There has been much written on how to have a healthy pregnancy, and there are many opinions about what to eat and what not to eat while you are a pregnant. Here is a quick overview about nutrition during these nine months.

1.      Do eat lots of spinach, as it is rich in folate

2.      Do eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables daily. These foods contain fiber to aid digestion and the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.

3.      Do drink lots of water. It will help with constipation and provide fluid as your blood volume increases and your body creates amniotic fluid for the baby.

4.      Do take a prenatal vitamin.

5.      Do drink milk for calcium and vitamin needs.

6.      Do eat a varied diet. This is the best way to ensure that you are getting a variety of nutrients and not too much of anything that may be harmful.

7.      Don’t eat unpasteurized dairy products such as soft cheeses as they may contain listeria, a bacteria that can cause illness in the baby and possibly lead to miscarriage

8.      Don’t eat raw smoked fish, as they can also contain listeria

9.      Don’t eat deli meats that contain listeria

10.  Don’t take a Vitamin A supplement or consume more than the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin A

11.  Don’t eat fish high in mercury, including shark and swordfish

12.  Don’t consume too much caffeine or artificial sweeteners. Limit yourself to 300mg a day and remember that caffeine is in coffee, tea, some soft drinks, and chocolate.

How much water should I drink while I’m pregnant?

Most adults know that they should be drinking a certain amount of water each day to promote better health, but many women are confused as to how or even if this requirement changes when they are pregnant. Getting enough water each day is as important, if not more important, while pregnant as it is for everyone else.

Pregnant women should get at least 64 ounces of water a day, more if they are moderately active, live in warm clients, notice they are thirsty after that much water, or are sweating more than they do when not pregnant.

Water is important during pregnancy for many reasons, including the following:

-         It is an essential component of blood, which is the way that your body transports nutrients to the baby while he or she is in the womb

-         Water helps to prevent bladder infections which are more common during pregnancy

-         It can alleviate constipation and hemorrhoids, both of which are also common problems during pregnancy

-         It prevents dehydration which is particularly important during the third trimester as dehydration can trigger premature labor during this period of your pregnancy

-         Fluids are necessary to support the increased volume of blood during pregnancy. By the seventh month, your blood volume will be double what it normally is.

-         It may reduce stretch marks and minimize dry skin.

-         Sufficient water allows the kidneys to function properly, and they are under a great deal of stress while you are pregnant.

Learn more

Make sure that you are getting enough water each day, it’s important for you and for the baby!  Read more tips for having a healthy pregnancy by visiting our website.

Nearing the halfway mark of pregnancy

To those who have not been pregnant, twenty weeks might seem like an arbitrary marker. However, to those who have been pregnant or close to someone during her pregnancy, twenty weeks is an important marker – at this point, your pregnancy is halfway done.

You are halfway to the day that you will be able to hold your baby in your arms, and you will notice significant changes in your body and the baby. At this point, you can expect any or all of the following:

-         Weight loss will continue at a steady rate, usually one to two pounds each week

-         Sleeping may become more difficult as your weight gain becomes more pronounced

-         You will be more aware of the baby and his or her movements because they have reached a point in their development where they are bigger and in motion more often

-         Your skin may become dry and itchy as it stretches to accommodate the weight gain, especially in your abdominal region. Lotions and drinking more water can help.

-         Your nails are probably stronger and your hair may be longer and thicker.

-         You may see some swelling of your ankles and feet. This is normal and probably due to retaining more water.

-         Heartburn and indigestion will continue to be an issue, but morning sickness should have stopped by this point.

-         You may sweat more than usual as a result of both the weight gain and a more active thyroid gland.

A few things you can expect early on

Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it is also one that is full of uncertainty. No two women are alike, and no two pregnancies are the same, so you may be worried about what you should expect early in your pregnancy.

No one can tell you exactly what will happen over the next nine months, but some of the things you may experience in the first few months of pregnancy include:

-         Morning sickness. Nausea at this time in your pregnancy is caused by the release of hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin. This nausea is commonly referred to as morning sickness, but you may experience it at any time of the day. The good news is that it usually subsides by the end of the first trimester as hCG production slows.

-         Cravings and aversions. You may desire certain foods that you normally don’t care for, or you may find yourself avoiding old favorites. Your senses are heightened at this time, so these changes in appetite are normal and should not be a source of concern.

-         Mood swings. The hormonal changes that occur during your pregnancy can cause you to feel happy one moment and anxious the next or suddenly weepy. This, too, is completely normal.

-         Fatigue. Many women feel very tired during these first few months. Try to get as much rest as your body needs to stay healthy, even if you need to start napping or going to bed earlier than usual.

Packing for your big day

As you enter your third trimester, it is time to prepare for labor and delivery. One part of the preparations is to do pack what you will need for yourself and the new baby in a bag ready for the hospital so that your things are ready to go if you have to leave suddenly or if you are too flustered to pack when labor begins.  If you want until the last minute, you’re bound to forget something.  So take a cue from the scouts and be prepared!

Our suggestions for packing for the hospital on the big day:

-         Insurance information, hospital forms, and a signed birth plan if you have one

-         Toiletries for yourself and your significant other or birth coach, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, face wash, deodorant, and anything else you consider essential

-         Camera, cell phone, and chargers for both

-         Snacks and/or change for the vending machine (the hospital cafeteria may close or you may be craving something specific that they do not stock)

-         Something soft to pull your hair back such as a ponytail holder or headband

-         A going home outfit and receiving blanket for your infant

-         A bathrobe, sweater, nightgown, and/or blankets from home, as hospitals are often chilly

-         A pillow, sheets, or other things from home that will make you feel more comfortable during your stay at the hospital

-         Maternity underpants and nursing bras, even if you do not intend to nurse because they have pads that will help with any leakage and be more comfortable to your tender breasts

You never know when you’ll need it

Pack your bag by the time you have reached 35 weeks so that you are all ready to go. If you are worried about bringing too much, don’t be – better safe than sorry, and your comfort is the most important concern!

If you are looking for signs that you are pregnant, look no further! In our second look at this topic, we’ll go through the symptoms that, once you have them, just about always point to being pregnant:

Can’t miss sings of pregnancy include:

-         Morning sickness, or nausea. One common sign that women are pregnant is experiencing morning sickness. However, morning sickness is not limited to the morning – some women feel this nausea at other points in the day instead of the morning or as well as during the mornings.

-         Pelvic cramping. As the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining and the uterus begins to grow, many women experience cramps. This can be an indication that you are pregnant, but it may also be a normal pre-menstrual symptom.

-         Missed period. Although not a perfect indicator, a missed period is generally a clear sign that it is time to take a pregnancy test. Of course, some women are irregular and others do not track their cycle, so you may not realize you have missed a period right away.

-         Cravings for certain foods. Not all women have these during their period, but some experience a strong desire for foods they don’t usually want to eat or an aversion to ones they normally love. Sensitivity to smells is also a common sign of pregnancy.

-         A “gut instinct.” Finally, many women say that they simply knew that they were pregnant. They cannot point to a single, certain symptom or experience, but rather indicate an inherent knowledge and certainty that they were carrying a child.

For many women, especially those who are trying to get pregnant, a common question is what are some early signs of pregnancy? As each pregnancy and every woman is different and unique, there are many potential indicators that you might be pregnant.

However, as many of these can be explained in ways other than pregnancy, it is important to consider this list in light of your own health history.

A few early signs you may be pregnant include:

-         Exhaustion, tiredness, and fatigue. One of the first signs that women point to as indications that they were pregnant is feeling much more tired than usual.

-         Mood swings. The dramatic changes in hormones, production of new hormones, and fluctuations in these chemicals that occur during pregnancy are similar to those that were experienced during puberty. Women often feel weepy unexpectedly or go from very happy to extremely anxious quickly when they are pregnant. If you are experiencing unusually strong mood swings, it may be a sign of your pregnancy.

-         Changes in your breasts. Women often notice that their breast look larger and feel heavier when they are pregnant. This swelling can also make them more sensitive. These changes can be explained by pregnancy as your body begins to prepare the ducts and glands to produce milk. However, this can also be a normal part of your menstrual cycle, so it is important to consider both explanations. Additionally, some women notice that their areolas have darkened after becoming pregnant.

For the more obvious signs of pregnancy, look to the second post on this topic, or visit our website to read our full article on early signs of pregnancy.

Is there any such thing as normal?

When it comes to life, there is an old saying that goes “there’s no such thing as normal”. You could say that the same thing applies to pregnancy, and that’s one of the many good reasons why books like “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” are so popular.

Pregnancy can be a time of great apprehension and nervousness, especially for women who are pregnant for the first time. After all, this period is a time of great changes and an experience unlike any other, so what should you expect from pregnancy as you go into it?

A few things you can expect during pregnancy:

• Weight gain. Although this is fairly obvious, the pattern of weight gain may not be what you would expect. Most women do not gain a great deal of weight during their first trimester, and some may even lose weight during the first few weeks. However, by the start of the second trimester you will probably gain 1-2 pounds each week for a total of 25 to 35 pounds.
• Hormonal changes. Hormones are your body’s way of telling your body what to do to support the pregnancy, but they can also cause dramatic emotional swings. Do not feel like something is wrong with you if you go from happy to anxious and back again quickly; this is a normal reaction to the hormones you are producing.
• Physical changes. You will notice a huge range of physical symptoms although they vary from one woman to another. Common symptoms include heartburn, constipation, stretch marks, swollen and/or tender breasts, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.

Not sure, ask your doctor

No one can tell you exactly what to expect while you are pregnant, because each pregnancy is unique. And if you have any concerns about what is normal, make sure to ask your doctor.

Every woman wants to know when!

When a woman is trying to get pregnant, it can be tempting to want to take a pregnancy test as soon as you think it might give a positive response. However, although today’s pregnancy tests are incredibly sensitive and can, in some cases, indicate a pregnancy several days before you miss a period, it is hard to know when you should take a pregnancy test.

The 5 main factors that influence when a test will give an accurate response:

1. Test sensitivity. Some of the tests on the market are more sensitive than others, and a more sensitive test will be able to detect pregnancy at an earlier stage than one that is less sensitive. Both are highly accurate, so a positive reading on one is just as reliable as a positive reading on another, but more sensitive tests can be done sooner.
2. Liquid Consumption. If you have had more fluids than normal when you take the pregnancy test, it will be harder for the test to detect the hormone that indicates pregnancy (hCG).
3. Time of day. Tests taken in the morning are less likely to be influenced by factors such as liquid consumption, but if you wait until later in the day the fetus may be producing more hCG as it grows.
4. Rate of hCG production. Some fetuses produce more hCG than others. If yours is a little slower, it will take longer to get a positive result on a pregnancy test.
5. Ovulation timing. Unless you know exactly when you ovulate each month, counting the days since your last ovulation can be an uncertain calculation.