February is pregnancy awareness week

JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – As a mother-to-be, you can empower yourself to make the most of your pregnancy by being informed about and being prepared for the significant changes your body will go through, also the fluctuating emotions that you might experience.

Netcare provides the following tips:

* Management of any chronic medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes or epilepsy is crucial for your and your baby’s health. Consult your healthcare provider as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed.

* Practise good oral hygiene and visit your dentist during your pregnancy. Different hormonal levels, which are associated with pregnancy, may affect the health of your gums: plaque build-up, bleeding, and inflammation or infection are more likely and may, in turn, cause damage to your teeth.

* Ensure that you stay adequately hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses (1.5 litres) of fluid, mostly water, every day. This also helps in preventing urinary tract and bladder infections. Limit tea and/or coffee intake as they both contain caffeine.

* Eat a balanced diet and avoid the mindset that you have to eat for two. Do not eat raw protein such as raw fish and meat, soft cheeses, and condiments such as homemade mayonnaise or ice cream which may contain raw eggs.

* Exercise, but play it safe. Exercise during pregnancy is beneficial for both mother and baby. Keeping moving helps minimise stiffness and aches, might alleviate constipation, helps you sleep better and lowers your risk of depression, gestational diabetes and other pregnancy-related conditions.

* Get plenty of rest. Your body is taking more strain than usual, working hard to ensure that your baby is nurtured as he/she grows, so try to go to bed earlier and rest when possible – you absolutely deserve it.

* Don’t smoke and do NOT drink alcohol or use recreational drugs, as it may be detrimental to your baby’s growth, development and health.

* Wearing a seatbelt could save your life and that of your unborn baby, or lessen the severity of injuries in case of a motor vehicle accident.

* The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that women who are pregnant during the flu season should get a flu vaccine.

* Don’t add a kitten or cat to your ‘family’ for the first time during your pregnancy. If you do have a cat, do not clean the cat’s litter tray yourself. Toxoplasmosis is an extremely dangerous parasitic infection which usually has no symptoms but may cause blindness or mental retardation in your unborn baby.

* Don’t get into the sauna or steam room or overheat in the bath, as increasing your core temperature significantly may be threatening to your pregnancy. It could also cause dizziness with the risk of fainting when you get up to get out of the bath or sauna/steam room.

* It is recommended not to fly internationally after 34 weeks or locally after 36 weeks gestation.

* Go for regular check-ups, as recommended by your healthcare provider and have the recommended scans of your unborn baby.

* Familiarise yourself with conditions that are specifically associated with pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, and with the signs and symptoms of miscarriage and premature labour, so that you can take immediate action if you experience any of these.

Most of all, enjoy the miracle of the life growing inside you!