Birth is a special, incomparable act, and should be treated with as much caution and passion as possible. There are a lot of things that can become a problem during pregnancy, so preparedness and caution are the names of the game. When it’s your first pregnancy, however, it can be difficult to know exactly where to start. To help guide you on this amazing journey, here is a useful guide that covers eight ways to prepare your body for a healthy, safe, and memorable birth:
Keeping your body ready to handle infections, birth development, and other health factors is critical when you’re pregnant. Taking vitamins, especially folic acid, will ensure your body is in tip-top shape. Prenatal vitamins are often made to give the vitamins pregnant people need specifically, so be sure to look into them when you’re shopping for vitamins to support you during your pregnancy.
2. Understand Your Fertility Window
Knowing your menstrual cycle, and how it affects your body, is important when you’re preparing to become pregnant. Additionally, after you’ve become pregnant, you should discuss with your doctor what you should watch out for regarding menstruation as the pregnancy develops. Doing so will ensure you stay safe, and catch any potential health complications early on before they seriously affect your pregnancy. This step is critical to avoid any instances where you or your baby get hurt in the process of giving birth.
3. Get Regular Health Check-Ups
Speaking of checkups, you should have at least monthly check-ups to ensure you and your child’s health is in optimal shape. If you discover issues, these check-ups will ensure they can be treated in a vigorous, immediate manner. There are a lot of issues to go over and check for, so trust your doctors during this process, and follow any health guidelines they assign to you during your pregnancy.
Exercising is not out of your reach just because you’re pregnant. Doing safe, appropriate exercises will benefit you during pregnancy, and greatly strengthen your child’s development as well. However, consulting a doctor about what exercises (and exercise techniques) are right for you during your pregnancy is incredibly important and will keep you safe while you keep your body in shape.
Healthy diets will ensure you do get ill or experience complications during your pregnancy. The mixture of a healthy diet and vitamins will be especially important for feeling your best during the many complications and brief illnesses that can happen during a pregnancy. Do a fantastic job of eating plenty of leafy greens, and taking in the larger amount of calories you’ll need to keep your body, and your child’s body, in a healthy, strong state.
If you’re constantly stressed during your pregnancy, keeping healthy habits in your day-to-day life will become incredibly difficult. Additionally, this can lead to high blood pressure levels which can be especially dangerous during your actual birth. Finding ways to keep yourself healthy and relaxed during pregnancy will be one of your greatest challenges, so be sure to take this step especially seriously.
While this step seems obvious, it’s incredibly important to avoid serious birth complications. If you’re a smoker, or regularly drink or use other substances, cutting them out during the pregnancy will ensure both you and your child are healthy. If you’re struggling to cut down, joining a support group or seeking medication that will decrease your cravings is one of the healthiest steps you can take.
Lastly, you should have the details of your birth plan completely memorized. You never know when your water might break suddenly and unexpectedly after all. Be sure to have the key helpers in your birth plan ready to go at a moment’s notice and you’ll be much, much safer when it comes time to give birth. Doing so will keep your special day more comfortable and successful, so be sure to take this step in a deadly serious manner.
Your Pregnancy Means the World to You
We know that your pregnancy can be a stressful and difficult time. However, the miracle you’re going through will be something that you’ll treasure for the rest of your life, so being as prepared as humanly possible becomes an absolute must. By following these eight steps, you’ll be that much more likely to be fully prepared not only during your birth but in the months leading up to your special day as well.