Health During Pregnancy

A healthy lifestyle is important at every stage of your life, but perhaps never more so than during pregnancy. After all, you are staying healthy for two!

Nutrition

Weight gain recommendations during pregnancy are based upon your pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI). It is recommended that women of average weight for their height limit their weight gain to 25 to 35 pounds. Women who are overweight pre-pregnancy are encouraged to gain less weight while those who are underweight should gain more. Your doctor can help you determine your optimum weight gain.

Maintaining a Balanced Diet

Most women need an extra 300 calories per day. Your doctor will likely prescribe a vitamin and mineral supplement containing iron, protein, and folic acid. Be sure to take it every day, preferably on a full stomach.

Choose foods that are low in fat and sugar, and high in fiber and protein, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These tips should help you maintain good nutrition without gaining excess weight:

• Choose skim or non-fat dairy products – skim or 1% milk and low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt
• Avoid fruit juice, which contains a lot of sugar, and eat fresh fruit instead
• Drink six to eight glasses of water per day instead of sweetened tea or sugary soda
• Avoid mayonnaise and high-fat salad dressings
• Buy lean cuts of meat and poultry and cut off all visible fat and skin before cooking
• Limit your coffee consumption to one or two cups a day
• Use products containing NutraSweet or Splenda sparingly – Stevia is considered safe to use during pregnancy

Food Safety

• Thoroughly cook all meat such as beef, pork and poultry
• Wash your hands, knife and cutting board thoroughly after handling meat products
• Keep uncooked meats separate from vegetables, cooked foods and ready-to-eat food
• Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating
• Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk or cheeses made from unpasteurized milk
• Limit your consumption of solid white tuna to no more than six ounces per week

Things to Avoid While Pregnant

Smoking, vaping and second-hand smoke

• Alcoholic beverages
• Recreational drugs
• Any vitamins or herbal supplements you have cleared with your doctor
• Hot tubs and whirlpool baths can raise your body temperature too high, which has been linked with neural tube defects (swimming pools, warm tub baths, and showers are fine)
• Exercising in extreme heat or humidity — stop exercising if you become short of breath, overheated, dizzy, dehydrated, or uncomfortable

You can continue to color and perm your hair while you are pregnant. You may use latex paint while pregnant as long as you are in a well-ventilated room. If you don’t feel well, leave the room and get some fresh air.

Dental Care

Dental hygiene is very important during pregnancy — make sure to tell the dentist you are pregnant if you need any dental procedures

• X-rays are fine after 13 weeks, as long as your stomach is shielded with a lead apron
• Fillings, root canals and tooth repairs may be done during pregnancy — local anesthesia, such as Novocaine, WITHOUT epinephrine, is okay
• If you need antibiotics for a dental procedure or problem, ask your dentist to call your OB/GYN first to make sure they prescribe an antibiotic that is safe to use during pregnancy

Exercise

If you’re in good shape and have an uncomplicated pregnancy, there’s no reason you can’t remain physically active. Low-impact exercises are generally safer, especially as pregnancy progresses. Yoga, brisk walking, hiking, jogging, swimming and using fitness equipment are all good choices. Your center of gravity is changing and this is not the time to take up a new sport that requires a lot of coordination. Avoid any sport that may cause a fall or abdominal trauma, such as horseback riding or rollerblading. Do NOT scuba dive.

You will need to adjust your routine as your pregnancy progresses. After the fourth month, avoid prolonged periods of exercise on your back. If you have certain medical conditions, such as hypertension or heart disease, or if you develop pregnancy complications, your doctor may advise you to reduce your activity.

Sexual Relations

As long as you are comfortable, sexual intercourse during pregnancy is perfectly fine until your baby is born. Your doctor will advise you if you develop a condition that calls for sexual abstinence. If you think your water may be leaking, avoid intercourse and go to the hospital for evaluation.

Travel

The best time to enjoy a trip is in your second trimester, when you are typically past the morning sickness stage but labor is a few months away. Of course, you should be especially mindful of any travel suggestions or restrictions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as those posted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Air Travel: Check with your airline before you book. Some require a doctor’s note before allowing visibly pregnant woman to fly. Most do not allow pregnant women to fly after 36 weeks into their pregnancy. Metal detectors at security checkpoints are safe for both mom and baby. On the plane, it’s wise to walk up and down the aisle as often as you can to keep your circulation working well. While seated, flex your feet and rotate your ankles to get your blood flowing.

• Road Trips: Always wear your seatbelt and shoulder harness, and once you’ve given birth, secure your child in an approved car seat. Babies almost always recover from seat belt pressure sustained during an accident. Not buckling up is riskier for both you and your baby.