Have you finally gotten pregnant after months of trying, or maybe you are become period pregnant? Whether you have conceived with intent, or by accident, it is now time to start caring for your body. Staying healthy during pregnancy is extremely important both for your own health and the health of your baby.
Your first order of business when you think you may be pregnant is to schedule a prenatal care visit with your doctor. Your first trip may consist of blood work. Your doctor or other health care provider may ask you when the date of your last period was in order to estimate how old the baby is as well as the date of the delivery.
For the most part if you are in good health, you will be expected to schedule a visit to your physician’s office every 4 weeks until your trimester. Once you have reached the final stretch in your pregnancy, you should see your physician every 2 weeks. At 36 weeks, you need to see your doctor on a weekly basis.
Staying healthy is important even when you’re not pregnant. It becomes even more important when you are carrying a baby. Do not think about cutting calories while you are pregnant, or going on a diet. This will harm your baby, because you will be depriving the unborn child of vital nutrients the baby needs to grow.
A normal sized woman will most likely be required to increase her caloric intake by 300 calories. However, your personal circumstance will impact how many calories you have to increase. Overweight women may be required to increase their calories but not as much as a woman of regular size. Check with your doctor.
Important muscle growth and support for the baby is needed by sufficient amounts of calcium. Most of the time women do not get enough calories to begin with, but this is even more important while pregnant. Eat foods that are high in calcium such as dark green veggies and low-fat dairy products. Ask your doctor for supplemental vitamins.
Start taking care of yourself as early as possibly. If you are trying to get pregnant adopt healthier eating and living habits. If you are an already healthy person this should be no problem. On the other hand, if you are prone to unhealthy habits and want to conceive you need to think seriously about these habits. Remember, while pregnant you are no longer only responsible for yourself, but also for the health of the baby growing inside.
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