Bringing a baby into the world is one of the biggest things someone will do during their lifetime. It’s a decision that takes your responsibilities and commitments away from yourself and towards another person. You’re going to have to commit to completely changing your lifestyle and putting someone else’s needs above your own. Of course, the process of pregnancy is something that many people are unfamiliar with, or that faces new challenges each time you experience it. Whether you’re pregnant yourself, a partner, friend or family member is pregnant and you want to help them, or you’re considering pregnancy and want to know what to expect, the guide below should give you all the information you need to get started out.
Consider Necessary Lifestyle Changes
We all want to provide our little ones with the best we can. The way that we live at the moment might not provide ideal situations for a new born baby, so you may find that you need to implement a few lifestyle changes if you’re recently pregnant or are planning on building a family. If you live in a studio apartment, you may find that you need to move somewhere bigger to allow space for your little one. If you don’t have a car, you may find that now is a good time to start learning or to invest in a car, as it will make getting from A to B with your little one a lot easier. If you want to get ahead of the game and move to an area with good schools, better safety or closer to friends and family, it could be good to do the move before the baby arrives. Sit down and consider how you imagine life when your little one arrives, what is feasible to achieve and start taking steps towards them.
Speak to Your Doctor About Medication
If you’re on any type of medication when you get pregnant, it’s good to ask your doctor or another medical professional for advice on whether it’s okay to continue taking this while you are pregnant. Some medications are not suitable for pregnant or even people who are breastfeeding. It’s important that you don’t assume that all of your medication will be fine for you and your baby growing inside you. You should also take a look into any supplements, vitamins or minerals you might usually take. The good news is that there are often pregnancy-friendly alternatives out there.
What You Can and Can’t Eat
As with medication, there are certain foods that you should and shouldn’t have during pregnancy. Of course, we’re all aware that alcohol should be cut out during pregnancy, as it can cause problems with your baby’s development or see your baby born with alcohol dependencies. But there are certain food products that are absolutely fine for the average person to eat, but that could pose a threat to pregnant people and their babies too. Some of these foods are recommended for avoidance because they have a higher chance of making you ill, which could impact your baby’s development. Soft cheeses with white rinds, such as brie and camembert should be avoided. You should also avoid eating mould-ripened soft goat’s cheeses, such as chevre or soft, blue veined cheeses. These types of cheese come with a risk of infecting you with listeria. Raw or partially cooked eggs pose a risk of salmonella food poisoning, so you shouldn’t eat these either. You may also want to cut out pate from your diet, including vegetable pates. The way they are made can create a risk of listeria infection too. Finally, you should exclude raw or uncooked meat or fish, liver, game and shark, swordfish, or marlin from your diet. If ever in doubt, make sure to consult your doctor who will be able to give you more information. Alongside cutting out the foods advised above, you should still try to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, packed with the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive.
Maintaining Your Posture
Most of us don’t consider our posture during out day to day routines. It is important that you pay attention to your posture during pregnancy though. When you are pregnant – particularly later down the line in the second and third trimesters – you are carrying the weight of your baby on your front, which causes natural shifts in the way that you stand, sit and generally hold yourself. This is to maintain your sense of balance, but it can also cause issues with your back and consequent back pain. Avoid, where possible, slouching, leaning forward or leaning backwards to soothe the ache and support the weight. Here are some recommendations for maintaining good posture throughout your pregnancy.
Standing Well
- Keep your head held up straight
- Tuck in your chin
- Centre your head – align your earlobes to the middle of your shoulders
- Pull your shoulder blades back
- Push your chest forward
- Avoid locking your knees
- Keep your buttocks tucked in
- Avoid tilting your pelvis forward or back
- Balance your weight evenly over both feet
- Avoid standing for extended periods of time
Sitting Well
- Keep your buttocks towards the back of the chair
- Keep your back as straight as possible
- Place a pregnancy pillow at the lumbar of your back for support
When sitting, you should also remember that there are plenty of support pillows specially adapted for pregnancy that can help to support you and your body.
Know What to Expect After Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, you will eventually give birth, after which, you will no longer be pregnant. So many people focus so heavily on pregnancy and giving birth that they forget to prepare themselves for postpartum life. It’s important that you know what to expect and that you are prepared for the changes not only to your lifestyle that you will experience, but changes to your body, mind and mood too. There are so many different pieces of information and articles out there with expertise on pretty much any topic you could wish to know about. So, start reading in advance. Whether that’s The 14 Best Ways to Tighten Loose Skin After Pregnancy or dealing with postpartum depression, there will be something there to tick your boxes.
Coming Up With an Exercise Routine
The average adult should get one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or seventy five minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week. But this can change when you become pregnant. Of course, when you’re pregnant, many activities and sports can easily pose a threat to you and your baby – particularly activities that could result in a fall or contact that could hit you in the stomach area. At the same time, it is generally deemed important for you to maintain a gentle exercise routine when you are pregnant. Your doctor will be able to make tailored recommendations for you throughout your pregnancy and you may find that your routine changes from one trimester to another. But here are just a couple of examples that could prove beneficial for you.
- Yoga – if you haven’t tried a holistic form of exercise like yoga before, now could be a good time to start. Yoga isn’t vigorous, but can help you to build your strength, balance and flexibility. It is relaxing and can also help you to work on breathing exercises, reducing stress that you may be experiencing too. Keep a lookout for pregnancy yoga classes that are specially planned with pregnant people in mind.
- Squatting and Pelvic Tilts – this is an activity that you can carry out yourself at home. Gentle squatting and pelvic tilts are a good form of exercise that can prove beneficial for when you go into labour too!
- Brisk Walking – you might want to avoid jogging or running while pregnant due to the slip hazards. But brisk walking should be fine for most. This will help you to stay active, get out and about and to enjoy nature too!
Accept Support
Pregnancy isn’t an easy process. You’re about to see your body change, your mind change and take a ride on an emotional rollercoaster over the months. If you have a strong support network, accept their help and support. All too many people try to be fiercely independent, when this is a time when you may find that you do need help from others. Make your life as easy as possible for yourself wherever possible. If you don’t have a support network, remember you are never alone. There are others out there who want to help, from support groups to helplines and more. Reach out to the support you need.
These are just a few areas that you’ll find yourself considering throughout the course of your pregnancy. Hopefully, some of the suggestions will cater to you, your needs and your preferences and will help to make your experience of pregnancy as simple, smooth and straightforward as possible. Everyone’s experience of pregnancy is going to be different, but continue reading, learning and doing what you can to familiarize yourself with every aspect of the process possible.
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