It is never too early to care for yourself during your pregnancy.
Here are some tips from the house of Tasty Heritage Signature:
Take care of your mental health
According to WHO:
Worldwide about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth experience a mental disorder, primarily depression. In developing countries this is even higher, i.e. 15.6% during pregnancy and 19.8% after child birth.
Mental illness is very real. Imagine, 1 out of 10 women are afflicted by it.
Pregnancy is an emotional journey. It is a great source of joy, and also a great source of anxiety. I will be the first to admit that not all emotions are considered good. Worry is common. This is especially so if it is your first pregnancy or an unplanned one.
To make matters worse, it might sometimes feel like there is no one in the world who understands what you are going through. But remember, you are not alone.
If you are feeling scared, nervous, alone, heavy breathing, stressed out for every tiny detail. These could be signs of something deeper going on.
If it persists, talk to someone about it. It is important to know when to reach out.
Take a break and breathe
Continuing from the previous point made. Make mindfulness a part of your daily living. What I mean is, having the time to slow down. Think, reflect, and decide how did what that has just happened made you feel. Often, I see my mothers running around, managing a million things. Yes, the house needs to be perfect. But not today You are more important.
A lot of adults, use their morning (when the sky is black, and the stars are bright) to plan for the next day. If the night before, you feel worn out, then waking up earlier for some 'Me Time' may be the best thing for yourself.
I myself take time in between breakfast and lunch. 11 am is my sweet self-time. Where I will slow down. Sit down. Be present, enjoy my surroundings and what I have accomplished in the morning.
It means the world to me to have this time to myself. For me, and my sanity.
Exercise regularly
During your pregnancy, it is important to move.
One of the best exercises that you can do is actually Walking. Gentle Walking can begin soon after you gave birth. You should start when you feel like it. Just walking around keeps the blood flowing gives me energy. Experts agree that pregnant women who exercise have less back pain, more energy, and a better body image.
Being well doesn't necessarily need fancy equipment. A simple workout should be observed. But for certain activities, it is definitely advisable to consult your doctor.
Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, protein & fiber
During pregnancy, the goal is to be eating nutritious foods most of the time. It is suggested to emphasize the following five food groups: fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and dairy products.
A good recommendation is to fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables, a quarter of it with whole grains and a quarter of it with a source of lean protein, and to also have some dairy product at every meal.
Take pre-natal vitamins
A pregnant woman needs more calcium, folic acid, iron and protein than a woman who is not expecting, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
Calcium:
This mineral is used to build a baby's bones and teeth. If a pregnant woman does not consume enough calcium, the mineral will be drawn from the mother's, which is stored in her bones and given to the baby to meet the extra demands of pregnancy, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Food sources: milk, yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified juices and foods, sardines or salmon with bones, some leafy greens.
Folic Acid:
is a B vitamin that is crucial in helping to prevent birth defects in the baby's brain and spinal cord, known as neural tube defects.
Food sources: leafy green vegetables, fortified or enriched cereals, bread and pasta, beans, citrus fruits.
Iron:
Pregnant women may need double the amount of iron needed by women who are not expecting. Additional amounts of the mineral are needed to make more blood to supply the baby with oxygen. Getting too little iron during pregnancy can lead to anemia, a condition resulting in fatigue and an increased risk of infections.
To increase the absorption of iron, include a good source of vitamin C at the same meal when eating iron-rich foods.
Food sources: meat, poultry, fish, beans and peas, iron-fortified cereal.
Protein:
More protein is needed during pregnancy, but most women don't have a problem getting enough protein-rich foods in their diets. Protein is like "a builder nutrient," because it helps to build important organs for the baby, such as the brain and heart.
Food sources: meat, poultry, fish, peas, eggs, nuts, tofu.
Drink lots of water
Ever wonder how pre-natal vitamins and the food you’re consuming every day are delivered to your fetus?
The answer is water.
It helps your body absorb essential nutrients and transports vitamins, minerals, and hormones to blood cells. It’s those nutrient-rich blood cells that ultimately reach your baby.
Drinking water also helps to preserve an ideal level of amniotic fluid and even helps fetal kidney function. It’s never a bad idea to assess the cleanliness of your drinking water, especially when you’re pregnant. Make sure that you’re drinking from a filtered source to avoid chemicals that could harm a fetus, such as lead, mercury, and arsenic.
Avoid raw food & limit caffeine
Avoid undercooked meat, especially sausages or minced meat. Be careful to cook them thoroughly so there’s no trace of blood. Why?
There is a risk of toxoplasmosis, a tiny parasite that lives in raw meat, soil and cat poo and can harm the baby.
Should pregnant people have caffeine? The most conservative recommendations are 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day. That’s about one 12-ounce cup of coffee or two and half shots of espresso.
But remember, there are other things that carry caffeine too, such as:
tea and coffee
cola and other soft drinks
chocolate
A can of cola has an estimated of 40mg of caffeine, a mug of tea has around 75mg, a bar of plain chocolate has around 50mg, a cup of instant coffee has around 100mg, a mug of filter coffee has around 140mg.
Having caffeine in your diet is okay. Just be sure to do so in moderation.
Check your weight (Weight guide in THS page)
The amount of weight you gain during pregnancy is important for the health of your pregnancy and for the long term health of your baby.
How much weight should you gain during pregnancy is based on your body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy. BMI is a measure of body fat calculated from weight and height.
THS has compiled this in our previous post that you can refer to:
