A woman undergoes several emotional and physical changes during pregnancy. Though it is a period of joy and pleasant expectation, it is also a period of anxiety and nervousness. First time mothers have hundreds of questions on their mind. Here are we have attempted to clear your doubts by listing down some pregnancy dos and don’ts.
Pregnancy Dos
Go for regular medical checkups: Visit your doctor at least once in three weeks in the first two trimesters of your pregnancy. Later increase these visits to every fortnight for the seventh and the eight month. During the last month of your pregnancy, visit your doctor every week. This will ensure that your doctor knows about every small development in your pregnancy and gives you the best advice.
Eat well: Eat large quantities of green vegetables. Make sure you consume at least 1 litre of milk or equivalent dairy products, every day. Eat high protein food items like eggs, fish and lentils.
Stay hydrated: Drink up to 2 litres of water every day. Body temperature tends to rise during pregnancy and in such a scenario water acts as a natural coolant. It also avoids chances of constipation that reduces the stress on the kidneys.
Stay fit: Have a 20-30 minute moderate exercise routine to ensure toning and stretching of muscles. This will also help build stamina for the harder stages of pregnancy.
Sleep well: Get a minimum of eight hours of sleep. This will help your muscles relax and also relieve you of the fatigue of carrying that extra weight on your body.
Pregnancy Don’ts
Food/ Drink Items To Stay Away From
• Don’t consume tea and coffee in excess.
• Don’t consume alcohol during the duration of the pregnancy and post-pregnancy as long as the child is breast-feeding
• Don’t eat food at restaurants and hotels as it may have artificial colors and preservatives
• Don’t eat undercooked meat or eggs as they can lead to severe food poisoning
• Don’t take any over-the-counter medication without consulting your doctor
• Don’t consume fat or sugar in excess. Get your energy instead from proteins and carbohydrates
Activities To Stay Away From
• Don’t indulge in activities like horse-riding, skiing etc which cause sudden movements
• Don’t take long journeys in trains and planes. These restrict body movement and can lead to thrombolitis – which is creation of blood clots in the leg due to lack of movement.
• Don’t lift heavy objects as it stresses your muscles and abdomen
• Don’t drive. If you have to, make sure you are wearing your seat belt.
• Avoid hot bath and hot sauna as high temperature is risky for the baby
• Don’t get an x-ray without consulting your doctor. Though it is mostly harmless, there might be a possibility of tissue damage to the fetus by x-rays.
Listed above are some of the pregnancy dos and don’ts – consult your gynecologist to get a more comprehensive list suited to your body and needs.