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5 Simple Steps to Having a Healthy Pregnancy


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5 Simple Steps to Having a Healthy Pregnancy

  1. 1. ==== ====For everything you need to know about being pregnant, visit this ====If youve decided to have a baby, the most important thing is that you care a lot, so that both youand the baby are healthy in the future. Girls who receive proper care and take the right decisionsare highly likely to have healthy babies.Prenatal CareIf you discover you are pregnant, see a doctor as soon as possible to begin receiving prenatalcare (care during pregnancy). The sooner you begin receiving medical care, the better thechances that both you and your baby are healthy in the future.If you can not afford to visit a doctor or pay for the consultation in a clinic for prenatal care, socialservice organizations exist that can help. Ask your parents, school counselor or another trustedadult to help you find resources in your community.During the first consultation, the doctor will make a lot of questions, such as date of your lastperiod. In this way, you can calculate how long have you been pregnant and what date you expectyour baby.Doctors estimate the duration of pregnancy in weeks. The due date is estimated, but the majorityof babies born between 38 and 42 weeks after the first day of last menstrual period of women, orbetween 36 and 38 weeks after conception (when the sperm fertilizes the egg). Only a smallpercentage of women giving birth at the estimated delivery date.The pregnancy is divided into three phases, or quarters. The first quarter runs from conception toend of week 13. The second is from week 14 to 26. The third, from week 27 until the end ofpregnancy.The doctor will examine you and perform a pelvic exam. The doctor will also order blood tests,urine tests and tests to check for sexually transmitted diseases (STD by its acronym in English),including an HIV test, an increasingly common condition in adolescents. (Because some STDscan cause serious health problems in newborns, it is important to get appropriate treatment toprotect the baby.)The doctor will explain what are the physical and emotional changes that are likely to experienceduring pregnancy. We also learn to recognize the symptoms of possible problems (complications)during pregnancy. This is essential, because teenagers are at greater risk of crossing certaincomplications such as anemia or hypertension, and give birth before the expected date (prematurelabor).Your doctor will want to start taking prenatal vitamins containing folic acid, calcium and iron away.
  2. 2. Your doctor may prescribe vitamins or can recommend a brand you can buy without aprescription. These minerals and vitamins help to ensure the good health of baby and mother, andavoid certain birth defects.Ideally, you should visit your doctor once a month during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. Thenyou should visit every 2 weeks until week 36 and weekly thereafter until delivery. If you have adisease like diabetes, which requires careful monitoring during pregnancy, it is likely that yourdoctor wants to see you more often.During consultations, your doctor will monitor your weight, blood pressure and urine, in addition tomeasuring your belly to go record the babys growth. When the babys heartbeat can be heard witha special device, the doctor will listen to every time you visit. It is likely that your doctor will alsoindicate other tests during pregnancy, such as an ultrasound to make sure the baby is in perfectcondition.Also part of prenatal care to attend classes where women who are expecting a baby learning howto have a healthy pregnancy and delivery, as well as what are the basic care for the newborn. It islikely that these classes are conducted in hospitals, medical centers, schools and universities inyour area.If adults can be difficult to talk to your doctor about your own body, this is even more difficult foradolescents. The role of your doctor is to help you enjoy a healthy pregnancy and have a healthybaby... and it is likely that there is nothing that a pregnant woman has not told. So do not be afraidto ask about everything you need to know.Always be honest when your doctor will ask questions, even if they are embarrassing. Many of theissues that your doctor wants you to cover could affect the health of your baby. Think of yourdoctor as someone who is not only a resource but also a friend you can trust to talk about what ishappening to you.What changes can you expect in your bodyPregnancy creates many physical changes. Here are some of the most common:Growth of breastsThe increase in breast size is one of the first signs of pregnancy and the breasts may continue togrow throughout pregnancy. It is possible to increase several sizes of support during the course ofpregnancy.Skin changesDo not be surprised if peoples comments that your skin looks "glowing" when youre pregnant:pregnancy produces an increased blood volume, which can make your cheeks are a little morepink than usual. In addition, hormonal changes increase the secretion of the sebaceous glands, sothat your skin may look brighter. For the same reason, acne is also common during pregnancy.Among other changes that pregnancy hormones generated in the skin are yellowish or brownishspots that appear on the face, which are called melasma, and a dark stripe running from the navelto the pubis, which known as linea nigra.
  3. 3. Also, moles or freckles that you had before pregnancy may increase in size or become darker.Even the areola, the area around the nipple becomes darker. Stretch marks may also occur (thinlines of pink or purple) in the abdomen, breasts or thighs.Except for the darkening of the areola, which is usually permanent, these skin changes willdisappear after delivery.Mood swingsIt is very common to experience mood swings during pregnancy. Some girls may suffer fromdepression during pregnancy or after childbirth. If you have symptoms of depression such assadness, changes in sleep patterns, desires to hurt yourself or negative feelings about yourself oryour life, ask your doctor for advice about starting your treatment.Pregnancy DiscomfortsPregnancy can cause some unpleasant side effects. Among such disorders, include the following:nausea and vomiting, especially during the first months of pregnancy;leg swelling;varicose veins in the legs and the area around the vaginal opening;hemorrhoids;heartburn and constipation;back pain;fatigue andsleeping problems.If you suffer from one or more of these side effects, remember that you are not alone. Ask yourdoctor for advice on how to handle these common problems.If you are pregnant and have bleeding or pain, contact your doctor right away, even if you decidedto terminate your pregnancy.What you should avoidIf you smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs during pregnancy, both you and your baby are at risk forserious problems.AlcoholAt present, doctors believe it is not advisable to drink a drop of alcohol during pregnancy. If youdrink alcoholic beverages can damage the developing fetus and the baby is at risk for birth defectsand mental problems.SmokeSmoking during pregnancy carries some of the following risks: the birth of a dead fetus (when ababy dies inside the womb), low birth weight (which increases the possibility that the baby hashealth problems), infants infants (babies born before 37 weeks) syndrome and sudden infantdeath (SIDS for its acronym in English). SIDS is the sudden death for no apparent reason, a babyunder one year.Drugs
  4. 4. Illegal drugs such as cocaine or marijuana during pregnancy may cause abortions, prematurebirths and other health problems. In addition, babies can be born with an addiction to certaindrugs.If you have trouble quitting smoking, drinking alcohol or using drugs, ask your doctor to help you.Consult your doctor before taking any medication during pregnancy. This includes medicines soldover the counter, prepared herbal supplements and vitamins.Unsafe SexTalk to your doctor about sex during pregnancy. If your doctor allows you to have sex duringpregnancy, you should use a condom to avoid contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD inEnglish). Because some STDs can cause blindness, pneumonia or meningitis in the newborn, it isimportant for you to protect yourself and protect the baby.How to take care during pregnancyFeedingMany young people are concerned by the appearance of your body and fear of weight gain duringpregnancy. But this is not the time to cut calories or go on a diet because you are feeding twopeople. Both you and your baby need certain nutrients for the baby to grow properly. If you eat avariety of healthy foods, drink enough water and you reduce the junk food, high fat, help to bothyou and the baby are healthy and growing.Doctors generally recommend adding about 300 calories a day to the diet, so as to provide thebaby with adequate nutrition growth. According to the weight you had before becoming pregnant,you should gain between 11 and 15 kilos (25 to 35 pounds) during pregnancy, mostly during thelast 6 months. Your doctor will advise you about this depending on your particular situation.Eat more fiber from -25 to 30 grams daily, and drinking enough water can help prevent commonproblems such as constipation. Fruits and vegetables and whole grain breads, cereals or wholewheat muffins are good sources of fiber.It is necessary that you avoid some foods and beverages during pregnancy, such as:some types of fish such as swordfish, canned tuna and other fish that may have a high content ofmercury (your doctor can help you decide which fish to eat);foods containing raw eggs, such as mousse or salad type "Caesar";raw meat, fish or just cooked;processed meats such as sausages or cold cuts;Unpasteurized soft cheeses such as feta, brie, blue or goat, andmilk, unpasteurized juice or cider.It is also desirable to limit the consumption of artificial sweeteners and caffeine and artificialsweeteners.ExerciseExercising during pregnancy is good for your health when you have no complications with thepregnancy and choose appropriate activities. Doctors generally recommend low-impact activitiessuch as walking, swimming and yoga. In general, you should avoid contact sports and high impact
  5. 5. aerobic activities that pose a higher risk of injury. It is also not recommended to do a job thatinvolves heavy lifting for women during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you have questions aboutwhat kind of exercises are safe for you and your baby.SleepIt is important to get plenty of rest during pregnancy. During the first months of pregnancy, trying toacquire the habit of sleeping on your side. As pregnancy progresses, lying on your side, kneesbent, will be the most comfortable position. It will facilitate the functioning of the heart, since thebabys weight will not exert any pressure on the vein that carries blood from the feet and legs backto the heart.Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant girls should sleep on his left side. Becausesome of the major blood vessels are in the right side of the abdomen, lying on the left side helpskeep the uterus puts pressure on them. Ask your doctor what your recommendation. In mostcases, the trick is to lie on either side, to reduce pressure on the back.Throughout the pregnancy, but particularly in the later stages, it is likely that you wake upfrequently at night to go to the bathroom. While it is important to drink plenty of water duringpregnancy, try to drink more during the day instead of night. Go to the bathroom before bed. Asthe pregnancy progresses, you might be hard to find a comfortable position in bed. You can tryplacing pillows around and under the stomach, back or legs to feel more comfortable.Stress can also affect sleep. Perhaps youre concerned about the health of the baby, birth, or howit will play this new role of mother. All these feelings are normal, but can produce insomnia. Talk toyour doctor if you have trouble sleeping during pregnancy.Emotional HealthIt is common for pregnant adolescents experience a variety of emotions such as fear, anger, guilt,confusion and sadness. Maybe you take some time to adjust to the fact that you are having ababy. It means a huge change and it is natural for pregnant teens wonder if they are ready for theresponsibilities involved in becoming mothers.The feelings of a young often depend on how much support received by the babys father, hisfamily (and family of the babys father) and his friends. The situation of each youth is different.Depending on your situation, you may need to seek more support for people who are not part ofyour family. It is important to talk with people who can support you, guide you and help you shareand sort out your feelings. Your school counselor or nurse can guide you to find the resourcesoffered to help your community.In some cases, teenage pregnancies and spontaneous abortions have lost the baby. This can bevery sad and difficult to overcome for some, but to others it causes a feeling of relief. It is importantto talk about these feelings and receive support from friends and family, if this is not possible, goto counselors or teachers.The school and the futureSome girls plan to raise her baby by themselves. Sometimes grandparents or other familymembers help them. Some young people choose to deliver her baby for adoption. These difficultdecisions involve a great deal of courage and concern for the baby.
  6. 6. Young women who have completed high school will have greater chances of getting a good joband enjoy a more successful life. As far as possible, you should finish high school now instead oftrying to go back to school later. Ask your school counselor or a trusted adult that you provideinformation about what programs and classes offered in the community for pregnant teens.Some communities have support groups especially devoted to teen parents. In some schools, nochildcare. Perhaps a member of your family or a friend can take the baby while youre at school.You can learn more about what happens when you mother if you read books, attend classes orconsultations reliable websites on parenting. Your pediatrician, your parents, your family membersand other adults can guide you when youre pregnant and when you become a mother.Article Source: ====For everything you need to know about being pregnant, visit this ====