Pregnancy is an exceptional joy time to every women. Pregnancy is not about just giving birth to a new life but its about the reliving the every moment of life. Pregnancy period is a period of mixed emotions of joy, pride, pains, fear and anxiety. It is mostly seen during the first time pregnant ladies. So its time to take care of yourselves and the coming new life now. Hence from the expert doctors we bring you do’s and don’ts in Pregnancy Care .

DO’S While Pregnancy Care

1. Folic Acid Supplements For Fetal Brain Development

When you are planning to get pregnant or if you are pregnant then start with the folic acid supplements. The recommended dose of folic acid is 5mg per day before and during pregnancy which when taken can prevent the birth defects like Spina Bifida, cleft lip palate, premature birth, miscarriage and poor baby growth. Folic acid is the human made health supplement. It contains folate in inorganic form. During the early 3-4 weeks of pregnancy the brain and spinal cord of the baby starts developing. It is during this time the supplement of folic acid is required for the proper growth of the brain. The natural forms of folic acid are found in fortified cereals, Lentils and spinach.

2. Balanced Meal Plan For Healthy Weight Gain

When you get pregnant there are lot of advises from your family. They start with their own experiences during pregnancy. But time have changed a lot since then. They used to work through out the day, had 3-4 children to look after and ate the double of their actual meal during their pregnancy to balance between work and health. But now most families have a maids at their home or new technology has took over the place of maid. Every work is done by machines and usually many couples have one or two kids at home. So when you take double the amount of food during the pregnancy, due to the decreased physical activity there is possible chances of accumulation of fat in the body leading to obesity and its complications during pregnancy. So it is better to take only one and half times more than the actual food during pregnancy to maintain and manage the weight. Only about 11-13 kgs of weight to be increased during the pregnancy period. So follow a balanced diet chart, perform regular mild exercises, food at frequent intervals, low calories diet with high proteins can be helpful for the healthy weight gain.

3. Iron And Calcium For Fetal Growth

During pregnancy the body requires double the amount of calcium and iron for the normal fetal development in the mother’s womb. The fetus grows continually during these 9 months for which it requires the iron and calcium. If when not supplemented can absorb from the mother’s body through blood making the pregnant women weak and anemic. The fetal growth will also retard due to the low iron and calcium supplements. The iron and calcium supplements are given from the 3^rd month of the pregnancy and continued during lactation period too.

Iron and calcium both are abundantly present in nature in form of fruits and vegetables. The high iron content foods are beetroots, pomegranate, guava, cranberries, strawberries, apple, spinach, jaggery, dates, red pulses. The calcium-rich food is dairy products like milk, curds, cheese, green leafy spinach, tomatoes, broccoli and bell peppers.

4. Eat Sea Food For Healthy Baby Growth

There is always a misconception of eating sea food during pregnancy. But seafoods are must for pregnant women and fetal growth. Sea foods are rich in omega 3 fatty acids which contains antioxidants helping the building of immune system of the fetus.

5. Fruits And Vegetables As Balanced Diet

Incorporate fruits and vegetables judiciously in your meal plan. Fruits and veggies are the rich sources of calcium, potassium, sodium, vitamins and other essential nutrients required for the fetal growth. Along with the weight management it also has the benefits of lowering the blood sugar levels and blood pressure levels which is very commonly seen in many pregnant females.

6. Adequate Rest And Sleep To Destress Yourself

Pregnancy results in a lot of hormonal changes and thereby leading to mood disturbances during whole pregnancy period. This can be controlled by an adequate rest and sleep for yourself. It is really fine if you want to sleep for a little more longer than your family. So rest and destress yourself. Healthy you is the healthy growing baby. And when you sleep make sure you sleep over the left side which can help in fetal blood circulation.

7. Proper Breast Care For Easy Lactation

Breast feeding is the main purpose of the breasts and nipples. To avoid any problems during lactation, pregnancy breast care is must. Clean, wash and maintain hygiene of the nipples and breast. Massaging breasts regularly for the milk production is also important aspect of breast care.

8. Mild Physical Exercises For Easy Delivery

Exercises are must in pregnancy. It strengthens the abdominal muscles helping for the delivery of the fetus. Most of the exercises are safe, but do not over do it. Rest a while in between the workouts to make yourself comfortable. Make sure you do not do the heavy weight lifting exercises which may lead in fetal miscarriage.

9. Control Blood Pressure And Blood Sugar Levels

Females with family background or with previous history of illness are very much prone to gestational diabetes and increased hypertension. These diseases can lead to the fetal growth problems like low birth weight baby, miscarriage and still birth. This can be controlled by balanced diet, healthy weight management, low calorie intake, cutting out salts in meal, regular exercises can help in prevention of pregnancy complications.

10. Regular Antenatal Care For Fetal Growth Assessment

A regular visits to doctor during pregnancy helps in accessing the normal fetal growth. It also helps in diagnosis of any birth defects, congenital diseases and medical illness by regular examinations. It helps in early diagnosis and treatment of both mother and fetus.

Don’ts

• Do not travel on very rough roads, hill stations and mountain areas.
• Do not lift heavy objects at a time.
• Do not go for dental extractions during the first and last trimester. Give a visit to the dentist before planning or in early pregnancy before the pain sets in and get some treatment done.
• Do not self-medicate during pregnancy. Many medicines are not recommended during pregnancy and lactation. Even if you are at a doctor for any other illness then do not forget to give your pregnancy history.
• Stop or quit habits like smoking or excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy. It has the bad effects on fetal growth.
• Avoid eating outside foods or fast foods for few months as it may cause food poisoning due to contamination of food or water. Always prefer to carry a water bottle from home or buy a packaged drinking water. Food poisoning may lead to miscarriage or poor baby growth.
• Avoid sex in the last trimester and in cases with a low placental attachment for a period of time.

Most of the tips are known and followed by many people, but there are also few females who do not share themselves with their problems during pregnancy. All the above tips are recommended and advised by the experienced health care professional for the care of the mother and fetus.