My Pregnancy Stages for All Your Pregnancy Questions

• Pregnancy Home
• Pregnant & Uninsured?
• Pregnancy Guides
• Pregnancy Conception
• Baby Guides +
• Partners

How to Ensure a Healthy Pregnancy

September 9th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

You took the home test and the tip of the stick turned pink right on schedule. Congratulations! Now that you know you are pregnant, you are shouldered with the very important task of ensuring that both you and your baby stay in top health for the next nine months. If this sounds easier said than done, relax. There are some simple tips that you can follow from that very first pregnancy symptom to keep you and your baby healthy and happy until the big due date arrives.

You are What You Eat

This may be true throughout life, but it is especially true during the months of pregnancy. Many women find that eating five or six small meals a day is much easier on an already stressed digestive system. Make sure you are loading up your plate with plenty of fresh produce and whole grains for the biggest bang for your nutritional buck. It is also important to take the prenatal vitamin that your doctor prescribes without fail, since the nutrients found in this simple pill will make all the difference in a healthy pregnancy. Don’t take any type of additional supplements, medications or herbal remedies without checking with your doctor first to ensure their safety.

The List of Don’ts During Pregnancy

Yes, there are a few things you should refrain from during those important nine months, both for your health and the safety of your baby. Smoking, drinking alcohol and taking street drugs are all prescriptions for disaster during pregnancy, since overuse of some of these substances can result in birth defects or a less than healthy newborn. It is also important that you never ride in or drive a car without your safety belt, since accidents can and do happen! It is also important not to overdo physical activity during this time; when your body tells you to stop and rest, listen to it by all means. It is a lot of work growing a baby inside your body, and the resources that it needs to do this job properly may not leave you with as much stamina for other things.

Take Care During Pregnancy

If there was ever a time to indulge in a little extra pampering and care, this is the time. Don’t skimp on your sleep during pregnancy, since your body needs sufficient rest to care for that little life inside. Take time to exercise, even if it is a moderately paced walk around the neighborhood at night. This will help to keep your body in shape during pregnancy and prepare it for the work of labor and delivery that lies ahead.

Pregnancy is a wonderful and exciting time, but it should also be a healthy time. By following these important tips, you can do plenty to help ensure that both you and your baby remain happy and healthy until the big birth day arrives.

The Best Diet for Pregnancy: Foods that should be in any Pregnant Woman’s Diet

September 9th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The key to any healthy pregnancy is a good diet.  You probably know that the best diet for pregnancy is low in fat and includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and lean meats.  Vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are very important for health during pregnancy and for your baby include but are not limited to iron, folic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and fiber.  In order to get these nutrients, we can take a prenatal supplement but most importantly, we need to eat well.  The best diet for pregnancy should include the following nutrient-rich, super-foods. 

Red Meats that Make the List

While the benefits of low fat meats like fish and poultry are praised, red meats often get a bad rap because their fat content has been linked to various health problems.  Eating lean cuts of red meat a couple times a week during pregnancy is a good idea however because they provide B-complex vitamins and important minerals like iron and zinc.  The best diet for pregnancy includes lean cuts of red meat like sirloin steak and pork tenderloin.  

The Three Bs: Beans, Broccoli and Berries

The best diet for pregnancy includes beans, broccoli and berries and here’s why.  Beans like chickpeas, lentils, and soybeans are packed with nutrients like iron, fiber, protein, calcium, and zinc.  Beans are a vegetarian pregnant woman’s best friend.  Berries supply a good dose of Vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and folate.  You can eat them in place of unhealthy, fat-laden desserts and pastries in order to satisfy that persistent sweet tooth.  Broccoli is a versatile vegetable that contains a wide range of nutrients including folate, lutein, fiber, and calcium. 

It’s All About Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are all the rage, especially for women who are expecting.  Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids promote brain development and vision in babies.  The best diet for pregnancy should include salmon, eggs with omega-3, and flax seeds, all of which will provide you with these famous fatty acids.  Chewing on a palm full of flax seeds is not tasty and no fun so in order to incorporate flax seeds into your diet, crush them and put them on salads, cereals, and oatmeal. 

Believe me.  Once you start adding these foods to your diet, you will notice a change in your general sense of well being.  If you make the effort to eat pregnancy super-foods and follow the best diet for pregnancy, you will feel better, look better, and contribute to the healthy development and birth of your baby.

Ovulation charts: What is it and how does it help in conceiving?

August 6th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

By Parent Wonder Editorial Team

Some women know exactly when they ovulate. Their periods come like clockwork, so they can assume that they ovulate around 14 days into their cycle. And then there’s the rest of us.

We have busy schedules and stressful lives. Being stressed and over weight or under weight can cause women to have fluctuating cycles. Many women have no idea when their periods will come because they have always had irregular menstruation.

Normal cycles can range too, with some women having normal cycles that come every 45 days or others who have shorter cycles and start a period every 21 days. Most of us don’t really worry about this irregularity, until it comes time to start trying to conceive. How can you predict your ovulation, if you can’t even predict your period?

Ovulation charts are good for people who like to live with a schedule and like to stick to it.  In order to make an ovulation chart, all you will need is a basil thermometer. These are inexpensive and easy to find at any drug store. This thermometer shows minute changes in your body temperature. Begin taking your temperature daily from the first day of your period. Make sure to take your temperature right when you wake up in the morning, and try to take it around the same time everyday, as this will make for a more accurate reading.

Doctors also recommend that you check your cervical mucus everyday. When you ovulate you should notice a clear mucus and a sudden upswing in your temperature reading. By charting your temperature and mucus you can see a pattern of when you might ovulate each month. If your ovulations are widely varied each month, you can still start to tell when you might be fertile by learning to notice the changes in your body (mucus change, slight cramping).  When you notice these changes and see the temperature rise on the basil thermometer, have intercourse!

If you have problems with noticing a temperature change or if your temperature is varied because you are often sick, there are ovulation kits to buy. These can be expensive and unpredictable.  Doctors warn that even if you do ovulate, you must also have the clear mucus present to conceive.  They suggest charting is much more accurate and less expensive.

For more articles on pregnancy and parenting, you’re invited to visit Parent Wonder.
 

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Copyright © 2008 My Pregnancy Stages for All Your Pregnancy Questions