After months of trying and anticipation, you’re finally pregnant and about to fulfill a life-long dream. But, you’re also suddenly hearing all sorts of stories about the many things you’ll go through in the next nine months.
Here are 9 tips to help you get through the next 9 months.
Healthy Living Most Important
Although you’ll have all sorts of ideas and thoughts about what you want to do and what you need to do during this happy time, but living healthy is the most important thing you can do for both you and your baby.
Here are some tips to make this blessed time as easy and stress-free as possible.
See Your Doctor Regularly
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost one-third of the four million women who give birth each year will have some sort of pregnancy-related complication.
Seeing your doctor regularly allows your doctor to monitor your and the baby’s progress. Any possible complications are more likely to be detected early with good prenatal care.
Educate Yourself
Read as much as you possibly can about pregnancy, labor, deliver and childcare, particularly if you’re a new mom and possible uncertain about the process.
Whether it’s your local library or the Internet, which offers a wealth of pregnancy-related resources, educate yourself all you can. Sites like WebMD or KidsHealth are filled with helpful information.
Get a Prenatal Massage
With the approval of your doctor, you can have the green light to be treated to a massage designed to relieve stress and muscle pains of pregnancy.
According to Julietta Hernandez of Matrix Spa & Massage, massage therapy can greatly reduce the pains of pregnancy in all 3 trimesters. Back pain, cramps, and other kinds of tension, can be eliminated with a professional massage.
Get Plenty of Exercise
Pregnancy is a time when your body is going to feel differently and tire easily. Although many days you’ll want nothing more than to rest, it’s important that you get exercise. It will help you and the baby both during the pregnancy and during the labor and delivery.
Eat Right
There really is a basis for truth in the stories about eating for two. WebMD states that you should consume about 300 more calories per day while you’re pregnant. The key, however, is to eating healthy food that provides you and your baby with good nutrition without adding unnecessary weight.
The more unnecessary weight you gain, the harder it will be to lose after the birth and the harder it can make your labor and delivery
Join a Lamaze Class
Lamaze classes are important because they help you bond with other pregnant moms and teach your correct breathing techniques that will make the labor and delivery easier.
Find a Hobby
If you don’t have a favorite hobby, this is the perfect time to find one to keep your mind occupied and help pass the time waiting for the little one to arrive. It can also help you develop a craft that you may want to continue after you give birth.
Start a Journal
Keep a journal of your thoughts and your dreams because you’ll have plenty of both during the pregnancy. It’s also something you and your baby can share later in life.
Shop Early
The best thing I can say is to get your baby shopping done early in the pregnancy while you still have the energy. You’ll be hard-pressed to find the energy in your later trimesters!
