As an expecting mother, you should clearly understand how and in what matters you should take care of yourself and your baby.
You should know what you have to do to ensure the health and welfare of both and how delivery will be safe and normal.
Care of the expecting mother:
Medical check-up: As an expecting mother, you should register yourself in reputable clinic.
You should visit regularly according to the chosen time and inform the doctors about the progress of your pregnancy, health condition and all other details.
Rest and sleep: Expecting mother gets tired easily compared to normal women. As your delivery date comes nearer, you need longer periods of rest. As an expectant mother, you should sleep in such a way that your feet should be slightly higher than the rest of the body.
Clothing and footwear: As an expecting mother, you should wear clothes that allow you to move freely without inconvenience. You should give well support to your breasts. The foot wear you wear should be flat otherwise it will be difficult to balance.
Bathing: You have to bath regularly by scrubbing each part of the body well to ensure perfect cleanliness of the body. You should clean your genitals thoroughly with warm water. You should be very careful while sitting, standing or moving in the bathroom to avoid slipping.
Sexual intercourse: You can normally participate in sexual intercourse as it will be not harmful to either you or your baby. But, the last four weeks, you may have trouble in participating in sex. [Pregnant Sex]
If there is chance of miscarriage, your doctor suggests not participating in sex from the initial stages of pregnancy.
Travel: You can travel, but with certain precautions. You should have facility and enough space to get up and walk for every one hour while traveling. You can avoid traveling by air as far as possible.
Smoking: As an expecting mother, you should stop smoking before you plan for pregnancy. Babies born to women who smoke are generally smaller in size and light in weight. If you smoke, your delivery will not be easy and in some cases it can lead to miscarriage.
Nutrition: As an expecting mother, you should take good nutrition. Include B vitamins and folic acid which are necessary for cell growth and to prevent neural tube defects. You can get folate in fruits, whole grains, cereals and vegetables.
Calcium and vitamin D are important for development of bones. Iron is another necessary mineral because the levels of iron decrease due to the increase in blood volume during pregnancy.
Drinking alcohol: As an expecting mother, you have to avoid drinking alcohol. Baby developing in the womb of a woman who drinks may be defective in one way or other. The defects can be in the toes, fingers, heart and even faces. [Fetal Alcohol Syndrome]
The key for healthy pregnancy and delivery are, talking to your doctor regularly and maintaining the things that are necessary for your health.
