Top 10 Mantra for Healthy Baby During Pregnancy

If you are reading this then it is safe to say that you are expecting, and that deserves congratulation from us! Getting pregnant was the first step towards the lifetime role of being a mother, but the care for the baby has to start before he or she is born. This is called prenatal care. Between morning sickness and the worry regarding the development of the baby, we are here to ease some stress with the best mantra for healthy baby during pregnancy.

1. See Your Medical Practitioner Before You Get Pregnant

It is important that you and your partner both go through a thorough exam before you decide to conceive. A complete health profile will help you be ready for any medical issue beforehand. There can be times when conceiving might get difficult and instead of getting heartbroken, it is advisable to get yourselves checked and take steps in a positive direction to conceive. Some of the best mantra for healthy baby during pregnancy like sunflower seeds, asparagus, beans and lentils, citrus fruits, cooked tomatoes, oysters, pomegranate and egg yolks, can be included in the diet. These foods wouldn’t magically make you fertile, but eating a nutritious diet can help in overcoming many hormonal issues which are the underlying cause of infertility.

Also Read: Month By Month Diet Chart For Pregnant Women

2. Take Prenatal Vitamins

Even if you have not conceived and are planning a baby, it is advisable to start taking prenatal vitamins rich in folate or folic acid. The neural chord of your baby (Spine and Brain) forms in the first month of pregnancy. Taking sufficient folic acid prevents birth defects like spina bifida (open spine) and anencephaly (absent brain). Taking 0.4 to 0.8 milligrams of the essential vitamins per day can decrease most of these defects. The prenatal vitamins are available across-the-counter at the pharmacy, or you can get a prescription from your doctor as well. If taking these pills makes you feel queasy, try taking them at night with some light snack. Chewing gum afterwards can also help you get over this unsettling feeling.

3. Exercise Regularly

Exercising and staying fit should not be ignored when you get pregnant. Exercising daily while being pregnant can reduce stress, improve your mood and sleep cycle, boost metabolism and control weight gain. You can join a pregnancy exercising class or walk every day for about 15-20 minutes in a moderate, shaded place. Yoga, swimming, Pilates and walking are all great exercises to do in pregnancy. But make sure not to get overheated which is not good for the growing fetus.

4. Eliminate Alcohol

Do not drink alcohol like wine, wine coolers or liquor of any kind. Consuming alcohol can cause stillbirth, low birth weight or fetal alcohol syndrome. If you have a problem with excess alcohol consumption, talk to a mental health care provider who can help you combat this situation. This should be marked as one of the most important mantra for healthy baby during pregnancy.

Also Read: Activities to avoid during pregnancy

5. Quit Smoking

When you smoke, your baby smokes as well. Smoking has shown to restrict the flow of oxygen to the baby leading to various developmental problems. Smoking can also cause miscarriage and low birth weight. Speak to a mental health professional to start a smoking-cessation program during pregnancy.

6. Eliminate Toxins

During pregnancy, while doing various chores of the house, you might use cleaning solutions and solvents containing various chemicals. Inhaling or being in contact with these chemicals can be toxic to the health of the baby. Make a switch to no-chemical cleaners or change your chores so that you don’t have to come in contact with these solvents and toxins.

7. Check Your Medication

Before taking any over-the-counter medication or including any natural remedy in your diet, make sure that you speak with your doctor first. Studies have shown that taking over-the-counter non-steroidal medications like ibuprofen can cause miscarriage and damage the blood vessels of the fetus.

8. Track Your Weight

While being pregnant, you might be eating for two. While giving in to the cravings can be a good idea, but eating too much should not be your strategy. Most of the women gain between 10 to 13 kilograms but weight gain is different for everyone. If you are underweight, you might need to gain more and if you are overweight, you need to gain less. Check with your doctor regularly to make sure that you are in the healthy weight gain category.

9. Educate Yourself

Whether this is your first baby or a second one, it is never too much to learn more about caring for the fetus and the newborn. Joining a childbirth class can make you more prepared to give birth. You can also voice any specific concerns that you might have and get quick answers. Also, learn more about post-partum depression. Up to 20% of women suffer from major depression symptoms during pregnancy. If you have been going through long patches of being sad, guilty or if you are sleeping for long periods, consult your doctor. Take this into account as one of the most important mantra for healthy baby during pregnancy.

10. Write a Birth Plan

Pregnancy is a period that everyone wants to remember. Delivering the baby is one of the most important parts of your pregnancy. It is advisable for you to create a birth plan for the baby. You can start with some easy pointers like who would you like to be present during the birth. Do you want a home birth or at a hospital? Do you have a doula or a spiritual guide to help you through the pain during the delivery? And move on to questions like which hospital, birthing suite, medical procedures, pills or pain medications to avoid etc.