Make the most of your pregnancy
JOBURG - During pregnancy awareness week between 10 and 16 February, Netcare urges expectant mothers to make the most of pregnancy and take the best decisions for themselves and their babies.
Netcare offers the following advice:
Ensure your diet is healthy and balanced. Pregnancy suppresses your immune system, leaving you susceptible to contracting illnesses from food-borne organisms, so do not eat raw protein. Avoid ‘eating for two’, and consult your doctor about what constitutes healthy weight gain. Stay hydrated, and limit your caffeine intake. Do not smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs, which are detrimental to your baby’s growth, development and health.
Manage chronic medical conditions. Consult your doctor if you are planning to fall pregnant, or when pregnancy is confirmed, as medication might need adjustment. Familiarise yourself with pregnancy-related conditions, and the symptoms of miscarriage and premature labour, so you can take immediate action. The World Health Organization recommends a flu vaccine for women who are pregnant during flu season to be vaccinated.
Exercise can improve your health during pregnancy, and will help you have a shorter, less complicated labour and get you back in shape faster. Discuss your exercise programme with your doctor, as certain workouts are not recommended, and avoid increasing your core temperature significantly in the sauna. Your body is taking more strain than usual, so try to go to bed earlier and rest when possible – you deserve it.
Wearing a seatbelt could save your life and your baby’s in an accident. The three-point harness found in most cars is safest. Avoid flying internationally after 34 weeks or locally after 36 weeks gestation. Avoid travelling to a malaria area, but ask your doctor about malaria prophylactics if travel is unavoidable.
Don’t get a cat for the first time during your pregnancy. If you have one, don’t clean the litter tray yourself, and be careful when gardening. Toxoplasmosis, a usually symptom-less parasitic infection which may cause blindness or mental retardation in your baby, is transmitted in cat faeces.
Go for regular check-ups, and have the recommended scans. Consult your doctor if you are concerned about any aspect of your pregnancy. Most of all, enjoy the miracle of the life growing inside you.
