Whether you stumble into pregnancy as the next logical step after getting married or view it as one of your life’s goals, it is one of the most life changing events in any woman’s life. Carrying a life within you, nourishing it with nutrition for its precious growth and then giving birth to a healthy child is by no means a small feat. The minute you announce you are expecting a baby, you will break open a dam of advice starting from what to eat to what to wear and what to think. Every mother you meet will have a piece of advice and a million questions ranging from “Have you decided a name for the baby?” to “Which school have you finalized for your child?” But do not get flummoxed. We have put together a list of things you will be so glad you did when you were pregnant, that when you look back at your pregnancy many years later, you will recall it as an experience worth remembering. So read on with bated breath.
1. Let your gynecologist answer all your concerns
Women often turn to the internet as soon as they discover they are pregnant. While it is a good thing to read up and expose oneself to the wonderful advice available on the World Wide Web, it isn’t always beneficial. This is because there isn’t someone curating content for you. So, if you decide to become hypochondriac at 2 am because you aren’t sleepy, reading random issues people in your trimester are having isn’t exactly going to get you those forty winks. Try to collect all your questions and have your gynecologist answer them for you. Apart from knowing the answers, she also will have the finesse to tell you what you need to know at this point in time.
2. Listen to Your Body
In the coming months, your awe for your own body will grow many notches as you see it adapt to the many changes pregnancy will bring about. During this time, you can develop a wonderful relationship with your body by keeping the communication channels open. This simply means to listen to your body. Whether it is a craving for something you have never been crazy about prior to pregnancy or a nap your body wills you to take; listen to it and more importantly, observe what is happening to you.
3. Give your body loads of rest
This one single thing you have taken for granted all your life will be very scarce once the baby comes along. So sleep all you want and hit the snooze button to your heart’s content. A new alarm that rings any time it pleases and lacks a snooze option is on its way. On a serious note, it is very important you give your body loads of rest, to prepare for a phase of limited sleep. It is something every new parent struggles with and is the number one change that comes with pregnancy.
4. Take those vitamins
Folic acid and iron later will make sure your body isn’t depleted of these vital nutrients while providing enough nutrition for the baby. It is important to understand that your body will first provide all the nutrition it has to the child growing within and this might leave you depleted if you’re not maintaining RDA (Required Daily Allowance). This is not a good situation to be in especially when your body already has a long list of things it is doing while you remain blissfully unaware of it.
5. Take each day as it comes
You will learn after the first few days that the whole experience of pregnancy is an unpredictable ride. So learn to develop loads of faith in the power of nature and take each day as it comes. Make peace with the fact that some days you will want to sleep like there is no tomorrow and some days you may feel like you aren’t pregnant at all. Both extremes are very common and will happen time and again during your nine months of expectancy.
6. Pay attention to what you eat
It is amazing how the body knows what it needs to do and when. You may find that you crave for oranges one day and grapes on another. Give in to the cravings but keep a check on the nutrition you are receiving in the form of food. It is a good thing to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet to facilitate easy digestion, balanced nutrition, and a healthy weight gain.
7. Know that nausea is common
You might be one of the lucky few who isn’t nauseous the first three months or even better, isn’t nauseous at all. However, there are many who are nauseous amidst all nine months and this is a completely normal phenomenon. It does sometimes feel like you are in a bus which you can’t step down from. But be rest assured that it will stop at some point and try to make the best of it. Here are some remedies you can try to deal with your daily nausea.
8. Exercise daily
This is also the time you have to be kind but firm with yourself. Sign up for that Lamaze class and do the prenatal exercises religiously. Exercise during pregnancy is not only beneficial for you but is said to help the child in the womb as well. So throw the excuses out of the window and get moving.
9. Do all the things you love doing
As much as you may have been wanting a child, you should also try to realize how much you will miss doing all the things you once took for granted. Many mothers face an identity crisis after motherhood due to the fact that they regret not having done everything they wanted to do before the responsibility of a baby came along. So take this piece of advice seriously, especially if you are someone who is used to independence with no encumbrances.
10. Have a routine every day
The baby gradually begins to observe life outside from within you. So try to make up a routine for your daily life and stick to it as much as possible. Talk to your child often and you will find the wonderful ways in which this exercise will help you bond with your baby. Get yourself some fresh air periodically. Healthy food and fresh air are very important inputs your body needs in order to stay healthy during this period.
11. Listen to soothing music
Music is food for the soul and there is no reason to delay your baby’s exposure to music from the beginning. Try to listen to soothing music everyday. This will help calm down your baby and help in their orientation with life outside after birth. Music will also de-stress you and regulate your breathing which will work wonders for you.
Everything listed above is important to make your pregnancy a healthy and happy one. However, to enjoy it to the fullest, keep an open mind complemented by a healthy atmosphere around you. It is after all a huge change that you are on the brink of. But it is also one of the most amazing experiences you will ever have.
So take time off to bond with your partner over the exciting gift the months to come will bring. Do what your heart wishes and make your pregnancy a time you will cherish and remember with joy when you look back on it.
Have you experienced the wonder of pregnancy before? Tell us about your holy-grail tips from the time of your expectancy in the comment section below!
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