How to stay healthy in pregnancy

There are some questions that all parents-to-be ask. How can I stay as healthy as possible throughout pregnancy? How will my actions affect my baby? What changes can I expect and how can I best deal with them? What is a healthy diet? what about exercise during pregnancy? What else should I be doing? ... and the list goes on! Here are just a few helpful tips on staying healthy in your pregnancy...

You now have another little person who is relying on you for nourishment. By following some simple dietry guidelines, you can ensure that your baby has the best possible start to life.

• You need around 500 extra calories a day - although you may feel like more!
• Eat according to your appetite, and try to have a balanced diet.

Exercise in pregnancy can be thought of as training for the marathon of labour!

• How well you cope with labour may largely depend on fit you are and how much exercise you have had during pregnancy.
• Women who exercise during pregnancy have babies who are better able to cope with the rigours of childbirth and adapt better to life outside the womb when they are born.
• Don't start an intensive new exercise regime at this time. If you're already used to exercising regularly it should be safe to carry on - once you've checked with your doctor or midwife. If you have a history of miscarriage always seek medical advice before exercising.
• Exercise can help alleviate constipation and improve circulation, reducing the risk of varicose veins.
• Better muscle tone and awareness will improve posture and prevent or relieve backache.
• Exercise may even stimulate placental growth and so enhance the overall griowth of your baby.

During this busy and demanding time, women often worry about things they should or shouldn't be doing. Few of us are going to get it right all of the time - actually none of us! But provided you can follow some simple do's and don't's - at least for some of the time - you and your baby will feel a lot better for it.

• Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. It will help you avoid dry skin, constipation and urinary tract infections.
• Rest whenever you can and practise relaxation skills - they will be useful during labour.
• Sign up for antenatal classes - you will learn more, feel more confident, and make new friends who are in the same situation as you.
• Don't diet! Weight gain is normal and healthy - eat sensibly.

Eight out of ten women suffer with pregnancy sickness to some extent and to varying levels of severity. Although commonly referred to as morning sickness, it can occur at any time of the day. The nausea and sickness is caused by fluctuating hormonal and blood sugar levels. For most women, the symptoms disappear by around the 14th week of pregnancy, when the placenta takes over production of some hormones. For an unlucky few, sickness persists past 14 weeks and, more rarely, throughout pregnancy.

Help! I'm having a Baby - the complete video - dvd guide to being pregnant, easing childbirth & caring for a new baby is packed full of useful hints and tips on staying healthy in pregnancy. The programme covers...

• What happens at your first antenatal visit?
• What tests will you have and why?
• Diet and exercise in pregnancy
• How your baby develops and your bady changes
• How to ease sickness, constipation & heartburn

...& much much more!

And for even more useful information - Help I'm having a Baby - The Book. Presented in a uniquely user-friendly format, it has the 1000 most important facts and answers to your questions.

GET WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW - WHEN YOU WANT TO KNOW IT!

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