Fitness and Nutrition Tips for Pregnant Women

It might be the most important time in your life. Carrying a new life inside you is both wonderful and frightening at the same time. Here are some tips to help you stay safe and healthy while pregnant.

There is a lot of advice that people will try to give you when you are pregnant. Some of the best advice will come from your doctor, and it concerns how you take care of your body and that of your unborn child.

Pregnancy Facts

Your caloric consumption will increase when you become pregnant. That new life is going through new growth phases every day and needs calories to fuel that growth. Moms are encouraged to eat more to help with this. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that you have to “eat for two” as many will tell you.

Your body will need nutrients that it may not have been getting previously. We have been through our developmental stage. For the child, a variety of vitamins and minerals are needed for proper organ function.

Fitness Tips

* Stay active – After the first trimester, you will be advised what exercises are no longer safe for you to perform. You may not be able to dance actively or do crunches, but you can participate in less vigorous but equally effective activities. Walking or swimming are both beneficial.

* Avoid strenuous activities – Lifting weights, high-impact aerobics and even riding a bike can be dangerous due to the changes in your body. The added weight of the baby can leave you unsteady at times. Any activity that depends on balance can be a danger to you and your baby.

* Avoid losing weight – It is not recommended that pregnant women lose weight. Engage in activity to keep the muscles strong; this aids in easier childbirth. If you find that you are losing weight, increase your calorie consumption.

Nutrition Tips

To make sure that mother is properly feeding baby and baby is growing at the right rate, here are a few nutritional guidelines.

* Take a multivitamin each day – A complete vitamin will contain all the vitamins needed for healthy brain and neurological functioning. This is important in the first trimester to help avoid many kinds of birth defects. Folic acid in particular needs to be included.

* Eat whole grains – These grains can lower cholesterol and help keep your blood sugar in check during pregnancy. Grains also help keep cravings at bay so you won’t feed that sweet tooth for the next nine months.

* Drink lots of water – Proper hydration can help with waste elimination for you and the baby. It can also help keep your skin healthy and firm.

Pregnancy can be both physically and emotionally life altering. Use the tips above to stay in shape and in good health as you carry your new life.