Pregnancy – from Symptoms of Pregnancy to Health Care While You're Pregnant

 

If you have been planning for a pregnancy, then you might be waiting for pregnancy symptoms to manifest, very eagerly. What are those first signs of pregnancy?

For most of the women, the first sign would be a missed period. It is not a 100% sure shot guarantee of pregnancy, since you can miss your period because of several other reasons, as well; for example, stress, hormonal problems or discontinuing the pill.

In any case, if you are expecting pregnancy, you can go for a pregnancy home test, or consult your doctor.

A pregnancy is a very significant time for a mother to be. Every woman has her own unique experience to share. You might experience some common and some uncommon symptoms during pregnancy. Some of the uncommon symptoms might call for an immediate medical attention.

While you are pregnant, it is very necessary to take good care of your health. It is not only necessary for you, but also your baby in your womb. Given are some women health tips during pregnancy:

The Healthy diet:

While planning for your pregnancy, or already pregnant, it is necessary to take foods rich in folic acid, or you can also consider taking folic acid supplements. Adequate folic acid in the body ensures that your baby is not born with spinal defects. Once pregnant, you can take multivitamins and calcium along with balanced regular meals. Foods rich in vitamin and calcium include citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, legumes, fortified whole cereals.

Regular but mild exercise

It is good to do mild exercises regularly. Go for regular walks, or swimming. Yoga and meditation can relax your mind and body. Deep breathing is very beneficial too.

Avoid caffeinated drinks

Avoid too much indulgence in caffeine rich drinks like coffee and other soft drinks. Smoking can be the worst thing to do in the pregnancy; try to give it up completely. It can cause your baby immense harm. Research suggests that there is well over 64% chances of giving birth to a baby with defects, if you smoke during pregnancy. Exposure to passive smoking is equally dangerous.

Limit your intake of alcohol as well, if you cannot give it up completely; though later is highly desirable. Alcohol can destroy the male reproductive system and is harmful to females too.

Stay Away from Environmental Hazards

Avoid as much as possible exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation. If your work requires you to places which include exposure to things like anaesthesia, or radiation, consult your doctor for his advice.

You would be making regular visits to your doctor during your pregnancy. The frequencies would become more and more frequent as you approach the big day.

Some time doctors advice pregnant women to go for baby stress test, in some cases. This test is meant to see how well your baby would respond to contractions during labour. If the result is positive, you can wait for the normal delivery, but if the result turns out to be negative, you might be induced or suggested to go for a caesarean birth.