There is no better gift from nature than nurturing a life within the body you live in. The nine months journey of being pregnant is a bliss known to mankind. These ninth months can be both exciting and terrifying for first mothers. If you are one, then you surely will be surrounded with myths and facts in abundance. This can lead to a tumultuous situation as they might be contradicting medical advices. But how does one sort out this chaos and lead an adept lifestyle during pregnancy. Below is all the information you need.
A healthy balanced diet
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At the start of the pregnancy period, it will be difficult to eat adequately as you will have nausea and frequent vomiting. Women with a healthy weight before pregnancy will gain 11-16 kilograms. One must eat a balanced diet to avoid too much weight gain and associated complications.
What you should eat?
- One should eat plenty of fiber and protein rich foods such as meat, fish, pulses, chicken etc. on a daily basis.
- One should eat Iron rich foods such as jiggery, red meat, dried fruits, green vegetables and fortified cereals
- One should eat calcium adequately such as milk, cheeses and yoghurts.
What you should avoid?
- One should avoid anything with a lot of Vitamin A
- One should avoid cod liver oil supplements.
- One should avoid undercooked meats and eggs.
- One should avoid caffeine or limit its intake up to 300mg per day.
Habits that negatively affect pregnancy
Alcohol and Smoking
Pregnant women should not drink alcohol as it can lead to abnormalities in fetus or cause miscarriage, poor growth, physical and mental disability and also, premature labour.
Smoking, active or passive is equally dangerous for pregnant women as it releases poisonous chemicals in bloodstreams which can lead to sudden placental separation and cleft lip/ palate abnormality.
Contact with animals
Pregnant women should avoid contact with sheep, lambs and cats as then they become prone to diseases like listeriosis, toxoplasmosis and chlamydia. If you catch any of these diseases, then your baby will also be the bearer of the same. If you have pets at home then repeated hand washing is a must.
Decoding Different Areas of Life during Pregnancy
The Work Life
Working during pregnancy is absolutely fine if the work environment does not pose any potential harm or makes you come face to face with infections, trauma or injury. A thorough discussion should be made and possible occupational hazards must be debated
The Sex Life
Sex is generally safe during pregnancy but you should avoid discomforting positions. Sex needs to be avoided if you are a case where you have a low lying placenta or where bag of water is broken.
The Travel Life
Traveling is considered safe in all trimesters of pregnancy. You should strictly adhere to certain safety norms such as wearing the seat belts (make sure the straps go above and below your bump and not across it). Travelling by air should be avoided in the later stages of pregnancy. You must consult your gynecologists before you travel and take travel vaccinations also.
Happy motherhood ! 🙂
