Pregnancy is not always as simple as we were made to believe it was. For some, getting pregnant can take years, and for others the 9 months of pregnancy seem long and arduous. And if that wasn’t enough, we now have to deal with the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is why it is extremely important to think about your health prior to, throughout and following your pregnancy. Maintaining healthy habits will be much easier the longer you have been doing them. Here are some tips that can help you stay healthy before, during and after pregnancy.
Before: Check your overall health
Before you try to get pregnant, take advantage of accessible testing options from Myhealthchecked. It is important to test for COVID-19 regularly anyway, but especially if you are looking to get pregnant. By looking into these things in advance, it can allow you to take the necessary measures in order to keep mum and baby healthy.
During: Eat the right things
Pregnancy cravings can sometime point out what we are doing wrong with our diet. Craving cheeseburgers, for example, whilst delicious, might mean you need more iron or protein from red meat.
Try and include calcium, iron and folate in your diet. You can get calcium from green veggies and dairy; iron from leafy greens, red meat, beans and legumes, eggs, and salmon; and folate from pasta, bread, rice and cereal. To put your mind at ease you could also take a prenatal vitamin too.
During: Do gentle exercise
Moving during your pregnancy is a must! Maybe you could take up yoga to help stretch your sore muscles and help you meditate before bed or use an exercise ball to help get some knots out of your back. Just remember to not do anything too intensive or risk averse.
Don’t exhaust yourself and always slow down as your pregnancy progresses or if your maternity team advises you to. Consult a doctor or a medical professional for advice on what gentle movements could help you.
Before, During, and After: Get lots of sleep!
Trying for a baby, being pregnant, and having a newborn can play havoc with your nerves. It can all be very worrisome and emotional. Make sure to relax before bed and try to get as much sleep as you can.
Obviously with a newborn or a kicking baby in your tummy, this might not always be possible. If this is the case, try to listen to your body the next day. If you are super tired the next day, have a rest day and order that cheeseburger, that’s okay you’ve earned it. Recharge your body so that you can treat your body and your baby with the care they both deserve.
Being a parent was never going to be easy. Whether it is stress of the pandemic, whilst trying for the baby, being pregnant and hormonal, or recovering from the birth itself, its all tough on your body. This is why you need to make sure you stay healthy before, during and after your Covid-era pregnancy.
