For healthy baby and mother to be

Early care pregnancy tips

Self-education, motivation, support, and tips

By
Dr. Varshali Mali
MBBS, DNB (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Diploma in Gynecological Endoscopy – Germany

www.drvarshaliclinic.com

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 “Being a mother” is one of the high up ambitions in every woman’s life after
their marriage; a little baby boy or girl can lighten your life with smiles,
hopes, and love. However, along with excitement, you own hundreds of
responsibilities. Your baby begins to grow up from a small single cell to a
healthy baby by consuming nutrition as well as love and affection that you
award him while he is in a uterus. Here are some simple but important
early pregnancy tips which lead to a healthy, smart baby and good
prenatal and postnatal maternal health.

Confirm your pregnancy

The first thing when you come to know about your pregnancy is to confirm
it. Keep in your mind that there are some pitfalls regarding the home
pregnancy tests; urine hCG test which is commonly used is sensitive up to
75% to 91%. That means, sometimes your positive result can be a false
positive. So, it’s better to double check your pregnancy test along with your
last menstrual period. The fetal development begins in the third week after
the last menstrual period. The symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea,
missed periods, increased urinary frequency, combined with a positive
urinary or blood pregnancy test are usually sufficient confirmation of a
pregnancy. But it requires a few more time to develop these symptoms.
For pregnant women, it is recommended to undergo a ‘dating scan’. This
scan confirms the pregnancy and accurately dates it. Consult the
pregnancy doctor to confirm pregnancy and get guidance about next
steps.

Follow the below tips to remain happy, motivated and to have a healthy
baby.

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 Tips for healthy pregnancy

Be relax and avoid stress

Everybody become anxious when they got to know that they are pregnant.
Normal emotional changes occurring during pregnancy may become
exaggerated and may become a problem to mother and baby. Women
with previous serious mental health problems are at high risk of a mood-
swings during their pregnancy. Pregnancy, childbirth, and the stresses of
life as a new parent, may destabilize conditions that had previously been
under control. The best thing is to be relaxed and avoid stress. You may
take simple measures such as talking to your partner and family, enjoying
some leisure time activities, get rid of your busy life etc. Keep in mind that
your baby needs a happy and relaxed mother. So be one.

Folic acid supplementation

Folic acid is an important vitamin supplement that is recommended. It is

advised to use folic acid even before pregnancy and up to 12 weeks of
pregnancy. The recommended dose of folic acid is 400 micrograms per
day. The consumption of folic acid has shown to reduce the occurrence of
birth defects of brain, spine, or spinal cord of your baby. If you are at a
higher risk (e.g., previously affected child, women with epilepsy, diabetes,
and obesity), a dose of 5 micrograms per day is recommended. Please
consult the pregnancy doctor to know more details about frequency and
quantity of folic acid you need to take.

Consult the doctor

When you believe you are pregnant, it is recommended to visit the

pregnancy doctor. The doctor may conduct a few more tests to confirm
pregnancy. The doctor will take a detailed history, examine you and
perform a series of routine investigations in order that appropriate care
can be offered. It is recommended to consult the doctor before you reach

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 8-weeks pregnancy mark. This will help to get appropriate advice on
maintaining good health of mother and baby. The doctor will also help to
identify any risk factors which may negatively impact on the pregnancy
outcome.

Healthy diet

Poor nutrition in pregnant women may lead to the delivery of low birth
weight babies. Improving the nutritional status and maternal weight can
have a positive effect on the birth outcome. A weight gain of around 11 to 16
kg is considered good during pregnancy. You should consume an
additional amount of nutritious food to achieve the weight gain. A
nutritious, well-balanced diet includes foods rich in protein, dairy foods
(which supply calcium), starchy foods, and plenty of fruit and vegetables
that supply vitamins and fiber. It is best to avoid a lot of sugary, salty, or
fatty foods. Food such as undercooked meats and eggs, pates, soft
cheeses, shellfish, raw fish, and under pasteurized milk should be avoided.
Such food is a potential source of some microorganisms that could lead to
adverse pregnancy outcome. So, eat healthy and nutritious food. Consult
the pregnancy doctor for more advice on type and frequency of the food
you need to take.

Exercise

It is highly recommended to do moderate intensity exercises during

pregnancy. The exercise helps to improve cardiovascular and muscular
fitness. Best exercises are low-impact aerobics, swimming, brisk walking,
and jogging. Contact, high-impact, and vigorous sports which may involve
the risk of abdominal trauma should be avoided. Scuba diving may result
in fetal birth defects and fetal decompression disease and, therefore, is not
recommended. Exercise is also associated with higher self-esteem and
confidence. So, get your tack pants and shoes out and start doing the
moderate workout.

Early care pregnancy tips for healthy baby & mother to be © Copyrights www.drvarshaliclinic.com
 Assistance for preexisting medical conditions

During the early period of pregnancy, the developing baby, placenta, and
other physiological changes produce and release increasing quantities of
hormones and other substances into the maternal circulation. These
trigger a cascade of events that transform the mother’s heart, lungs, and
kidneys. Lung or cardiac conditions, hypertension may get affected. A
chronic maternal disease may restrict the fetal growth. You may have
consulted your doctor about this before your pregnancy. But sometimes
things may get bad after your pregnancy. Consult the doctor immediately
if you do have such issues. The doctor will help you to sort things out and
advice for a healthy pregnancy.

Traveling

Traveling while pregnant can be a tricky proposition. If there are no

identified complications or concerns with your pregnancy, it is generally
safe to travel during your pregnancy. The ideal time to travel during
pregnancy is the second trimester. If you're planning on hitting the road,
learn how to stay comfortable and educate yourself about which activities
are safe and which you should avoid. Anywhere you have planned to go,
just find if there is an easily accessible healthcare facility. Always keep your
maternity reports with you. Some women experience morning symptoms
since very much early of the pregnancy and these symptoms usually
exaggerated due to traveling. Take appropriate precautions like buckle-up
the seat belts, remain seated when bus or train is moving, use appropriate
rails while walking etc. It is also recommended to break the long journey
and keep the travel time around five to six hours. Always use rest stops to
take a short walk and do the stretches to keep the blood circulating. Most
of the airlines allows pregnant women to travel through their eighth month.
Traveling during the ninth month is usually allowed if there is permission
from your pregnancy doctor. Air travel becomes more challenging due to
narrow aisles, smaller bathrooms, and turbulence that could shake the
plane. Take precautions like wearing a seat belt, holding to seat backs
while navigating the aisle. It is highly advisable to consult your pregnancy
doctor about your travel plans and mode of transport.

Early care pregnancy tips for healthy baby & mother to be © Copyrights www.drvarshaliclinic.com
 Sexual relationships

It is completely OK to have your normal physical relationship with your

partner during early pregnancy. There are no restrictions or proven pros or
cons regarding sexual relations during pregnancy. Sex during pregnancy
does not harm the baby. The amniotic sac and the strong muscles of the
uterus protect the baby, and the thick mucus plug those seals the cervix
helps guard against infection. If you have a normal, low-risk pregnancy,
sexual stimulation or orgasm cannot start labor or cause a miscarriage.
Some women may experience a reduction in their sexual drive due to
pregnancy-related medical conditions like nausea, vomiting and breast
pain. Some may feel more desire due to hormonal changes in the body.
Both conditions are normal and need not worry about. Remember, that
there's more to physical intimacy than sex. If you don't feel like having sex
or your practitioner has advised you not to, you can still hug, kiss, and
caress each other. There are a few circumstances which may lead to
modifying your sex activity or refrain from sex altogether during all or part
of your pregnancy. Don’t hesitate or feel shy for asking about your sexual
relations and desires to your doctor. If you have cramping during or just
after the sex which doesn’t go away after a few minutes, or you have pain
or bleeding after the sex, consult the doctor immediately. Have a
comfortable and a safe sex and do not get too creative. Let your partner
know if anything feels uncomfortable.

Smoking and drinking

Most often, you are not a woman who is addicted to smoking. However,
unfortunately, you could be a passive smoker. You may get exposed to
others unfiltered cigarette smoke which probably is more harmful than
active smoking. Both active and passive smoking during pregnancy has an
adverse effect on your growing baby. You should strictly stop both active
and passive smoking. Avoid going to the places where smoking is allowed.
Ask your partner to stop smoking if not all-together but at least when you
are around.

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 Consumption of alcohol is also dangerous for growing baby. When you
drink, alcohol passes through the placenta to your growing fetus. Because
a developing baby's body breaks down alcohol much more slowly than an
adult's, a fetus's blood alcohol level can rise much higher than its mother's
and stay elevated longer. The damage can be long-lasting and severe,
ranging from mental retardation to heart damage. Resist the urge to take
an even small sip, even for a toast, because occasional drinking may be
harmful too. When you lift your glass, make sure it's filled with grape juice,
not wine.

Self-education

You may need explanation and reassurance to help you cope with a wide
variety of symptoms, due to physical changes during pregnancy. Make
sure that the information you get is of high quality, and evidence-based.
Be aware of maternity rights and benefits, female genital mutilation,
screening for your baby’s problems, place of birth and labour, pain relief in
labour, breastfeeding, care of the new baby and newborn screening. Also
get educated about red flag symptoms such as severe back pain, vaginal
bleeding, high fever, intractable vomiting, acute shortness of breath etc.
You can also consult the pregnancy doctor for advice on all the issues.

Social / family support and motivation

You will be agitated, nervous and curious regarding what is going to

happen in coming months, especially if this is your first pregnancy. The
good interpersonal relationship between your partner and family will make
you relax and motivated. Don't hesitate to ask your doubts to your
grandmother, mother, aunt whoever is experienced. Also, your partner will
be there with you as always. Smile and be happy. Try to interact with each
other more frequently. Share your thoughts and experiences you are going
through. This will help you to be motivated and remain energetic. During
your last few months of pregnancy, it is advised to always accompany
someone. This will help you in any medical emergency. Be positive, listen to
some motivational stuff and remain healthy.

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 When to announce your pregnancy

Announcing your pregnancy is a bit happy as well as an exciting event.

This is completely depending on your wish, culture, social background,
family support and maternal pregnancy-related conditions. The risk of
miscarriage is usually reduced after the first 12 weeks and most women
usually wait up to this point. But you will not be able to hide your morning
sickness until 12 weeks and early pregnancy may be difficult without others
support. However, as an option, it can be suggested to announce to
different groups such as family, friends, colleagues, employer etc. at
different times. Take your own call on when to announce a pregnancy. You
may need support from others but remember that you are the only one
your baby looks towards. So, whatever helps you and your baby to remain
happy and healthy, should be done.

Pregnancy is a time of great excitement and some uncertainty. The

physical changes experienced by the woman during her pregnancy add to
this. You may need explanation and reassurance to help you cope with a
wide variety of symptoms, including nausea, heartburn, constipation,
dizziness, swelling, backache, abdominal discomfort, and headaches.
Consult your pregnancy doctor for resolving all your questions. Mostly,
these represent the physiological adaptation of your body to the
pregnancy and are often called the ‘minor complaints’ of pregnancy. Don’t
be nervous; just be happy and pay your attention to your baby, always be
in touch with your pregnancy doctor. This will lead to a “happy mom” with
a happy and healthy baby. Do not hesitate to ask a question at all the
stages and get your queries resolved.

Early care pregnancy tips for healthy baby & mother to be © Copyrights www.drvarshaliclinic.com
 Author
Dr. Varshali Mali
MBBS, DNB (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Diploma in Gynecological Endoscopy – Germany

Dr. Varshali Mali is an Obstetrician and Gynecologist. She did her MBBS
from Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, DNB (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
from Jehangir Hospital, Pune, and Diploma in Gynecological Endoscopy
from the University of Schleswig Holstein - Kiel Germany. She has several
years of experience working as a gynecologist, pregnancy doctor, and
lecturer. Through her clinic located at Life Republic township near Marunji,
she provides gynecology and pregnancy care solutions to the women
around Hinjewadi, Wakad, and nearby Pune. She is known for her welcome
nature, smiley face, supportive attitude, intelligence, and in-depth
knowledge about gynecology and pregnancy in her patient community.
Mother of two daughters, she believes that motherhood is the best gift one
can get. As her contribution, she puts her best efforts into making the
pregnancy journey most enjoyable for her patients.

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