overcoming the weariness, mood swings, and hormonal changes that occur during the first trimester of pregnancy. It also fights sleeplessness and helps avoid gaining weight.
Don’t worry if your regimen doesn’t already include frequent exercise! You can lead an active lifestyle even when pregnant in a number of ways. However, get in touch with your OB provider before starting any new workout regimen.
Taking into account your baby’s best interests as well as your present health, your physician can provide recommendations tailored to your circumstances.
- Get vaccinated.
It is safe for pregnant women to receive a flu vaccine, and getting one is strongly advised. Pregnant women are more susceptible than non-pregnant persons to develop a serious sickness from the flu.
You are more vulnerable to developing a major flu-related disease due to modifications in your heart, lungs, and immune system. Furthermore, there is evidence that contracting the flu during pregnancy increases the chance of problems, such as early labour. That danger is decreased by the flu vaccine.
Better yet, the vaccination can shield your newborn from catching the flu after birth. You give antibodies to your unborn child when you receive a vaccination while you are pregnant. The shot will shield your child from harm.
- Make sure you drink enough water.
Keeping hydrated helps avoid premature labour. Additionally, it helps avoid dizziness, kidney stones, and headaches. Drinking enough of water can help combat symptoms such as haemorrhoids and constipation.
You’re drinking enough water if your pee is clear to light yellow. If it’s a dark yellow colour, you should drink more water.
Agrita Chhibber is a Research Scholar and from Jammu
Images from different sources
Mahabahu.com is an Online Magazine with collection of premium Assamese and English articles and posts with cultural base and modern thinking. You can send your articles to editor@mahabahu.com / editor@mahabahoo.com (For Assamese article, Unicode font is necessary)