Happy Healthy Mommy Will Deliver A Happy Healthy Child

Pregnancy is an exceptional situation for the female body. Pregnancy is the condition between conception (which means egg fertilization by a sperm) and birth during which the fertilized egg develops in the uterus.  It is that time when a fetus develops inside a woman’s womb. Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful phases in a woman’s life. Pregnancy is a beautiful journey for every woman. It makes every woman beautiful with clear and glowy skin. It is one of the most special and extraordinary experiences wherein a woman undergoes a plethora of emotions. Every moment a pregnant woman feels that happiness is on the way. So, it is truly said that “You Never Understand Life Until It Grows Inside You”. It lasts usually about 40 weeks or nine months, as measured from the last menstrual period to delivery. Healthcare providers divided this period into three segments called trimesters. They are as follows:

First Trimester (Week 1 To Week 12)

During the first trimester, due to hormonal changes, every organ of the body gets affected. Stopping the menstrual cycle is a clear sign of one’s pregnancy. Other changes include:

• Tremendous tiredness
• Tender and swollen breasts
• Upset stomach
• Cravings or distaste for certain foodstuffs
• Mood swings
• Constipation
• Frequent urination
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Weight gain or weight loss.

Second Trimester (13 Weeks To 28 Weeks)

Most women find the second trimester of pregnancy easier than the first one. One might notice that the symptoms like nausea and fatigue are going away but at the same time, some of the more noticeable changes start happening to one’s body like expansion of the abdomen because the baby continues to grow inside the womb. And before this trimester is over, the baby inside the womb starts moving.

As the body makes room for the growing baby, one may have:

• Body aches such as back and thigh pain
• Stretch marks on the abdomen and breasts
• A line on the skin running from the belly to the pubic hairline
• Swelling of ankles, fingers and face in certain cases.

Third Trimester (29 Weeks To 40 Weeks)

In this phase, the pregnant woman is in the home stretch. The major problem faced by every pregnant woman in this phase is breathing difficulties, this is because the baby is getting bigger and it is putting pressure on every organ. The most common problems faced in this phase are:

• Shortness of breath
• Heartburn
• Swelling of body parts
• Tender breasts that may leak a watery pre-milk called colostrum
• The belly button may be stuck out
• Trouble sleeping
• The baby dropped in the lower abdomen
• At this phase, every woman gets excited because the final countdown has begun.

Types Of Pregnancy

There are different kinds of pregnancy that include:

Intrauterine Pregnancy

It is considered a normal pregnancy when the fetus or fetuses implant inside the uterus and the placenta is attached to the inside of the uterus to the urinary muscle.

Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants in a place other than the fallopian tube or uterus. It is a condition that could be fatal and needs quick medical intervention.

Tubal Pregnancy

Tubal pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. In such pregnancies, miscarriage takes place.

Intra Abdominal Pregnancies

Intra-abdominal pregnancies occur after the previous C– Section, where the C- Section scar may weaken and tear the fetus to slip into the abdominal cavity.

Singlet Pregnancy

Singlet pregnancies are those in which one egg meets one sperm and one fetus develops.

Multiple Pregnancies

Multiple pregnancies occur as a result of multiple eggs being fertilized at the same time when two sperms enter one egg or when one egg is fertilized by one sperm that divides into the zygotes. Natural multiples including twins, triplets, and quadruplets have been seen in many such cases.

Lupus Pregnancy

Lupus pregnancy is a typical kind of pregnancy when complications due to blood clotting occur. Lupus is an autoimmune disease.

High Risk Pregnancy

Women over the age of thirty-five years with diabetes and other health issues that affect pregnancy may be considered as high risk because in that case, many complications occur during the pregnancy period.

Molar Pregnancy

Molar Pregnancy results in the placenta forming in the uterus without a fetus to support it.

Healthy Mom: SOUND BABY

Benefits Of Exercise In Pregnancy

Regular exercise during the period of pregnancy can improve health, reduce the risk of excess weight gain and possibly make one’s delivery easier. During the period of pregnancy, exercise can benefit the woman’s mental as well as physical health and also helps in giving the newborn a healthier start. But a pregnant woman cannot exercise for a longer period of time. The exercise slot does not need to be lengthy. For example, pregnant women can exercise five times a week for thirty minutes or ten times a week for five minutes.

Following are some of the suitable activities during the pregnancy period. The below-mentioned activities carry little risk of injury and benefit the whole body.

Brisk Walking

Brisk walking is a good way to start if the pregnancy exercise levels are low. Brisk walking has several advantages:

• It helps in providing a cardiovascular workout.
• It is possible to walk almost anywhere and at any time.

Safety Tips: One can stay safe by choosing a smooth surface, wearing supportive footwear, and avoiding potholes.

Swimming

It is a very important exercise one can opt for during pregnancy but with a little care. It is very essential to choose a stroke that feels comfortable and which does not strain or hurt the neck, shoulders, or back muscles.

Safety Tips: One must use the railing for balance when entering the water to avoid slipping. One should avoid jumping or diving as it could impact the abdomen.

Pregnant women should avoid hot tubs, warm pools, and steam rooms to minimize the risk of overheating.

Cycling

Cycling on a stationary bike is safe for a pregnant woman. It helps in raising the heart rate by reducing stress on the joints. As the bike is stationary so it reduces the risk of falling.

Safety Tips: In the later stages of pregnancy, the use of handlebars may be more comfortable.

Yoga

Yoga helps a pregnant woman to keep her joints limber and it also helps in maintaining flexibility. It is very helpful in stimulating blood circulation, maintaining blood pressure, and enhancing relaxation.

Safety Tips: During the pregnancy period, one should avoid overbalancing, lying on the back or the flat.

Low Impact Aerobics

In low-impact aerobics, one foot stays on the ground at all times. It helps in strengthening the heart, lungs, and keeps the muscles toned and balanced.

Safety Tips: It is safe to meet the specific needs with the help of a trained instructor.

Preparing For Labor: Squatting And Pelvic Tilts

Some exercises during pregnancy are very important as they prepare the pregnant woman’s body for labor and delivery.

Squatting

It is helpful in opening the pelvis during labor.

Pelvic Tilts

Pelvic tilts are useful in strengthening the abdominal muscles and reducing back pain.

Kegel Exercise

Kegel exercise tones the muscles in the pelvic floor with the help of which the woman pushes during the pregnancy delivery and it also reduces the risk of leakage of urine afterwards.

Benefits Of Exercise During Pregnancy

• Physical exercise is very important during the pregnancy period
• It helps in Increasing the rate of the heart steadily by improving the blood circulation
• Eliminating the risk of obesity
• Preventing constipation, backache, and other different types of pregnancy complications
• Keeping the body flexible and strong
• Maintain the body for labor and birth
• Preventing deep vein thrombosis
• Improving sleep and providing a sound emotional health
• Reducing the risk of preterm
• Speeding up recovery after delivery
• Giving a healthier birth weight to the newborn baby
• Enhancing nervous system development in the body.

Important Tips For Exercise During Pregnancy

Lots of physical changes during pregnancy took place in one’s body so it is very important to exercise with utmost care.

There are some women who were very active before the pregnancy and can adjust their physical exercise as their pregnancy progresses.

But women who were not so active before their pregnancy can start with low-intensity exercise and should gradually increase their activity levels otherwise it may create some major issues.

How Pregnant Woman Can Exercise Safely?

Following are some of the important tips that must be taken care of during pregnancy while doing exercises. It is advisable to begin by warming up for five minutes and stretching for five minutes.

• One should wear loose fitting clothes, comfortable clothes and a good quality sports bra
• One should wear supportive shoes to avoid injury
• If the legs are swelling then, one should wear compression stockings
• One must exercise on a flat surface to avoid major injury
• Overheating must be avoided while doing exercises
• One should drink plenty of water during pregnancy and should try to keep yourself hydrated while doing exercises
• Pregnant women should get up slowly and steadily to prevent dizziness.

Who Should Not Exercise?

Anyone with a medical condition like asthma, heart disease, hypertension, and other pregnancy-related complications should try to avoid doing exercises. One should immediately stop doing exercises if the following symptoms develop:

• If the vagina starts bleeding
• If one is suffering from placenta pregnancy
• If there are any symptoms of preterm delivery
• If the pregnant women have a weak cervix
• If there is a leakage of amniotic fluid
• If there develops sudden swelling in the ankles, head, face or all of them.
• If one develops shortness of breath
• If weakness and dizziness arise then immediately exercise should be stopped.
• If their sudden muscle cramps arise then immediately exercise should be stopped.

Conclusion

The body needs more oxygen during pregnancy. In this phase, the body produces hormone relaxing in more quantity which causes the ligaments that support the joints to stretch resulting in the risk of injury. Regular physical activity can boost the mother and the baby. Physical changes during pregnancy demand extra care. In order to live a healthy life during pregnancy, it is very essential to exercise for the proper development of both the baby and the mother.

For women without contraindications, physical exercise provides numerous benefits to them. The pregnancy period can be seen as a great time for lifestyle modifications. This period is also termed a “teachable moment’” where pregnant women are motivated to change their habits to keep themselves as well as their babies in the womb healthy.

However, it is important to stay safe during pregnancy, so pregnant women should check with their doctors before making any sort of changes in their lifestyles as their pregnancy progresses for the safety of their babies in the womb.

Disclaimer: One must be in good physical condition to participate in exercise during pregnancy. If any kind of complications arises during performing exercise, one must immediately seek the advice of a gynecologist for safety. There is a risk of injury associated with participation, so one must take utmost care to get rid of any harm caused by doing exercises.