Getting ready for a brand new baby, and coping with the changes brought on by pregnancy, can bring challenges even to women who already have children. Fortunately, there is a wealth of new information on the topic of pregnancy evolving and being tested all the time. The following article has tips that may help to make things a bit easier for you during your pregnancy.
Don’t hesitate to politely decline any invitations to social gatherings you get when you’re pregnant and feel like staying home. Your friends and family will understand that you have special needs during this time. You might be surprised how fatigued you are, how often you need to use the restroom, or how nauseous you feel. Do not make yourself do anything you do not feel up to.
Find out if you’re pregnant as soon as possible. If you wait to find out if you are pregnant, you could end up causing complications or not getting the proper health care.
Bland Foods
Keep bland foods at hand, such as toast and crackers, when you are pregnant. If you eat bland foods, they will help reduce nausea and vomiting. Also, try to stay away from acidy foods and those that are greasy. This can make nausea worse and cause heartburn.
Be certain you know all premature labor signs. Read about this, so that you can learn when to talk to your doctor.
If your feet become very swollen, tell your doctor about it. While this might just be a side effect of your pregnancy, it might also be a symptom of preeclampsia, which is a dangerous condition of high blood pressure that afflicts expecting mothers. If you’re suffering from preeclampsia, your doctor needs to take of it as soon as possible to protect your health and that of your child.
You should get the flu shot, if you are pregnant during that season. When pregnant, the immune system weakens, making it more likely for you to contract the flu. Both you and the baby are in harm’s way if you get the flu.
Your need to support your body, while sleeping, when you are pregnant. You can buy a pillow that is made for your pregnant body in many different stores. If you can’t find one, use a normal pillow to support yourself. Try sleeping with a pillow under your one knee and your stomach.
If you are bothered by leg cramps during the night, do some light stretching before bed. Pregnant women often wake up with “charlie horses” in their legs. Stretching when you first go to bed helps your leg muscles relax, preventing leg cramps.
Make sure to take pictures of yourself to share with your unborn child later on down the road. Kids love to see themselves in Mommy’s tummy. You can add notes about your feelings, hopes and dreams to go along with the pictures you take to chronicle your journey.
Look for stories of giving birth online to be better prepared for the experience yourself. While those clinical books can preach the facts to you, reading about the experience is different. Choose from many different writings so you feel relaxed and at ease.
Since pregnancy often intensifies your sense of smell, everyday odors you encounter may make you nauseated. If you find this to often be the case, carry a handkerchief dabbed with a little lavender or lemon oil. You can whip it out anytime you need a relieving whiff that will spare you the stench of garbage or anything else odoriferously obnoxious to you.
Even though your child isn’t born, talk to it daily. It has been proven that your baby will respond to the feeling of your touch at ten weeks or so. After a few weeks later, you will be happy to note that your child can react to lights and your voice. Communicating with your unborn child can help to increase your bond, and some studies indicate it can improve the intelligence of your child too.
Have an HIV test to make sure your pregnancy will be healthy. If you come up with a result that is positive, this will let the OB-GYN create a plan to help prevent spreading the disease to the baby. It will also allow you to seek out medical professionals who are knowledgeable about HIV.
Keep your stress under control during pregnancy by making to-do lists and setting your priorities so that the important tasks will be done first. Asking loved ones for some help can be a lifesaver. Consider eliminating things from your list that really don’t need to be done before your baby arrives.
Before sleeping every night, stretch out so that your muscles will be more at ease. Pregnancy often creates additional muscle strain, which frequently results in leg cramps. By stretching before laying down, you will allow your muscles to relax, thus, reducing the chances of getting muscle cramps as you sleep. You can also get great quality sleep as well!
On balance, you should enjoy your pregnancy. Put the advice you have learned here to work for you, and your pregnancy will be a wonderful experience.