You can feel wonderful during your pregnancy if you take good care of
yourself. Increase your odds of a healthy pregnancy by following these
sensible steps to keep yourself in top condition:
1. Eat five or six well-balanced meals each day.
2. Take a prenatal vitamin each day as directed by your obstetrician or midwife.
3. Drink plenty of fluids -- at least eight to 10 glasses a day -- avoiding caffeine and artificial coloring.
4. Don't drink alcohol.
5. Don't smoke or allow yourself to be exposed to secondhand smoke.
6. Exercise
-- it's important for your general health and also can help reduce
stress. Take a pregnancy exercise class or walk at least fifteen to
twenty minutes every day at a moderate pace. Walk in cool, shaded areas
or indoors in order to prevent overheating.
7. Get
adequate sleep -- at least eight hours a night. If you're suffering
from sleep disturbances, take naps during the day and see your physician
for advice.
8. Wear comfortable, nonrestricting
shoes and put your feet up several times a day to prevent fatigue and
swelling of the feet, legs, and ankles.
9. Continue
to wear a safety belt while riding in motor vehicles. According to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the shoulder portion of
the restraint should be positioned over the collar bone. The lap portion
should be placed under the abdomen as low as possible on the hips and
across the upper thighs, never above the abdomen. Also, pregnant women should sit as far from the air bag as possible.
10. Don't take over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies without first consulting your obstetrician or midwife.
Sources: National Women's Health Information Center; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
All
content here, including advice from doctors and other health
professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the
direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or
issues you may have regarding your won health or the health of others.
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