Why Lifestyle Changes During Pregnancy?

Prenatal

oi-Amrisha Sharma

By Amrisha Sharma

Thursday, June 30, 2011, 18:03

When a woman plans pregnancy, it is usual for her to develop motivation to look after her body for the baby. Lifestyle changes during pregnancy becomes a necessity for a safe delivery. This generally includes giving up some of your favorite likes to assist your body for nurturing the baby and protect it from developing birth defects.

Here are few important pregnancy health lifestyle changes which an expecting woman needs to follow for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby:

Stay Fit
Exercise helps in getting pregnant and reduce stress, relieves aches, tones muscles and increases cardiovascular functions among pregnant women. Exercise also helps in maintaining body weight which increases during pregnancy. Consult your gynecologist before starting to work out. Low impact exercises like swimming, walking are simple exercises for pregnant woman.

Eradicate Stress
Pregnancy health lifestyle changes must remove stress. Try to erase stress from your mind and whenever it comes, just think about the baby growing inside you and see the mood change instantly! If you feel stressed or depressed and can't eradicate then take lessons to help reduce it. Share your worries with your closed ones like friends or husband to make yourself feel light. Being optimistic reduces the chances of low birth weight.

Rest
Avoid long distance travels but if it is a necessity then ask travel guidelines from your doctor. Lifestyle changes during pregnancy when it comes to travel and rest. Reduce traveling for the good of the pregnant woman and baby. Know about the emergency care facilities before visiting the place. It is recommended to wear safety or lap belts to feel light body weight. Stretch or walk after every 1/2-2 hours. Always carry water and chocolates to avoid dizziness. Take snacks and wear comfortable dress to escape from entangling your legs.

Quit
Leave the bad habits like smoking, drinking before planning pregnancy . Drinking or smoking even in small amounts can pose a great threat to the fetus. High levels of ethanol in alcohol kill nerve cells in fetus's brain and cause birth defects like mental retardation.
Smoking leads to miscarriage, bleeding, low birth weight and premature delivery. If you are planning pregnancy then it is safer to quit consumption of nicotine and alcohol.

These lifestyle changes during pregnancy will help the woman have a healthy delivery and a healthy baby free from birth defects.