You, Baby and I
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Press
  • Contact Us
  • Read
    • Pregnancy
    • Motherhood
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Lifestyle
Join the tribe
You, Baby and I
You, Baby and I
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Press
  • Contact Us
  • Read
    • Pregnancy
    • Motherhood
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Lifestyle
0
5K
0
3K

A healthy lifestyle is a must for your unborn baby

  • 2017-02-17
  • 2 comments
  • 3 minute read
  • Shan

Learn how to have a healthy lifestyle for your unborn baby.

This post was written by Diana Du Plessis, on behalf of Philips Mother and Child Division (Avent). 

Becoming a new mom is a thrilling, yet daunting experience! From the moment, you find out you’re expecting a little bundle of joy, you need to make numerous life changing decisions – even before the big arrival. Choices need to be made – everything from what colour to make the baby’s room, to who will take care of your baby once (if) you return to work, and of course, one of the most important decisions – choosing a name.

However, despite all these important choices you need to consider, often it’s the moments ‘in between’ that really count – like your health and lifestyle choices, which could direct affect your unborn child. If you have been taking your health for granted, well then now is the time to assess your current lifestyle – to see if any changes must be made.

Your unborn baby will rely on you for all essential nutrients, which are important for his/her development, and by eating well, exercising and taking your prenatal vitamins you can decrease your risk of a complicated pregnancy. It is for this reason, that as an expectant mom, you should prioritize your health and look at an exercise and eating plan can go a long way here.

The importance of exercising:

exercise during pregnancy - unborn baby

How long can I jog for?  Am I able to lift weights? These are some of the questions that a lot of pregnant women are unsure of when it comes to exercise. Many expectant moms want to jump in and exercise to ensure to keep the extra weight off, but sometimes its not a good idea to start something your body isn’t used to.  Despite all the myths around exercising during pregnancy, health practitioners encourage moderate exercise, as it is highly beneficial for both mom and growing baby. So, how will exercise benefit you and baby?

  • Increases your energy levels
  • Improves sleep
  • Strengthens muscles and builds endurance
  • Reduces backaches
  • Relieves constipation

Eating right – for you and your unborn baby:

unborn baby

There will always be contradicting ideas from friends and family on what an expecting mother should eat or drink, however, it is always important to do personal research and get advice from your doctor or clinic. Of course, there are certain foods that should be completely avoided by a pregnant mother, like raw meat and uncooked seafood. Ideally, expectant moms should aim to eat foods that are high in calcium, antioxidants, and nutrients, as regularly as possible. And, before you get carried away and utter the words “I’m eating for two” – remember that eating too many calories is also harmful to you and baby. You might even struggle to lose the post-pregnancy weight, which can leave you frustrated.

In terms of the food you eat, make sure you get enough:

  • Vitamin D – which helps with the absorption of calcium
  • Iron  – is vital for creating the baby’s blood supply
  • Vitamin C – improves the uptake of iron from non-meat sources
  • Omega 3 fats – are important to ensure optimal brain development of the baby
  • Calcium – which helps to develop the baby’s bones and teeth

Antenatal visits and appointments:

unborn baby

As soon as you find out that you are pregnant, schedule appointments with a reputable gynaecologist/mid-wife, who can help you plan your antenatal care. This will ensure that you are getting the right advice for a healthy pregnancy, right from the get go. Antenatal care is an essential part of pregnancy, and on days where you are tempted to skip your appointment and rather relax on the couch – remember that sticking to appointments is essential in assessing your unborn baby’s health, and to examine whether the pregnancy is progressing well. And of course, the absolute best part of an antenatal visit is when hearing the heartbeat and getting a visual ‘sneak peek’ of your growing little one during an ultrasound.

Of course, you hormones are a factor during your pregnancy, but with moderate exercise, plenty of sleep, healthy eating and making use of your support system, you can help ensure that your pregnancy is healthy and that you give your baby the healthiest start. Enjoy this time – it’s the start of a truly wonderful journey.

Facebook Comments
Pin1
WhatsApp
Share
Tweet
Share31
32 Shares
Shan

Hi, I'm Shan. I'm an entrepreneur and a sucker for good adventures. I was listed in Forbes Africa 30 under 30 2019 and just recently launched my start-up – MomSays.

You May Also Like
Questions to Ask Your Medical Aid When You fall Pregnant
View Post

Questions to Ask Your Medical Aid When You fall Pregnant

  • 2019-01-10
  • Shan
View Post

What you need to know about flying while you are pregnant

  • 2018-05-30
  • Shan
View Post

Protein During Pregnancy (What you need to know)

  • 2018-04-10
  • Shan
Am I a wife or a mother first?
View Post

15 things to talk about before getting pregnant!

  • 2018-03-07
  • Shan
View Post

My baby’s cord blood collection was not successful…

  • 2017-12-23
  • Shan
View Post

How much does Stem Cell Storage Cost in South Africa?

  • 2017-11-20
  • Shan
View Post

What happens in theater when you do Stem Cell Storage

  • 2017-10-10
  • Shan
View Post

10 reasons Why you should Consider Storing Your Baby’s Stem Cells

  • 2017-09-05
  • Shan
2 comments
  1. Lovely baby says:
    2017-02-21 at 13:19

    A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IS A MUST FOR YOUR UNBORN BABY!
    Becoming a brand new mommy could be a thrilling nonetheless intimidating experience! From the instant you discover out you’re expecting slightly bundle of joy, you wish to form various life ever-changing selections – even before the large arrival. decisions have to be compelled to be created – everything from what color to form the baby’s area, to United Nations agency can beware of your baby once (or if) you come back to figure, and in fact, one among-st the foremost necessary selections – selecting a reputation & ETC.

    Thanks for your good article

    Reply
  2. Pingback: Store - 5 Foods you don't need to buy in the store ever again!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Podcast
Podcasts
Trending
  • credit score 1
    Here is how you can check your credit score and why you should! 
    • 2022-10-10
  • savings 2
    How to teach your kids to start saving
    • 2021-08-03
  • Struggling to get your kids to eat healthily Do this! 3
    Struggling to get your kids to eat healthly? Do this!
    • 2021-10-13
  • back-to-school 4
    Back-to-school lunchbox ideas
    • 2021-01-31
  • mushroom 5
    5 Easy Mushroom Recipes to try!
    • 2021-02-24
  • 6
    You can never own too many sneakers
    • 2022-08-23
You, Baby and I
  • Disclaimer
  • Work with me
  • Contact me

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT