Pregnancy is an overwhelming process. A whole human being is created inside your womb. Your body goes through various changes through those nine months, especially in the first 6 to 10 weeks. In the initial days, you may have nausea that makes it difficult to cope with. You may not know, but your baby grows too quickly. Therefore each day you need to consume a balanced diet that can give you and your child enough nutrition.
During the early days of pregnancy, you must think about getting the birth defect tests done. Ask your healthcare provider about it when and how you should get them done.
Your doctor may also get your blood tests done to know your blood sugar levels and blood pressure. In this article, we will discuss how you can take care of yourself during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, you can visit the best gynecologist in Karachi.
Get Prenatal Care
When you are pregnant, you need to be in a doctor’s follow-up. You must get yourself booked with a healthcare provider that can take care of you and your child. They can help in preventing various complications that can occur in you and your baby. During pregnancy, you can develop certain health conditions, for which you need to be under a follow-up of a doctor.
Your doctor will advise you to get certain tests to get done in the initial stage along with nutritional supplements or multivitamins. They will also take your proper history. Do not forget to tell them about other health conditions you have, medications you take, and your family history.
Keep an Eye on What You Eat
What you eat defines a lot about the health of your baby. Now you need to keep in mind that you are not eating for just one person. Instead, you are doing that for two. Make a plan for healthy eating. During pregnancy, many women tend to overeat unhealthy foods. That is not good for you and your baby’s health.
Your healthcare providers will monitor your weight. If it does not increase, they will ask you to eat more. To meet calcium needs, you should drink at least two cups of milk a day. Also, eat a protein-rich diet that gives you and your child enough energy. You can get an optimal amount of protein through fish, chicken, eggs, and milk.
Things to Avoid
During pregnancy, instead of incorporating, there are more things to avoid. You should not take any medication without the consent of your doctor. A simple pain reliever can cause heart defects in your baby when taken in the third trimester. Therefore you need to be vigilant about what you intake.
You should also avoid eating undercooked meat and eggs, unpasteurized milk and juices, raw seafood, and cold deli meat as they may contain bacteria that could be harmful to your baby. Moreover, avoid eating fish that contains high levels of mercury and contaminants.
Do Not Forget Prenatal Vitamins
Whatever you intake during pregnancy can impact the health of your child. During pregnancy, you need to take a prenatal vitamin that gives you enough iron and folic acid. If you can not take prenatal vitamins for some reason, you should take iron and folic acid supplements.
Your baby takes iron from your body, which can cause a deficiency in your body, eventually causing anemia. Folic acid is essential for your child’s health because its deficiency can result in neural tube defects. Ideally, you must be taking a daily dose of 400mcg a month before getting pregnant. As soon as you plan the child, start to take folic acid daily. If you are pregnant, you can visit the best gynecologist in Islamabad.