Women go through many different difficulties during pregnancy, naturally so as their bodies go through so many changes. It’s common to have nausea, dizziness, and morning sickness. For others, these are so severe that pregnancy becomes a difficult and unpleasant experience, particularly during the first few months. Then, as your belly starts to grow along with your baby inside, you may also go through some more physical difficulties.
If you’re one of these women, then the best thing that you can do is to learn how to cope with these symptoms and prevent them from occurring frequently. Rather than focus on the negatives, focus on the positive side of it all: you’re carrying life inside of you. Eventually, all the hardships will be worth it when you come face-to-face with your little one. More so, your pregnancy doesn’t always have to be difficult. There are little things you can do to ensure a more enjoyable experience.
If you’re wondering how to have a better pregnancy, then continue reading this article.
1. Avoid Alcohol Intake
Alcohol should definitely be avoided while you’re pregnant. Avoiding this brings in positive effects not only to you, but to the baby that’s developing inside you. Most importantly, alcohol intake can lead to serious birth defects. You don’t want to be held responsible for this negligence towards your little one.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy may lead to detrimental problems, such as:
- Low birth weight
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Stillbirth
- Miscarriage
2. Take Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are very important for a healthier and better pregnancy. But, never self-medicate. These are something that must be prescribed by your specialist obstetrician, depending on your needs. Your OB-GYN will do a full check on you to see if there’s any area that needs boosting with the proper vitamins.
Prenatal vitamins benefit not just you, but also your growing baby. The first trimester is when your baby’s spinal cord starts to develop. So, you need to nourish it with the right balance of essential nutrients that can be supplied by your vitamins. These include iron, calcium, and folic acid.
3. Reduce Stress
Throughout your pregnancy, it’s very important for you to avoid stress whenever you can. It’s the best time for you to just take it easy and slow. Preparing for a baby in itself is already stressful, but there’s no time for negative emotions, not now when your hormones are also constantly changing.
Every expectant mother has their own way of dealing with stress, so you’ve got to find the one that works for you. For instance, you may want to go for yoga or meditation. These can help you relax and calm your mind.
Here are some other ways to relieve stress during pregnancy:
- Sleep, sleep, sleep
- Listen to positive audio books or podcasts
- Talk to friends and other expectant mothers, who can be a part of your support group.
4. Get Regular Exercise
While strenuous and difficult exercises aren’t recommended while you’re pregnant, you still have to get your body moving. There are so many light exercises suited for pregnant women, varying in each stage of your pregnancy.
Some of these exercises include walking, running, swimming, or bicycling. But, remember this: to keep you and your baby safe all the time, don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated. Listen to your body when it tells you you’re tired.
Exercising during your pregnancy has so many benefits, including:
- It may reduce the risk of having a C-section
- It reduces bloating, swelling, and back pain
- It can lower the risk of gestational diabetes
- It improves your energy levels and mood
- It enables you to sleep better
5. Keep Your Diet In Check
Most importantly, you have to be very mindful about your diet. In fact, having an ideal weight is very important. Keep in mind that pregnant women need proper nutrition to ensure that they carry their babies to full term.
Keeping your diet in check also lowers the possibility of getting overweight. While weight gain is normal during pregnancy, you wouldn’t want this to be excessive. Otherwise, you could be putting yourself at risk of a difficult birthing experience. Shedding off all the excess weight will also be more difficult after you’ve given birth.
Most importantly, you’ve got to feed your growing baby with healthy food. Don’t snack on chips, soda, and sweets. Be sure you give yourself a healthy serving of fruits and vegetables every day.
Conclusion
Pregnancy isn’t an easy process. But, it’s a magical once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be nurturing life inside of you. A good and pleasant pregnancy means a healthy one, and there’s so much you can do to contribute to the pursuit of making it a better experience. It’s not as difficult as it seems. All you need to do is to start doing everything mentioned above. This will not only help you cope with the pregnancy itself, but you’ll also achieve a healthier and happier life with your new bundle of joy.