Jun 15, 2018
Top 5 Health Mistakes to Avoid When Pregnant

Pregnancy can be a challenging journey for any woman, especially first-time mothers. Most pregnant women are aware of the things they need to do during pregnancy, including eating a healthy and balanced diet, exercising and refraining from heavy tasks.

What they do not know is that for you to have a healthy pregnancy, there are other aspects they need to observe to have a healthy baby. Most pregnant women make several health mistakes out of negligence while others it is due to lack of knowledge. Some of these mistakes include:

Self Medication

pregnant womanThis is arguably the most common health mistakes that nearly every pregnant woman commits at one point in their pregnancy. There are mothers who are fond of using anti-acids, acne treatments, antibiotics, and paracetamol when they are pregnant. It is important to note that self-medicating can have severe effects on both the mother and the unborn child.

Undergoing extreme beauty treatments can also impact the health of the mother and infant negatively. As such, it is crucial to seek professional medical attention when you feel under the weather or are considering using a new beauty treatment. Always consult your physician before you consume any medication, supplements and vitamins for professional medical advice.

Failure to Sleep

Most pregnant women who sacrifice their sleep do so to achieve work-life balance. However, this ultimately wrong as it makes the mother sleep deprived and thereby affecting the healthy growth of the fetus. Been awake for long hours throughout the day and part of the night can also weaken your body’s immune system thereby making you susceptible to contracting illnesses.

Avoid undertaking strenuous tasks as these activities may leave the body craving for more sleep thereby resulting in over-sleeping. Striking a perfect balance between sufficient resting (sleep) and body activism is important in promoting healthy pregnancies.

Failure to Exercise

If you fail to exercise when you are pregnant, there are high chances that you may experience complications and hardships during childbirth. This is because exercises help in relaxing the muscles around the cervix and the lower body hence increasing the ease of delivering naturally.

In addition to this, lack of exercising increases fatigue and general tiresomeness, thereby making the pregnancy hard, especially due to increased morning sickness. Exercising helps in combating stress hormones, preparing the body for delivery, aiding in healthy fetal growth and boosting circulation all over the body.

Missing Pre-natal Clinics

pregnancyPregnancies are unique and are as such, it is necessary that you go for regular pre-natal clinics throughout the pregnancy period. These clinics are efficient in detecting health problems and other conditions in the mother and the baby during pregnancy.

Consequently, the early detection of such conditions is crucial in preventing any severe problems or defects arising. Additionally, during these clinics, pregnant women are advised on the best meals to take when pregnant, the exercises to engage in, sleeping patterns to adopt and other health tips to observe during the pregnancy.

Conclusion

There are unlimited resources on the dos and don’ts of pregnancy that every pregnant woman should observe during the pregnancy. From the Internet to medical magazines, pamphlets, advice from medics and experienced mothers, these resources are guaranteed to provide you with the best guidance on having a healthy pregnancy.

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