How to Take Care of Yourself During Pregnancy in Vacaville

Pregnancy in Vacaville can be an amazing time for a mother, but there are big changes that needs to be followed to ensure that it is a healthy one. Taking care of yourself is important during this precious time since your body will feel like it is running a 'marathon'. It also makes your hormones run out of control and you may have a lot of extra energy, or in certain times, you will feel completely exhausted.

Tips on how to take care of yourself & the baby, during pregnancy in Vacaville.

1. Eat right - A healthy diet is important for a pregnant woman. Your growing baby needs all the nutrients from the right foods, not fat and sugar. Focus on eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables, calcium-rich foods, whole grains, and foods low in saturated fat.
2. Stay hydrated - Pregnant women require more water than normal. Drinking 8 or more cups of water a day is the best way to do it.
3. Get your vitamins - When choosing vitamins, you should go for more calcium and folic acid. These necessary vitamins and minerals can be acquired from food, but you can also take some standard multivitamins if need be. You can get folic acid from food sources like broccoli, oranges, spinach, and kidney beans. As for calcium, you can get it from milk, spinach, and yogurt. A daily dose of prenatal multivitamins will help ensure that you are getting the right amount of nutrients for your body. Just make sure to ask your doctor regarding daily prenatal vitamins before taking it first.
4. Proper prenatal care - A prenatal care/checkup should be a regular thing for pregnant women. Mothers who do not do this are more likely to have a child with a low birth weight. If you can, consider a group prenatal care since it is even better.
5. Don't drink alcohol - Pregnant women are not allowed to drink any alcohol before and during pregnancy, and even on their breastfeeding phase. Alcohol will put the baby at risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD can cause behavioral issues, abnormal facial features, and severe learning abilities. It can also affect the baby's health during the early stages of pregnancy, even before a woman realizes she is pregnant. So, every woman who plans on becoming pregnant should not engage in drinking alcohol at all.
6. Avoid certain foods - There are also some foods that pregnant women should avoid eating. Avoid eating liver, sushi, raw eggs, soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk, and raw or rare meats. Raw and unpasteurized animal products can cause food poisoning, which can be dangerous for you and the baby. Also, there are some fishes, even when cooked, that contains a high mercury content.
7. Don't smoke - Smoking is unhealthy for pregnant women and it can affect the baby as well. This will increase the risk of miscarriages, premature births, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and other unhealthy outcomes.
8. Get plenty of sleep - Getting a full 7 to 9 hours of sleep is healthy for you and your baby. You should also aim to sleep on your left side to improve blood flow to you and your little one.
9. Reduce stress - To improve your birth outcome, avoid stress at all costs. You can ask for some help from your loved ones on keeping you out of stressful situations.
10. Get moving - Pregnant women can benefit a lot from daily exercise. You can ask your doctor about which physical activity is the perfect fit for you.
11. Visit a chiropractor - Hormonal and physical changes are normal during pregnancy. However, these changes can lead to misaligned spine or joints. If you make regular visits to your chiropractor, such as Dr. Alex Tam of Vacaville, these issues will be addressed and will ensure that your pregnancy period will be a healthy one.