Pregnancy : Pregnancy: Making The Most Of Your Special Nine Months

Pregnancy: Making The Most Of Your Special Nine Months

Pregnancy is a very exciting time in your life. Even if millions of couples go through this experience, it is still new and exciting every time. You will probably have loads of questions, especially if you are experiencing your first pregnancy. Find the answers to many of those questions about pregnancy in the helpful article below.

Take prenatal vitamins as soon as you plan on getting pregnant. In the first trimester, your baby's neural cord is already developing. This eventually becomes the spinal cord and brain. Getting the right amount of calcium, iron and folic acid is important, starting at the beginning of conception.

Begin gently massaging your stomach starting near the end of the second trimester. Be sure to support your back with pillows when lying in bed or sitting on the couch. Apply some oil to your belly and rub it lightly. Avoid using lotion for this. Listen to music that's relaxing, and always be breathing deeply. Doing this will make you feel very relaxed, which will soothe your baby.

Sometimes pregnancy brings insomnia along for the ride. If you take magnesium supplements, it will relax and relieve your leg cramps that can disturb you at night.

A doula can be a great help when you are giving birth. A doula specializes in providing support to a pregnant woman. A doula is capable of providing advice for emotional concerns, and she may act as a spokesperson to make sure all of you birth requirements are respected.

Always go to the store to buy food after you have eaten. It is quite natural to desire foods that are not healthy when pregnant. Having a treat once in a while does no one any harm, but you need to ensure the bulk of your diet is made up of healthy, nutritious choices. When grocery shopping on a full stomach, you are more likely to purchase well thought out foods instead of items that appeal to you at the time.

Avoid caffeine when you are pregnant. Caffeine is a known cause of insomnia, and every pregnant women must get adequate rest. Nausea can often be dealt with by keeping crackers with you and nibbling them when you feel nausea starting. Eating healthy meals helps you sleep well.

Maternity clothing is important to a mother's comfort. A lot of women try to keep wearing their pre-pregnancy clothes, thinking that maternity clothes are an embarrassment. However, these clothes are specially designed to expand along with your body, so you will feel vastly more relaxed and content when wearing them.

To help ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy, take an HIV test. If it happens that your HIV test results are positive, you and your doctor will be better able to plan for your pregnancy and birth and the health of your newborn. In addition, a positive result will allow a woman to seek out doctors who have experience in dealing with HIV pregnancies.

For added comfort, pregnant women are often advised to wear sports bras. Sports bras support the breasts and lessen some aches and pains. In addition, your underwear should not be too tight around the waist. If you do, you could not only cause additional discomfort for yourself, but you could also decrease the oxygen supply for your baby.

Eat foods with plenty of protein during your pregnancy. This is an important nutrient for your baby to grow healthy, as well as being good for you. You can find proteins in hamburger, chicken, legumes, tofu and even sunflowers or pumpkin seeds.

Your partner and yourself should visit the doctor for a check-up, if you're planning to get pregnant. This will give you a chance to get any tests necessary before you start the process of becoming pregnant. You will also have a chance to speak with the doctor and find out the answers to anything that you are wondering about pregnancy.

If you are a cat owner, find a volunteer to take over changing the cat litter. Cat urine and feces contain chemicals which can cause you health problems and potentially cost you your pregnancy. If you have a husband or live-in boyfriend, he can change the litter while you are pregnant. If there is no one else around, see if a friend or relative can help out.

A common occurrence with pregnant women is morning sickness. There are many effective ways to deal with morning sickness to help you make it through, until it passes. Eat smaller meals instead of getting hungry. Drinking plenty of fluids will ease the nausea and keep you from becoming dehydrated. You should always eat when you are taking prenatal vitamins. If you do not feel good after eating a certain food, steer clear. Make sure you rest when you feel like you need it!

Maintain a pregnancy diary. Another meaningful gift for a child is a pregnancy journal kept by his parents. Write down everything, including your happy thoughts and what you hope for your child. This will make a very special gift someday.

On your very first visit to your doctor during pregnancy, you doctor will prescribe a prenatal vitamin. You need to take a prenatal vitamin every day. They supplement your diet, boosting levels of vitamins you might not be getting due to morning sickness or a lack of appetite, which will give your baby all the nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong.

When it comes to treating heartburn or nausea, it's best to rely on natural remedies. Many over-the-counter remedies for these ailments are not suitable for pregnant women and can cause all sorts of side effects. Talk to your physicians about natural remedies that will treat your ailment but won't harm your or your baby.

You have just read a lot of advise on being pregnant. You will probably find that everyone you know, and even some people you don't know, will give you advise whether you want it or not. Make sure to listen to your gut, and don't take any advise that seems to be harmful to you.