Necessities of a Pregnant Woman
Whether this is your first or fourth pregnancy, you know being pregnant is a beautiful journey accompanied by aches, pains, and sudden life changes. Often, expectant mothers think they need an arsenal of assistance during their pregnancy. The truth is, apart from a healthy diet and lifestyle, only a few other essentials are necessary for you and your baby.
What Makes the First Trimester Different?
During the first trimester, your body begins to undergo many exciting and often uncomfortable changes. We’ve all heard of the dreaded morning sickness that can actually attack at any time of the day or night. Morning sickness could be due to the increased level of hormones pumping throughout your body during the first trimester. A great way to combat morning sickness is to eat a well-balanced diet. Eating correctly will help you to avoid having an empty stomach. You may also experience tender, swollen breasts and a feeling of overall tiredness.
Another change that may occur during the first trimester is incontinence or the loss of bladder control. This can be caused by the growing uterus pressing on the bladder or by hormonal changes. To manage incontinence, it may be helpful to wear appropriate incontinence products, which can provide reliable protection against leaks and help you feel more comfortable and confident throughout the day.
During your first of three trimesters, you can support a healthy pregnancy in many ways. These first few weeks are often especially hard for moms-to-be. Taking the proper health precautions will support you and your baby’s health!
Ultrasounds
An ultrasound or early pregnancy scan is an important tool for evaluating the health of the baby during early pregnancy. Early ultrasounds will help confirm pregnancy and determine if the pregnancy is viable. Best of all, these helpful scans give moms a first glimpse at their babies.
This method will help to rule out ectopic pregnancies. These pregnancies happen when a fetus does not correctly attach to the uterus and instead gets stuck in the fallopian tube. Ectopic pregnancies can be hazardous for women and are crucial to monitor in most cases.
Ultrasounds allow for ectopic pregnancies to be discovered when they otherwise may be unapparent.
Prenatal Vitamins
Just like any other time, vitamins are essential during your pregnancy journey. Prenatal vitamins contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals your body will need to grow a healthy baby. Doctors recommend that women begin taking prenatal vitamins while trying to conceive. A prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid aids your baby’s development and decreases the risk of developing conditions like spina bifida.
You can choose from prenatal vitamins at your local drugstore or talk to your healthcare provider for a prenatal prescription suited to your pregnancy needs.
Gentle Toothbrush
Those lovely pregnancy hormones can also cause sore, bleeding gums. More than half of all pregnant women experience pregnancy-induced gingivitis, a condition that causes the gums to become inflamed, red, and tender. Switching to a soft toothbrush can help limit the unwanted effects of this condition.
The best way to treat pregnancy-induced gingivitis is by switching to a soft, gentle toothbrush and maintaining good oral hygiene. Good oral hygiene includes brushing your teeth twice daily, flossing regularly, and even gargling with salt water to help remove plaque buildup.
Water
Hydration is crucial to a healthy life and a healthy pregnancy. While the average adult needs to drink eight cups of water, a pregnant woman should drink ten!
When you are pregnant, the volume of your blood expands; for your body to do this, it needs plenty of water. It is especially important to remain hydrated if you are experiencing morning sickness. Pregnant women must replenish the fluids they are losing to stay healthy. Overall, hydration will help you to feel better throughout your pregnancy.
Supportive Pillow
Doctors advise pregnant women against sleeping on their backs, as this risks restricting the blood vessels that support the baby. Of course, sleeping on your tummy only works for so long. With a changing body, finding a comfortable position to sleep in can be extremely difficult.
Pregnancy body pillows are great for extra hip, back, and leg support. These pillows also help to reduce the pressure that is placed on your joints as you sleep. These pillows are usually long and thin and can be repositioned throughout your pregnancy to support your sleep best. While these pillows are lovely during your first trimester, they will become increasingly needed during your second and third trimesters.
When you Take Care of Your Body, you are Taking Care of Your Baby
You may experience a wave of feelings and emotions when you find out you are expecting. While pregnancy is exciting, it can also be highly uncomfortable. Getting regular ultrasounds, enough water and vitamins, and switching to a gentle toothbrush and supportive pillow can help you have a healthier and happier pregnancy!
Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash