My patients often ask me how to have a healthy baby. While there is no magical formula, try to avoid these mistakes in pregnancy. Have an awesome pregnancy and cutest baby!
1) Weight Loss
Pregnancy is not a time to lose weight even if you are over-sized. The baby takes nutrients from you entirely. Losing weight may result in a small baby or prematurity.
2) Smoking
Excessive smoking has been associated with small baby, placenta detachment and behavioral issues of baby. So kick this habit off.
3) Excessive Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is harmful and can cause mal-developments. Cut your drink in pregnancy as there is no safe limit in pregnancy.
4) Snacking Excessively
Caloric intake in pregnancy is about 2000 calories a day, an increase of only 200 calories a day. That’s about 2 glasses of milk a day. Excessive weight gain causes gestational diabetes, big baby and risk of caesarean section. Besides, it is hard to lose those weight later.
5) Dehydration
Dehydration result in blood clots of the veins, cramps and even preterm delivery. Please drink at least 6 glasses of water a day.
6) Masterly Inactivity
Exercise has shown to have great benefits in maintaining healthy weight gain and positive mental health. Keep your shoes on for at least 20 minutes a day.
7) Sleeping Supine (Flat)
Lying flat down is a no-no after second trimester. The enlarged womb would press on the major blood vessels, causing breathlessness and reduced blood flow to baby. Try to lie on your side, preferably on the left, to avoid compression to liver organ.
8) Going to hot Sauna
High temperature is harmful to developing fetus and can cause deformities in spine and brain.
9) Flying
Flying is strictly prohibited after 36 weeks due to increased risk of contractions, labour and deep venous clots. So, do your baby moon early in second trimester.
10) Eating Deep fish and Sashimi
Deep sea fishes tend to have high mercury and heavy metal contents. This can cause mental, vision, hearing and development issues in the growing fetuses. So avoid swordfish, shark, King mackerel and Yellowfin Tuna. And no raw sashimi as risk of bacterial infection can cause miscarriages.
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