Five Tips to Have a Healthy Pregnancy

Oh boy! You are pregnant. Not only are you pregnant, but you’ve also educated yourself about your options and you’ve chosen to place your baby for adoption. While you’re completing your adoption profile and carefully thinking about the adoptive parents, it’s equally important to have the healthiest pregnancy possible. Here are five tips to having a healthy pregnancy.

1. Go to all of your appointments with your medical provider

It’s not always easy to make all of your appointments, but it’s so important to have continuous care while you’re pregnant. Your body is going through crazy changes and nothing will feel normal for a while. Having a person who knows your pregnancy who can answer your questions and make you feel comfortable asking questions is reassuring beyond words. What’s more, after they assure you that craving almond milk for three months is normal, they can also screen you for potential complications that come up during the normal course of pregnancy and inform you of your options. They’ll also be able to advocate for you during delivery if you’ve specified a specific course in your birthing plan.

After you’ve made the choice to place your child for adoption, you can tell your medical provider and they will adjust their language and questions to your situation, and be a liaison between you and the adoptive parents in the hospital.

2. Eliminate Toxins

One of the most effective and important things to do to have a healthy pregnancy and baby is to eliminate the presence of toxins. The unholy trinity of pregnancy toxins are: smoking, alcohol consumption and drug use. Abnormal brain development, unhealthy birth weights and premature birth, along with other issues, can affect both you and your baby while you’re pregnant and using those substances. If you’re having trouble kicking any of those habits, have an honest conversation with your healthcare provider. They will give you both support and resources to help you.

It is also recommended that you eliminate or limit caffeine consumption, especially during your first trimester. If you can’t quit cold turkey, try stepping down caffeine consumption by consuming a little less every day. Once you reach your third trimester, your medical provider may give you the all clear to start drinking a little caffeine again. But if they don’t, try to remember that every pregnancy ends and you’ll be sipping that sweet sweet caffeine someday soon.

3. Eat a Balanced Diet and Take your Prenatal Vitamins

Eating is tricky for most women during the first trimester. Every woman is different and every pregnancy is different, so whether you’re craving chicken nuggets or cucumbers, try to have a varied and balanced diet. Prenatal vitamins are key during your pregnancy to help fill in some of the nutritional gaps your body may be rejecting. They’re also full of things like folic acid, which helps things like brain development and is hard to get enough of in a normal diet. Prenatal vitamins come in all shapes and sizes now so they are easier than ever to take and you can switch it up if one brand makes you queasy.

At your pregnancy confirmation appointment, your medical provider will likely provide you with a list of foods and medications to avoid during the course of your pregnancy. You can also consult your pharmacist, along with countless internet sources, if you come across a food or medication you have a question about. Again, try to remember that these alterations to your lifestyle are temporary and having a healthy pregnancy and child is worth the sacrifices you’ll make.

4. Exercise and Sleep

It’s generally accepted that exercise during pregnancy is healthy for both the baby and mother. You can get lost in the internet debates on how much exercise is too much exercise and people can get very heated about this topic. However, the most conventional advice is to avoid heavy lifting, walk daily and continue at whatever exercise level you’re already at until your body or doctor advises you to stop.

This means that if you’re a runner, continue to run until your body tells you to stop. However, if you’ve never been a runner, now is not the right time to train for a marathon; hang onto those running shoes a while longer. Of course, talk to your medical provider about what your normal routine looks like and let them guide you if they think something may be harming to you or the baby.

Sleep is absolutely essential to life but getting enough sleep during pregnancy is almost as tricky as eating. Most women find it hard to stay awake during their first trimester and hard to fall asleep in their third. If you’re worried about getting enough sleep, the best thing to do is follow general sleep advice such as: darken your room, avoid screens and stimulants before bed and make your room as comfortable a temperature as you can. If you’re really struggling to sleep, your medical provider may advise a supplement or prescribe you a medication to make sure you’re getting those recommended zzz’s.

5. Mental Health

During the course of a normal pregnancy, your body is producing hormones left and right and flooding your system with chemicals that will get you ready to give birth. Every woman and every body handles these changes and fluctuations differently. If you or someone close to you is concerned about your emotional well-being during your pregnancy, there’s no harm and no shame in asking for help. This is why having a good relationship with your medical provider is so essential. They can provide support during pregnancy and after delivery and give you resources to turn to for postpartum care.

Before making any big changes, remember to speak with your medical provider. If you have questions or concerns about your pregnancy, avoid late night internet searches and call the office in the morning.

Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. For information specific to Las Vegas, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Las Vegas. For information specific to Reno, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Reno. You can also call us to speak to someone now.
Contact Us 24/7: 855-940-4673(Toll-Free)| 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas)| 775-825-4673 (Reno)| 775-738-4673 (Elko)| 775-884-4673 (Carson City).

Meet the Author: Amy Pittman is a woman of average height. She is a wife, stepmom, mom, proponent of pet adoption, jack of all trades and master of none who refuses to take herself too seriously. She wrote “The Internet Thinks I’m Still Pregnant,” an essay about miscarriage, that was published by The New York Times. She graduated from Lewis-Clark State College in 2010 with a degree in creative writing and publishing. Her short story, “Barometer,” was published by The Talking River Review in 2011. 

In addition to wrangling three boys, ages ranging from 2-13, she works as a content writer, creator and Social Media Manager for LayerLair, a 3D printing company, and manages a side hustle peddling resume and cover letter writing services. Her book, Byways, is unfinished and mocks her from its home in the corner of her room.

If she’s not answering your phone call, she’s probably huddled in the bathtub, watching girl movies and hiding from all of the boys in her house. Please try to reach her again, but send a text; it’s weird to talk on the phone in the bathtub.