Nutrition and Exercise

Healthy and well-balanced meals are very important for you and also for your unborn baby as your baby will be getting all the essential nutrients and vitamins from you. By keeping away from junk food and highly fatty foods, you will be able to ensure that you maintain a healthy weight at the same time building up sufficiently on nutrients and healthy fat, so necessary to reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy, pre-term birth and to help with breastfeeding. A healthy diet will help alleviate other pregnancy problems such as morning sickness, fatigue, constipation, anemia and headaches.

Green leafy vegetables are rich in many nutrients that help in cell growth, help to strengthen the bones and ensure healthy skin and eyes. Brown rice, pasta, potatoes are good sources for carbohydrates. Iron helps maintain a proper blood supply while calcium from dairy products strengthens the baby’s bones and teeth. Fresh fruits, vitamin-fortified foods, and multivitamin supplements are recommended for getting the required amount of vitamins.

Other than healthy diet, regular exercise is also an equal contributor to a healthy pregnancy. In fact, by being active during pregnancy you can alleviate many of the physical discomforts that you undergo like backache, fatigue and swelling in the legs and feet. Studies have suggested that women who workout adequately during pregnancy are more successful in avoiding excess weight gain.  Further, they have shorter phases of active labor and have greater chances of having normal deliveries.

A combination of cardiovascular exercises with some aerobic exercises should help you stay sufficiently fit during pregnancy. Some of the more popular exercises women take up during pregnancy are swimming, walking, yoga and Pilates. Though some also enjoy cycling, you may be advised against it for fear of falling and sustaining an injury. In fact, some sports should be completely avoided during pregnancy. For example, activities like horseback riding, skiing or skating can cause hard falls and abdominal trauma. Similarly, in racket sports like squash, there is always a danger that the ball may hit your stomach causing injuries. While exercising, make sure you wear comfortable clothes, take time to warm up and cool down and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

Before you start on any exercise routine during your pregnancy, it is best that you consult your doctor. He or she may have guidelines on what workouts you should do and which you should avoid. In fact, these guidelines may change from trimester to trimester.  Speak to your doctor right away if you experience faintness, dizziness or bleeding while exercising.

 By following a combined regimen of proper diet and exercise, and taking enough precautions, you will be able to ensure a healthy pregnancy for yourself and your baby.