Month: October 2019

 

  Let’s talk about a couple of truths here for a minute, shall we? One, all women wish to bear a child at one point in their life. Two, not many of them end up having one even if they can, biologically speaking. Why you may ask? Apart from possibly being unable to find a husband-material type of a man, it’s because they don’t want to halt whatever they’re doing now and go on maternity leave. In reality, however, there’s no other way around it. You can’t have stress when you’re in the family way, so you need to prioritize your pregnancy and drop any work instantly if necessary. In case you’re still looking for the answers as to why that’s important, view the reasons below.  

 

1. It Can Affect The Baby’s Brain Function

Although the entire medical society is still at crossroads about it, some scientists revealed via studies that a high level of stress hurts a child’s brain development. It appears that cortisol, the hormone that the body releases when you’re under much tension, can seep through the amniotic sac during the second trimester. That is the time when the brain of the fetus starts to take shape; that’s why it matters not to disturb the process. But it – the disturbance – is what happens when the mother feels stressed out, unfortunately. While you and your OB-GYN may not see it once you get a check-up, it may become apparent after childbirth. After all, people believe that the issue is among the probable causes of autism, low IQ and EQ, and various psychological conditions in kids.

2. It Deteriorates Your Immune System

Excessive stress can’t be good for you as well since it lowers your immunity against diseases and allergens. Even without being in this situation, your immune system is already not that high as you’re sharing it with the unborn baby. Hence, it’s easy for bacteria and viruses to wreak havoc in your life. Now, imagine what can occur when you’re often dealing with very stressful stuff. The halved immunity goes down some more, and you may catch the flu as soon as someone sneezes a few feet away from you. It makes you depressed and tired too, which may enable you to make unhealthy life decisions. If that circumstance lingers, the medical practitioner may prescribe bed rest to prevent you from endangering yourself and the fetus.  

3. It Might Cause Premature Labor

The extreme amount of cortisol that may enter the womb if you’re under a lot of pressure does not just affect the brain function of the child. This hormone, in fact, can also trigger the placenta to produce compounds that only come out when you are due to give birth. As much as you probably want the pregnancy to end, it’s not favorable to go into premature labor at any time within those nine months. The baby stays incubated in the womb for that long for one reason: to ensure that all their internal organs are ready for the delivery. In case stress shortens that period, it will most likely cause premature labor and have life-threatening effects on your lives.  

 

Teen pregnancy is a devastating condition, but tables are slowly turning. During the 2014 San Francisco Pregnancy Symposium, essential facts were discussed especially the decline of teen birth rate, which is excellent news.Read more

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Pregnancy, regardless of how the baby is conceived, is the most beautiful thing in the world. You have a life growing inside you, and so you have to do whatever it takes to keep it healthy. The best way you can do that is by having great eating plans during your whole pregnancy.

You can ask your doctor about it, and they can attest to the importance of eating healthy for you and the child in your womb. As you know, you are your baby’s only source of nutrition, so everything you ingest will be given to him or her, too. If you keep on eating a burger, ice cream, and bag of chips, your baby will get a minimal amount of nutrients, which is not good at all. Even though a pregnant woman is said to be allowed to eat whatever she wants, you should be your food police and try to eat healthier foods than crappy ones.

Here are some tips on how to be healthy during your pregnancy.

Embrace Your Weight

It is quite impossible during pregnancy not to gain weight; that’s why you should embrace it and eat whenever you feel hungry. However, try not to do it to the point that you cannot breathe anymore or digest your meal. Your breakfast should be your heaviest meal, especially if you are still working. This way, you and your baby both have enough energy for most of the morning. After that, consume fruits, leafy vegetables, and dairy products in two-hour intervals to keep your hunger satiated.

According to Alexis Conason, Psy.D, “ Policing women’s bodies during pregnancy is not working. Our singular obsession with weight comes at the expense of health. Pregnancy is a vulnerable time for women, one in which we need support from our health professionals to accept our changing bodies, minimize stress, and work towards holistic wellbeing. Health is about so much more than the numbers on the scale.”

 

Source: pixabay.com

Stay Away From Junk Foods

Like I have said earlier, crappy or junk food is bad for your baby. Try to eat less of that; if you can, avoid buying it totally and concentrate on nutritious food. Remember that things are different this time, considering you are no longer eating for yourself now. There is another life depending on you, and you have to make great food choices so that your child will be born healthy. There have been cases before of irresponsible pregnant women whose babies have come out with congenital problems, and you surely do not want that to happen.

According to Associate Professor Felice Jacka,Ph.D,  researcher at the IMPACT Strategic Research Center at Deakin University, “unhealthy and ‘junk’ foods may have an impact on the risk for mental health problems in children, and they add to the growing body of evidence on the impact of unhealthy diets on the risk for depression, anxiety and even dementia.”

Aside from junk food, stay away from carbonated drinks since they contain lots of sugar that you do not need. Water is what you should drink because it is neutral and helps flush out all the dirt in your body.

 

Exercise

Working out is essential even when for expectant mothers. If you have a delicate pregnancy, then it will be best if you skip it altogether. But if everything is going well for you, you can do light exercises that will not shake your womb too much.

According to Dr. Raul Artal, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at St. Louis University “Pregnancy should not be looked at as a state of confinement. In fact, it is an ideal time for lifestyle modification.”

Walking and yoga are a couple of things that you can try. I know that pregnancy can make you sleepy all day, but you sometimes have to fight the urge to stay in bed and move around the house a bit to keep your blood flowing. Besides, being physically fit can make your birthing experience so much better.

Source: pixabay.com

 

Final Thoughts

Being pregnant is what a lot of women — if not all — wish to experience someday. If you are expecting at this moment, take good care of your child by eating healthy during and even after your pregnancy. If it is not a hassle, take time a moment to visit BetterHelp.com for more inspiring articles. You will find a lot of helpful tips there that can ensure not only your physical, but also your mental and emotional health as well.

Good luck!