How to Stay Fit and Healthy During Pregnancy: Your Essential Checklist

1. Include Nutrient-Rich Food in Your Diet

Your diet during pregnancy plays an extremely crucial role in shaping your baby and in paving the path to a healthy pregnancy journey. According to research studies, a healthy and balanced diet can ensure your and your baby’s well-being in every aspect (1).

It is important to supplement your diet with the right amounts of calcium, protein, vitamin C, folate, and other essential nutrients that can aid in your baby’s healthy development. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) helps in the absorption of iron into the body (2) and keeps you away from the risk of anemia during pregnancy.

Include whole grains, fruits, and green leafy vegetables in your diet. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor about the foods to avoid during pregnancy. Preparing a proper diet chart can help you stick to a healthy routine throughout your pregnancy. 

2. Don’t Forget on Your Prenatal Vitamins and Supplements

Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet will help you get all the minerals and vitamins that you need while pregnant. However, extra supplements can help support your body as well as the baby’s growth and development (3). A research study states that taking folic acid supplements before and after conception can help significantly reduce the risk of neural tube defects in babies (4).

[Read : Folic Acid – The Friend From Day One]

3. Set an Exercise Routine

Try to keep your body active and healthy by doing light exercise while pregnant. This will help you adapt to your changing body shape and make it easier during delivery. Take your doctor’s advice and move around during pregnancy. 

You may consider attending pregnancy-specific classes, such as pregnancy yoga (5), or sticking to your normal exercise routine. Swimming can comparatively decrease the risks of preterm birth and congenital abnormalities (6). Always make sure that any exercises and stretches are safe. Don’t exhaust yourself and don’t push yourself to take on too much.

[Read : Prenatal Yoga Classes]

4. Check-Ins With Your Dentist

Pregnancy can have an adverse effect on your teeth and gums (7). This includes increased plaque and swollen gums. For this reason, it’s important to maintain regular dental hygiene checks.

Schedule an appointment today to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout pregnancy. Be sure to let your dentist know that you are pregnant. They can discuss with you the treatments that they can and cannot provide during your pregnancy.

5. Keep Yourself Hydrated

When you are pregnant, your blood volume increases by around 50% to supply essential nutrients and oxygen to your baby as well as you. You need to drink more water to support this increased blood gain and activity. This will definitely help you stay fit and healthy during pregnancy (8).

Try to drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day to stay properly hydrated. Drinking enough water can help lessen other uncomfortable pregnancy side effects, including constipation, headaches, fatigue, and swelling.

6. Stay Protected From the Sun

When you’re pregnant, your skin is more susceptible to damage (9). You are more likely to get sunburn as well as chloasma (dark, blotchy patches of skin on the face).

If you’re heading out for a day in the sun, be sure to use sunscreen (10) with an SPF of at least 30. You may consider swapping to a daily moisturizer that contains SPF.

7. Check Your Medication

It’s important to check that any medication that you’re taking is safe for your baby – so ask your doctor or midwife. If you need to take pain relief at any point during pregnancy, you should also check with a health professional. 

8. Rethink Your Spa Treatments

Relaxation and pampering are great to help you de-stress when pregnant. You just need to be careful with the treatments and activities you choose. Some can be unsafe for you and your baby.

Hot tubs and saunas come with the risk of overheating and can be harmful to your baby (11). You should also avoid massages around your bump and lower back. If you’re heading to the spa, make sure that they know that you’re pregnant.

9. Unwind And Relax

Staying positive and being affirmative can help in the better development of your baby. Studies show that self-affirmations can help alleviate stress and anxiety during pregnancy (12). Work on practicing meditation, it can have a lasting impact on your mental wellness, which eventually contributes to making a healthy and happy baby. 

[Read : Meditation During Pregnancy]

10. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

Finally, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for advice or help. If in doubt about any health issue, always contact a medical professional. If you experience any worrying symptoms, call your doctor right away. 

Pregnancy is a precious time, and your physical and mental health plays a great role in shaping your little bundle of joy. Try to adapt these tips in your daily routine to have a healthy and peaceful pregnancy journey. 

FAQ’s

1. How Can I Stay Healthy Throughout The Pregnancy?

It is important not to neglect nutrition when you are pregnant. Nutrition and supplements play a vital role in shaping a healthy baby. Hence, concentrate on indulging in healthy cravings, maintain a proper diet chart, and never forget about your vitamins and supplements. 

2. Can I Exercise During Pregnancy?

Exercising is a great way of maintaining a healthy mind and body. However, there are some restrictions when it comes to certain exercises during pregnancy. Make sure to consult your doctor before you continue your exercise routine or if you are starting any new exercise. 

3. Does Yoga Help in Calming Pregnancy Anxiety and Stress?

Prenatal yoga is a proven way to reduce anxiety levels in pregnant women (13). Practicing it in the right way can also help alleviate the fears of labor and delivery. 

References

1. The importance of nutrition in pregnancy and lactation: lifelong consequences – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9182711/]
2. The role of vitamin C in iron absorption – [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2507689/]
3. Evidence-based recommendations for an optimal prenatal supplement for women in the US: vitamins and related nutrients – [https://mhnpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40748-022-00139-9]
4. Folic Acid Supplementation and Pregnancy: More Than Just Neural Tube Defect Prevention – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3218540/]
5. Prenatal Yoga – The Right Choice For Mother And Baby – [https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1088&context=honorsprojects#:~:text=Practicing%20yoga%20(including%20physical%20postures,growth%20retardation%2C%20and%20pregnancy%2Dinduced]
6. Is swimming during pregnancy a safe exercise? – [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20110815/]  
7. Oral care in pregnancy – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6883753/]
8. Nutrition Column An Update on Water Needs during Pregnancy and Beyond – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595116/]
9. A clinical study of cutaneous changes in pregnancy – [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210600616300041]
10. Safety of skin care products during pregnancy –
    [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114665/]
11. Risk of hyperthermia associated with hot tub or spa use by pregnant women – [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6795433_Risk_of_hyperthermia_associated_with_hot_tub_or_spa_use_by_pregnant_women]
12. The Impact of Self-Affirmation Towards Stress and Anxiety Levels of Pregnant Women – [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351312939_The_Impact_of_Self_-Affirmation_Towards_Stress_and_Anxiety_Levels_of_Pregnant_Women]
13. The characteristics and effectiveness of pregnancy yoga interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8957136/]

Read Also: Top 50 Positive Affirmations For Healthy And Peaceful Pregnancy