Keys to a Healthy Pregnancy in 2019

At Women’s Health Medical Group, we’re all about women. And for many women, there’s nothing bigger in life than pregnancy and childbirth. We’re with you every step of the way from fertility issues to pregnancy to delivery. Toward that end, here are some tips for a successful pregnancy. Many of them involve planning ahead of your pregnancy, but, of course, if your pregnancy is a surprise most of them still apply.

Prepare for your pregnancy—Maybe you’re a planner, maybe not. You still should bone up on information on what’s to come and on things to do to protect your health and the health of your baby during gestation. Part of that planning should be losing any extra weight before becoming pregnant. By doing that, you’ll increase the chances of getting down to or near your ideal weight sooner after birth. Plus, obese pregnant women have a much high risk of complications.

Continue to exercise while pregnant—As long as your exercise isn’t high risk for a miscarriage or other issue, there’s no reason you can’t keep doing it as far into term as you can comfortably.

You need extra calories, but make them healthy ones—Yes, moms-to-be need an extra 300 calories per day. But, unlike the movies, they don’t need to be ice cream and donuts. The best source of added calories is pure, lean protein. It can be tempting to finally be able to eat anything you want, but it will just be more difficult to take off the extra pounds later.

Stop smoking and drinking—Smoking and drinking while pregnant can cause irreversible damage to the fetus, so you need to quit them. No exceptions

Increase your water intake—Progesterone causes water retention and bloating during pregnancy. And, while this may seem counterintuitive, you need to drink more water to fight the bloating.

Get your sleep—Pregnancy is hard work on your body. It needs its rest. Plus, once the baby comes, sleep will be hard to come by. Pregnant moms should sleep between six and eight hours every night, catching additional sleep in naps during the day.

Keep all of your prenatal care visits—When you come to our offices and you breeze through your appointments, they may seem superfluous, but by our checking the urine and heartbeat, we can keep an eye on both of you. Plus, we’ll catch a sudden spike in hormone levels that can signal a problem.

Don’t stop your other preventive appointments—Don’t neglect the dentist or eye doctor when you’re pregnant. Your care is just as important as the baby’s

A vitamin a day—Prenatal vitamins are important for both mom and baby. Take them religiously, probably at the same time every day.

You’ll also have lots of questions and concerns during your pregnancy. We’re here for you as a sounding board, so use the team at Women’s Health Medical Group to answer your questions and certainly any concerns you may have. Call us at (817) 346-5336 with any questions or to make an appointment.