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Pregnancy Dos and Don’ts – The Do’s

January 15, 2007 by GreatDad Writers 7 Comments

Note: Subscribe now to our newsletter to receive great info for expectant dads. Also visit GreatDad’s Sex center.
Follow these helpful hints to ensure your spouse a healthy pregnancy:

    • Get all her essential vitamins and minerals every day. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, women need a lot more iron when pregnant. And sometimes it’s hard to get enough by eating alone. Ask your doctor if your spouse should be taking a daily prenatal vitamin or multivitamin.
    • Get 400 micrograms (or 0.4 mg) of folic acid daily in her diet. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, getting enough folic acid (or folate) reduces the chances of some birth defects. Some women eat lots of certain foods and others take multivitamins to get enough folic acid during pregnancy.
    • Eat a healthy diet. Load her up on fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains (such as whole-wheat breads or crackers). Eat plenty of calcium-rich foods (such as non-fat or low-fat yogurt, milk, and broccoli) that your baby needs for strong bones and teeth. If you live in areas where fruits and vegetables aren’t in season, frozen vegetables are a good option. Avoid giving her a lot of fatty foods (such as butter and fatty meats) to eat. Choose leaner foods when you can (such as skim milk, chicken and turkey without the skin, and fish).
  • Let her gain a healthy, not excessive amount of weight. Research shows that women who gain more than the recommended amount during pregnancy have an elevated risk of obesity. On average, 25 to 30 pounds is a healthy weight gain over the 40 weeks of pregnancy. Check with your doctor to find out how much weight your spouse should gain during pregnancy.
  • Make sure she gets enough sleep (seven to nine hours every night). Aches, pains, anxiety and bathroom runs keep many pregnant women awake at night. To get some sleep, try getting your spouse to eat any large meals at least three hours before going to bed, get some easy exercise (like walking) and avoid long naps during the day. Make sure she sleeps on her left side and uses pillows between her legs and under her belly to help her get comfortable.
  • De-stress. If she can, your spouse should control the stress in her life. When it comes to work and family, she should figure out what she can really do. She should set limits with herself and others. Tell your spouse that she should not be afraid to say NO to requests for her time and energy.
  • Get Her Moving! Getting regular, low-impact exercise is good for your spouse and your baby. Talk to your doctor about what is safe. Get more guidelines on exercising while pregnant.
  • Get a handle on health problems. Talk to your doctor about how your spouse’s health problems can affect her and the baby. If she has diabetes, make sure she controls her blood sugar levels. If she has high blood pressure, monitor it closely. If she is overweight, talk to the doctor about whether she should lose weight.
  • Ask your doctor before taking any medicines. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medicines all can harm your baby. Find out if your spouse should continue taking prescription medicines.
  • See your doctor regularly. Prenatal care can help keep your spouse and the baby healthy, spot problems if they occur and prevent difficulties during delivery.
  • Consider getting a flu shot. The flu can be dangerous for some moms-to-be. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests vaccinations for all women who are at least 14 weeks pregnant during the flu season. Ask your doctor if your spouse should get a flu shot.
  • Make sure she wears her seat-belt correctly. Seat belts used correctly protect your spouse and your unborn baby during a crash. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that pregnant women use seat belts that have a lap belt and a shoulder strap (3-point restraint). Seat belt straps should never go across her belly. The lap strap should go under the belly, across the hips. The shoulder strap should go off to the side of her belly and between her breasts. If she are not driving, the back seat is the safest place for her to sit.
  • Ease the aches and pains. Don’t just accept discomfort as a necessary part of pregnancy. Your spouse can easily be helped with problems related to hemorrhoids, heartburn, and leg cramps.

Also See:

  • Pregnancy Dos and Don’ts – The Dont’s

Filed Under: Pregnancy

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sweta says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Good article. More info for mother & Baby care to be posted

    Log in to Reply
  2. josie says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Is there any suggestions for extremely large amounts of back pain during pregnancy? I am 5 mos. and the pain is defini9tely not getting any better.

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  3. abby says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I wasn’t aware that i was pregnant before. I accidentally inhaled vast amount of paint fumes because we re-painted the house. Will that affect my baby? I’m 3 mos pregnant now…please advise…

    Log in to Reply
  4. Aiyana says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Also, for a better chance of conceiving, you can buy at-home tests to check your most fertile days. It’s an ovulation test and highly worth it if you really want to get pregnant.

    Log in to Reply
  5. Aiyana says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I just found out a few days ago that I am 2 months along! YAY! A tip for fertility in females…start taking prenatal vitamins EARLY! These help your body take care of the child, get it prepared, it will also help with the morning sickness. Also, make sure you and your man are not drinking or smoking, both of those kill fertility especially in men.
    Good Luck ladies and congrats to those who are already there!
    These do’s and don’ts where great and very helpful!

    Log in to Reply
  6. Neelu says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    good.

    Log in to Reply
  7. anne says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    thaks for this information. what will happen if i dont get a proper ventilliation? what might be the effect to my baby?

    Log in to Reply

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