10 THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR A HEALTHY PREGNANCY
If you have reached this blog, congratulations!! Either you or your loved one is pregnant!
Pregnancy is an amazing journey in your family’s life. This is when you get ready to welcome a bundle of joy that changes your life in a way that you never imagined.
There are certain things that you need to be aware of as a parent or as a caretaker to deliver a healthy baby. After more than 15 years of experience delivering thousands of babies and managing high risk pregnancies, I have gained some insights that I want to share with you in this blog. So here are the 10 things to consider for a healthy pregnancy
1. Visit your Gynecologist- It is recommended to visit your gynecologist on a periodic basis. Here is the recommendation.
· Beginning of pregnancy till 28weeks — visit monthly (Remember, the first week starts from first day of your last periods)
· 28 weeks to 36weeks — visit fortnightly (Every 2 weeks)
· 36 weeks till delivery — visit weekly. The frequency of visits increases towards the end as the chances of pregnancy complications are higher during that time.
2. Diet -Eat healthy, as healthy mom’s produce healthy babies! Eat food rich in carbohydrates (whole grain, wheat, brown rice), proteins (peas, beans, eggs, milk, meat, fish, nuts), minerals and vitamins (colourful fruits and vegetables) and don’t forget to drink plenty of water.
3. Weight gain- Average weight gain in pregnancy is about 10–12.5kg. During the first 3months of pregnancy one gains about 1–3kg, in the next 3 months about 3–4kg is gained, and another 3–4kg in the remaining last 3 months. Gaining too much weight or not gaining enough weight are both warning signs. The weight gained should not exceed 2.5kg in a month or 0.9kg/ week (as a sudden weight gain is a warning sign for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy). A total weight gain below 6kg in the entire pregnancy is associated with undernutrition and decreased growth in the baby.
4. Rest -You should get around 8–10hrs of rest at night. It’s also recommended to have an afternoon nap or at least lying down on bed by putting the feet up for one hour to increase the blood circulation to your baby.
5. Exercise- Regular exercise at least 3 times/ week is preferred to intermittent exercise. Exercises increase the blood flow in your body thus increasing the nutrients reaching your baby. Of all the types of exercises, walking is the natural, suitable, and most preferred one. All exercises should be stopped short of fatigue and should not be continued to the point of exertion. Avoid exercises that involve lying on your back for a prolonged period or prolonged standing as both will decrease the blood flow to your baby.
6. Clothing- Use cotton clothing that encourages heat dissipation as pregnancy hormones produce a lot of body heat.
7. Travel -Avoid travel early in the pregnancy (the first 3 months). This is especially important if you have a history of abortion or if there was an earlier pregnancy with history of early delivery (delivery 3 weeks prior to the expected date). If at all you need to travel, choose train or air travel. If you have to travel via road, avoid bumpy roads and interrupt long journeys every 2hrs to allow change in position in order to get good blood circulation.
8. Intercourse -It is better to avoid in the first 3 months of pregnancy and in the last one month before delivery. The use of lateral position (side lying position) in coitus prevents deeper penetration and possible hazard to pregnancy.
9. Hygiene- Daily shower and changing into clean clothes are important. Also, dental hygiene is equally important. The gums are soft and likely to bleed, hence use a soft brush during pregnancy. If you notice any dental infection, consult your dentist as it can lead to poor health outcomes in the mother and baby.
10. Care of breast- You should keep the nipples clean by washing it with water and mild soap as you bathe. Check if you have retracted nipples (inwardly drawn nipples) so that steps can be taken to correct it during pregnancy itself. Manual expression of breast can be done during the last weeks of pregnancy so that it can help in early flow of milk after the baby is born.
Mom’s health and happiness are an integral part of a baby’s wellbeing. As a caregiver of the child, you should have the knowledge to keep both safe and this should be a priority in every family.
The birth of a newborn is going to change your life forever for the better. So, enjoy your journey!!!
MS. DGO. DNB. Fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine
Expert in Imaging in Maternal Fetal Medicine (Univ. of Barcelona)
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Fetal Medicine and Perinatology
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences
