Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important before, during and after your pregnancy!
Here are a few ways you can be healthy and happy during the perinatal phase and beyond.
Staying active during pregnancy
Appropriate exercise and physical activity is safe & healthy for you and baby.
Positive effects of being active:
Boost your mood
Sharpen your focus
Reduce your stress
Improve your sleep
Can make your labor shorter
Help make your recovery faster
*always consult your doctor before starting a exercise routine during your pregnancy
Engaging in 2.5 hours of moderate exercise week can reduce the risk of gestational
diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, high gestational weight gain, type 2 diabetes
and cardiovascular disease, and back pain!
Important things to remember when you’re exercising
Breathe deeply
Stay hydrated – drink water!
Don’t overheat
Stop if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable
Start at your pre-pregnancy fitness and go from there
If you weren’t very active, it’s ok to start now – just start out slowly
Use the talk test – you should be able to talk while working out
Here are a few exercises you can try
Walking
Weight lifting
Pilates/ Yoga/ Barre
Stationary Bike
Postpartum exercise
Exercise in your postpartum period is good for you and baby!
Wait for your doctor’s clearance after your postpartum visit.
Until then you can start with gentle stretching, pelvic floor exercises, and our favorite
– walking!
Listen to your body and don’t start too fast too soon, it can set your recovery and
weight loss back.
Smoke Free
Pregnancy represents an idea time for you to reevaluate your lifestyle behaviors,
including any tobacco use. Tobacco takes a terrible toll on your health far beyond
pregnancy, reaching across yours and your baby’s entire life.
Making the decision to quit is the most important thing you can do for your health!
Quitting tobacco during pregnancy:
Decreases the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and birth defects
Reduces the risk of SIDS
Reduce the risk of pregnancy complications such as high- blood pressure
Lower the risk of respiratory illness, middle ear infections and lung growth in children
Taking care of your teeth and gums is important during your pregnancy. Good dental
health makes a difference in your health and the future health of your baby!
Poor dental health and poor oral hygiene can lead to serious complications, including
pre-term birth, here’s what you can do.
The American Dental Association has these tips for you to keep your mouth and body
healthy.
Brush thoroughly with an ADA- accepted fluoride toothpaste twice a day to help prevent
cavities- use a soft bristle toothbrush with the bristles angled at a 45 degree angle
towards the gumline so that the bristles are slightly under the gumline and use a
short-soft back and forth motion (known as sulcular brushing technique) to thoroughly
remove plaque from the teeth and gumline.
Floss between your teeth daily- make sure to form a “C” shape with the floss as you
move up and down between the teeth to hug around the sides of the teeth and under
the gumline to remove plaque.
Visit your dentist regularly for a professional checkup and cleaning- pregnancy can
increase your risk of developing gingivitis and gum disease which can cause pregnancy
complications including preterm labor.
If you need help controlling dental plaque and oral bacteria, your dentist may recommend
an antimicrobial rinse.
If you have morning sickness and are vomiting frequently, try rising with a teaspoon
of baking soda missed with water to stop the stomach acid from attacking your teeth-
do NOT brush immediately after vomiting.
Check out this video for more information and tips on keeping your and your baby’s
mouth healthy!
