Consider hiring a midwife to help you through the process of labor and to advocate for you in the hospital. A good midwife has training and experience in a variety of birthing situations, and can help you find comfortable positions for labor, encourage you and your partner, and support you in the immediate postpartum period.
Lack of pre-natal care during pregnancy is the number one cause of complications or death in newborns born to teen mothers. The need for vitamins, health checkups, screening for birth defects as well as other health concerns is important to the health of both mother and baby. Be smart, get pre-natal care for both of you!
Remove any rings that you have. Your fingers will swell if it is hot during your pregnancy and the last thing you want is a ring that won’t come off that they have to cut off. It is also important to remove any belly button piercing, so that you don’t get any rips or tears.
Feelings of depression or anxiety are quite common during pregnancy. With hormones rising and falling all the time, stress from the pregnancy, as well as, other issues that come up, it is no wonder that we can sometimes feel blue. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor, if you think that it’s not getting better with time.
To ensure the optimal health of your baby and yourself during pregnancy, it is wise to obtain regular prenatal care. This is best provided by an obstetrician who is a specialist in the care of the mother during pregnancy and who also delivers the baby when the time comes to do so.
Shortness of breath is common as women progress in their pregnancy. The baby grows and compresses the diaphragm, so there is less room to breathe. To help with this do some pelvic tilts and light stretching. Also, sleeping sitting up works well for some women as it relieves some of the pressure and allows them to breathe more freely.
Incorporate safe exercise activities into your daily routine. Exercise is crucial to helping pregnant women feel better, sleep better, and control their weight. Consider engaging in exercises like yoga, swimming, and walking. Always ask your doctor before beginning any type of exercise program to make sure it is safe for your unique situation.
If you start feeling cramps, you should get a big glass of water and drink it. Take a break from what you are doing and try to lay down and relax. Dehydration and stress can help bring on cramping and taking this action can help them stop. If, however, they do not stop after doing this, you might want to contact your doctor.
It is not a good idea for pregnant women to consume large amounts of coffee. There have been studies that have linked the caffeine in coffee to low infant birth weight. There have also been studies that shows links between the caffeine consumed by pregnant women and attention deficit disorder in their children.
Work in a balanced exercise program consisting of mild aerobic exercise and resistance training during your pregnancy. For the aerobic exercise try walking, swimming or some low impact aerobic classes. For resistance exercise, try a pregnancy pilates class or use resistance bands for stretches. Try to keep your routine to 20 to 30 minutes no more than 4 times a week.
Switch into your maternity clothing as early as possible. Most women want to put it off as long as possible but they don’t realize one important fact. Maternity clothes are extremely comfortable. As your body goes through changes, it becomes more sensitive and your regular clothes will get more and more uncomfortable. Make the switch and give your body a break.
It makes no difference whether you are having one baby, twins, or even triplets. Chances are good that you are going to experience a great deal of change over the next few months. Remember the foregoing pregnancy information as you start to notice exciting differences in the way you look, act, and feel as you prepare for the birth of your baby.
