Baby Your Body During Pregnancy

If you just found out you’re pregnant, congratulations! Give your baby a head start on good health by doing the following:

• Have regular checkups. Each prenatal visit is important. You’ll probably have a urine test, get weighed and have your blood pressure measured. Early in your pregnancy, your health care team will verify your due date and make sure you don’t have any health problems that may affect the pregnancy. Later, they’ll watch for serious conditions that can crop up, such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Your appointments are a great time to forge a strong relationship with your health care team. Establish good communication so that you feel comfortable calling between visits if you develop unusual symptoms.
• Eat nutritious foods. This may be difficult to do if you’re suffering from morning sickness. Having several smaller meals may keep you from feeling queasy. Choose nutrient-rich foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables and avoid empty-calorie foods. Replace soft drinks with water or milk and choose whole-grain crackers instead of chips. Keep in mind that you don’t need to eat for two. In fact, during the first trimester, you shouldn’t consume more calories. In the final six months, an extra 300 calories per day is plenty.
• Stay active. Moderate exercise, especially walking, may help you feel better mentally and physically. Being physically active may even help prepare your body for labor and speed your recovery. However, high-impact and contact sports are off-limits. Consult your doctor.
• Gain a healthy amount of weight. Putting on too little weight can lead to premature birth. Dieting isn’t recommended. However, gaining too many pounds can stress your body and increase your risk of developing problems. In general, 25 to 35 pounds of weight gain is healthy. Ask your doctor what is right for you.