Ways to Stay Healthy During Pregnancy

6 Habits to Help You Stay Healthy When You’re Pregnant

Even before I got pregnant I had kick started a healthy lifestyle, by switching to healthy eating, regular exercising and had managed to lose a bit of weight. So, once I got pregnant, it was important for me to stay healthy during pregnancy also.

Even though cravings kicked in often and I gave in to them, overall, I tried to follow few ways of staying healthy during pregnancy – curated from online mommy forums, what my gynecologist advised and what I had been following pre-pregnancy.

These tips worked great for me and I felt amazing throughout my pregnancy.

Drink water stay healthy!

Drink a ton of water. I used to drink 4-5 liters of water every day. I would fill a one liter bottle and sit down in a cozy corner and finish drinking the whole lot. Drinking water will help keep at bay infections, and keep your body hydrated, of course. If you are not thirsty or dislike drinking so much water, try flavoring your water with fruits and lemon slices. You can invest in an infuser bottle and add fruits, mint leaves, lemon slices, or cucumber slices to flavor your water.

Get some movement

Even though I did not go to the gym once I got pregnant, I kept going to work every day which required me to walk a bit to reach office. Apart from this, every evening, I went out for a walk with the hubby and our doggo (hubby handled doggo, not me). I continued doing minimal exercises at home as well, under the guidance of my gynecologist. Staying active during your pregnancy will ensure a healthy pregnancy. Get an approval from your doctor on the amount of exercising you can do, and go for it.

Eat healthy

Yep, the first rule of a healthy pregnancy club! Like I said, I had already swapped a lot of junk food for healthy alternatives pre-pregnancy, so I just continued with that habit. I gave in to my cravings occasionally, but overall I tried to reduce my intake of refined sugar and refined flour, increased my intake of dry fruits, fruits, yoghurt, leafy greens and whole grains. I ate a lot of the following:

• Grains such as jowar/sorghum, bajra/pearl millet, mixed millets and foxtail millet
• Buckwheat or Kuttu
• Whole wheat pasta
• Lots of beans and lentils
• Paneer
• Soy milk and fortified cereals
• Snacked constantly on dry fruits like cashews, walnuts, pistachios and almonds
• Yoghurt mixed with muesli
• Broccoli
• Mixed seeds such as watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds

I am a vegetarian, so I did not eat any meat-based products, but in between all the ice-creams and chocolates and pizzas, I included lots of healthy food.

Take your vitamins and supplements

This is very important. Do not skip on your vitamins and medicines as prescribed by your gynecologist. Take your daily prenatal supplements and vitamins, because these will provide your baby with all the key ingredients he/she needs during your pregnancy and keep both of you healthy. These supplements will include folic acid tablets, calcium tablets and iron tablets.

Eliminate certain food items for a healthy pregnancy

Just like you are told to eat a lot of healthy food during your pregnancy, you will also need to completely cut out on certain food, since they can be harmful for your baby. Namely:

• Soft unpasteurized cheese
• Raw or undercooked meat and fish
• Sushi
• Raw or undercooked eggs
• Unpasteurized food items such as apple cider and milk
• Processed meat such as sausages, hot dogs and salami

You should also stay away from fish which are high in mercury, such as shark, king mackerel and tuna. Otherwise, fish is actually a good food choice for expectant mothers, since they provide the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

Get your sleep

It is very crucial to get enough sleep during your pregnancy. If you are like me, then eventually you may find it very difficult to sleep during the night. However, make up for it by sleeping as much as you can during the day. As your baby gets bigger, you will also find it very difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. Lying down on your side will probably be the easiest way to sleep and it will also be beneficial for your baby, especially if you sleep on your left side. Lying on your left side will help the blood flow to the placenta and to your baby.

SOME THINGS TO AVOID:

Here are some things you should avoid when pregnant:

• Alcohol
• Smoking/Nicotine
• High caffeine consumption
• Changing your cats litter box
• Taking medications without the consent of your doctor
• Stress – not easy, but definitely not impossible. Click Here to read all the things I unnecessarily worried about

Let us know if this helped and if you have certain do’s and don’ts for a healthy pregnancy.