Having a baby is an exciting period in a woman's life that typically drives her to make healthier lifestyle choices and, if necessary, strive towards achieving a healthy body weight. To have a healthy pregnancy, you must follow some pregnancy tips like - having regular prenatal appointments, eat nutritious foods, keep active, and avoid eating raw or undercooked foods. You should also take a folic acid-rich prenatal vitamin, avoid chemicals or substances that negatively affect pregnant women and their babies, and rest when tired. If you smoke, you should quit, or if you drink alcohol, you should avoid doing so while pregnant. Here are some more tips about things to do when you are pregnant.

What is the first thing you should do when you are pregnant?

You can take some steps after being newly pregnant, whether you are excited, scared, or unsure about your pregnancy. Here are some pregnancy care tips if you wish to be a parent and need pregnancy tips for first time moms:  

• Make an appointment for a prenatal visit - 

Your first prenatal appointment may include confirming the pregnancy with an early ultrasound or blood work and reviewing your medical history and medications to ensure a good start to your pregnancy.

A doctor will also determine your due date and give you detailed information about the pregnancy. You can feel free to ask as many questions and write some down before your visit. Prenatal checkups allow you to ask questions about how to care for yourself throughout pregnancy. Talk to your doctor immediately if you have any bleeding, cramps or pain.

• Start taking your prenatal vitamins - 

You should start taking prenatal vitamins immediately if you haven't started already. This will ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals required for a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins are available over the counter (OTC) at most major pharmacies. You can also get advice or a prescription from your doctor.

Prenatal vitamins are essential because your baby's neural tube, which later becomes their brain and spinal cord, develops throughout the first month of pregnancy. Folate reduces the likelihood of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Other nutrients your prenatal vitamins should have are - calcium, vitamins A, C, D, and E, zinc, copper, and magnesium. In most cases, your doctor will also advise you to take an iron supplement. According to 2018 research, certain prenatal supplements also include choline, which is necessary for brain development and placental function.

• Make sure you understand how to care for yourself till your baby arrives - 

  
  

There are certain precautions and tips for pregnant women that you have to take and some lifestyle changes to follow as a part of your pregnancy guide. Some of these can include - reducing your alcohol and substance abuse, decreasing your caffeine intake, taking good care of your nutritional needs and dealing with early pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness, heartburn etc. Also, you might not want to think about this, but knowing the signs of a miscarriage in the first trimester will help you understand when to consult a doctor. You should contact a doctor immediately if you have any symptoms like bleeding, cramps, pain and a foul-smelling vaginal discharge to reduce the risk of miscarriage.

Pregnancy care tips first 3 months or first trimester:

You must maintain good health during the entire three trimesters of pregnancy. These healthy pregnancy tips can help you in the first 3 months of pregnancy - 

• Stay active as much as you can and listen to your body and stop for rest if you feel any discomfort while exercising. You may need to modify your workout routine during pregnancy.

• Eat many healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs and whole grains

• Take a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid

• Attend all of your prenatal appointments

• Drink lots of water

• Get lots of rest

What should not be done in 1st month of pregnancy?

Most pregnant women can carry on with their normal activities and only make minor changes to their lifestyle. A person should follow safe pregnancy tips such as - avoiding alcohol, smoking, and certain foods and activities that could harm the growing fetus. Some of the things to avoid in order to have a healthy pregnancy are as follows:

• Not drinking alcohol and smoking

• Avoiding certain foods like raw meat, fish or eggs

• Avoid drinking unpasteurized juice and dairy (some soft cheeses)

• Avoid drinking too much caffeine

• Avoid lying on your back; hot tubs, saunas, and overheating

• Avoid contact sports like football and boxing; heavy lifting and specific exercises 

• Don’t take certain medications like some cold medications, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), most herbal medicines, ACE inhibitors, some acne medications.

What are the tips for a healthy pregnancy?

There may be some misconceptions regarding what is and is not allowed during pregnancy and get lots of pregnancy advice. Some pregnant women may need to limit extra activities that this article does not include, especially those with a higher risk of preterm labour or other pregnancy complications. It's widely known to try to eat healthy while avoiding particular foods, exercise and take prenatal multivitamins, but there is some extra care to be taken during pregnancy.

• Take your multivitamins -  As discussed above, prenatal vitamins are the first and most essential thing during pregnancy. Eating a well-balanced, vitamin- and mineral-rich diet is the best way to provide your body with all nutrients it requires to support a growing baby. Yet, eating healthy foods and following a diet alone may not be sufficient to stay healthy during pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins have higher levels of nutrients which pregnant women need in higher doses. Vitamins like folic acid, calcium, iron etc., help with fetal development and prevent birth defects. Your doctor can advise you on the best multivitamin or vitamin combination throughout pregnancy. 

• Get lots of sleep - Changing hormone levels, anticipation, and anxiety can make falling asleep difficult during your pregnancy. Pregnancy is exhausting, especially in the third trimester, and you'll need sleep and enough rest during this journey. If you are fatigued, take a quick nap and schedule naps whenever possible. Set up and stick to bedtimes. Try to aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Fatigue is a sign that your body requires more rest, so you should rest enough.

• Work out and practice yoga - Those days are gone when pregnant women avoided lifting a finger during their pregnancy. We now know that staying active is essential for both mother and the baby. Regular exercise may help you deal with many problems you go through during pregnancy, like insomnia, muscle pain, leg cramps, excessive weight gain and mood problems. 

  You can try prenatal yoga during pregnancy. Avoid Bikram or hot yoga when pregnant, but you can incorporate other yoga methods. Look for prenatal or gentle yoga classes for expectant mothers. These instructors will know which positions to use and which to avoid. If you weren't practising yoga before becoming pregnant, consult your doctor before enrolling in a class. While it is possible to begin, discuss the risks and concerns with your doctor.

• You can have sex - Sex during pregnancy is okay unless there are no complicating factors, such as placenta previa or another high-risk pregnancy. Sex with your partner is safe until your water breaks. If you are having discomfort, try experimenting with other positions. If you have any concerns regarding the safety of sex during your pregnancy, consult your doctor.

• Take a flu shot - A pregnant woman should take a flu shot (unless there are contraindications mentioned by the manufacturer). The injection does not contain a live virus. Hence, the flu vaccine is not going to give you the flu. If you get influenza while pregnant, your chance of side effects is higher than in women of the same age who aren't pregnant. The vaccine will protect both you and your developing baby. In addition, a Tdap shot is recommended to prevent tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis in the child. Doctors also advise routine testing for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C during pregnancy to ensure early detection and timely care.

• Gain weight smartly - The advice to expecting mothers to "eat for two" is not a license to eat anything they want. Instead, women must be careful about what and how much they eat. Weight gain during pregnancy may do more damage than benefit your baby. You need roughly 100 more calories per day throughout your first trimester to support your growing fetus. By the third trimester, the extra calorie count is closer to 300 to 500 every day.

What are things to avoid while pregnant?

• Do not smoke or drink alcohol - Babies born to smoking mothers are more likely to have a lower birth weight and are more likely to have learning difficulties compared to kids born to nonsmoking mothers. Also, children born to smoking mothers are more likely to try smoking at a younger age and become regular smokers later on due to physiologic nicotine addiction.

  Drinking alcohol, on the other hand, can have a significant impact on your baby's development. People who drink alcohol while pregnant may have a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Symptoms of FAS include - low birth weight, learning disabilities, behaviour problems and lagging patterns in terms of growth and development milestones. Even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful. There appears to be no safe amount of alcohol intake at any stage of pregnancy.

• Do not eat raw meat - You can get foodborne diseases such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis from raw or undercooked meat and eggs. Food poisoning is also an option. These diseases can result in significant, life-threatening illnesses, severe birth defects, and even miscarriage. Make sure that any eggs or meat you consume while pregnant are well cooked.

• Do not drink unpasteurised milk - Calcium is essential for growing babies, but mothers must take precautions when consuming dairy products. Because raw milk is unpasteurised and not recommended for pregnant women. This indicates that it has not been cooked to destroy microorganisms that could make you sick. Raw milk, in particular, may carry the bacteria Listeria. It has the potential to cause illness, miscarriage, or even death.

• Do not sit in a hot tub or sauna - The high-heat atmosphere of hot tubs, Jacuzzis, and saunas, while pleasant, maybe too harmful for pregnant women. In fact, using one of them during your first trimester may double your risk of miscarriage. Soaking in hot water raises body temperature,  which causes problems for the baby, including an increased risk of birth defects.

• Do not drink a lot of caffeine - Caffeine can cross the placenta and raise your baby's heart rate. According to current studies, women can safely take a cup or two of coffee each day, but avoid a triple-shot latte when pregnant.

Which fruits are good in pregnancy?

A nutritious, varied diet should be a part of your pregnancy food chart since the fetus will develop and grow as it should with the support of the required nutrients. Increased consumption of vitamins and minerals may help a pregnant woman keep her body in the best condition possible, in addition to helping the developing baby. Fresh fruit intake throughout pregnancy can help to maintain the health of the mother and the baby. It is a wonderful source of fibre and packed with the required vitamins and nutrients.

You can eat fruits like apricots, oranges, mangoes, pears, pomegranates, avocados, bananas, guava, grapes, lots of berries, apples and dried fruits. These fruits are rich in healthy carbohydrates, fibre, calcium, monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. They also contain essential nutrients like - calcium, iron, folate or folic acid, potassium, polyphenols, carotenoids, isoflavonoids, pectin, and vitamins A, C, K and D etc. Aim to eat at least five different portions of fruit and vegetables every day if you're pregnant. These nutrients can also aid in reducing common symptoms of pregnancy. Pregnant women should also limit their intake of dried fruits and fruit juices, which are higher in sugar and calories than fresh fruits.

What fruit is not good for pregnancy?

There isn't one specific fruit that pregnant women should stay away from. But one must understand the importance of portion control. If possible, buy organic fruit that hasn't been treated with synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. Because organic fertilisers can be harmful as well. Buying local is the best practice. However, remember that consuming non-organic fruit is still preferable to consuming none. Avoid eating any unwashed fruits or vegetables. A person should also avoid consuming any fresh-squeezed, unpasteurized juices and raw sprouts such as alfalfa, clover, radish and moong bean. The below guidelines can be followed to reduce your chance of eating bacteria or pesticide residue:

• You must wash the fruit thoroughly (even if it’s prewashed)

• Make sure to remove any bruised areas where bacteria may reside

• Drink only pasteurised or boiled fruit juice

• Avoid eating precut melons, or eat them immediately after you cut them

• Store fresh fruit in the refrigerator and keep them away from raw meat ^{1 2} 

Your pregnancy journey deserves the right care at the right time. Whether it’s your first trimester or you're unsure what’s safe to eat or do, don't guess. Speak to a certified doctor on Pinky Promise from the comfort of home.

References

1 - 11 Things to Do When You Find Out You’re Pregnant; From Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/11-things-to-do-when-you-find-out-youre-pregnant  ). Retrieved on 13.03.2023

2 - 17 Pregnancy Do’s and Don’ts That May Surprise You; From Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/dos-and-donts). Retrieved on 13.03.2023