First, congratulations on being pregnant. Most first-time moms will have mixed emotions of happiness and anxiety, and that is normal. With The Best 10 Pregnancy Self-Care Tips for First-Time Mothers, you’ll be ready for every stage of your pregnancy until you hold your precious bundle.
A pregnant woman needs to get used to a daily healthy routine to be stronger and have a healthier pregnancy.
We previously discussed how to holistically prepare your body for pregnancy so that it runs smoothly.
Here we will help you with The Best 10 Pregnancy Self-Care Tips for First-Time Mothers that are proven to be effective for a healthy pregnancy.
Nutritional Habits
Varied, healthy food is the most important, as what goes in reflects your overall health. You are the only source that feeds the baby, so here you must focus on yourself and what you eat. (1)
In the first four months, the baby does not grow much, but his nervous system does. You need a nutritional food that contains everything that your body needs at this stage:
- Folate-rich foods are found in lentils, avocados, beets, spinach, white rice, asparagus, and peanuts. You can talk with your doctor about folic acid supplements. Folic acid is also known as vitamin B9.
- Your food should not contain artificial sugars. If you prepare your body before pregnancy, as we mentioned earlier, you will overcome the sugary food/taste addiction.
- Make your own healthy food, e.g., your special cake sweetened with dates and rich in healthy substitutes, such as millet flour cake. Try making your own with eggs, milk, dates, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, butter, and millet flour.
- You can make your own homemade chocolate (cocoa + butter + honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup).
- Eat a lot of salads and vegetables.
- Drink a lot of water and warm drinks, e.g., herbal tea. Remember not to rely solely on one type of herb and to ensure that the herb you use is safe while pregnant. Try to have at least 8 glasses of water per day.
- Avoid soft, sugary drinks. Sugary drinks will hurt your health and may cause gestational diabetes.
- Avoid caffeine, as it increases heartbeats and stress. As it can cross the placenta barrier and pass to your fetus.
- Avoid alcoholic drinks.
- Increase your calcium-rich foods, especially sesame seeds, which contain a high amount of calcium, as do yogurt, eggs, and dark leafy vegetables.
- Consume high-fiber meals to reduce the constipation associated with pregnancy.
- Prefer seasonal vegetables and fruits.
Morning Sickness
- Morning sickness may be due to some vitamin deficiency, so be sure you have your needed vitamins and minerals from a balanced diet (folate-rich foods, folic acid, etc.) and prenatal vitamins (talk about it with your doctor).
- Drinking water with lemon juice in the morning helps with morning sickness. You can drink some glasses of water with lemon juice during the day if you have continuous nausea.
- Water with natural apple cider vinegar (a spoonful of vinegar with a glass of water after meals). Vinegar helps strengthen the stomach, improves food absorption, and treats reflux that causes heart pain.
Weight gain
- You should not gain a lot of weight. The more you gain, especially at the end stages of pregnancy, the more the baby grows and the more fats build in your pelvic area, leading to labor difficulties.
- It increases the accumulation of fat around the pelvic area, which makes childbirth more difficult.
- Track your weight gain regularly. It is normal to gain weight through pregnancy, but not too much.
Sports
- If you are used to exercising before pregnancy, you can continue during pregnancy; you can talk about it with your doctor.
- Walking in an open place with fresh air will ease the burden of pregnancy.
- Prenatal yoga is a good way to relax and make your body stretch.
- Stay active as much as you can to avoid pregnancy complications.
- Don’t forget to wear comfortable clothes and shoes to avoid discomfort while exercising.
10 Physiological Changes Every Mom Should Know
Place of Birth
Choosing the place you will deliver (a medical center or hospital) will reduce your concerns. You can discuss your birth plan with the medical center’s midwife, e.g., water delivery, epidural injections (if they are suitable for you),…
Mental State
Your psychological state is very important during pregnancy; it affects the mother’s readiness to receive her newborn.
You should prepare yourself by answering all your concerns by reading about labor and asking your doctor about them. Pregnancy self-education will increase your confidence and ease your anxiety.
Prenatal yoga is very important for relieving your worries.
Having a birth plan will ease your anxiety because you will have a future view of the steps you will go through.
Make all your thoughts positive and believe that everything will be perfect. Just think that soon you will hold your bundle of joy.
Follow Up
Monthly follow-ups to check baby growth and rule out birth defects start in the first few months of pregnancy.
You have to check on your situation periodically.
If you find some prenatal or childbirth classes that a medical team provides, do not hesitate to participate. Childbirth classes will be so helpful and will help you have a birth plan that is suitable for you.
Breathing
Breathing has a great effect during pregnancy( especially while walking outside where you can breathe fresh air) and during the birthing process, as it will ease pain sensations.
Breathing helps you get more oxygen, which makes you feel more relaxed.
Prenatal massage
Always take a break and get some free time just for you. Try a pregnancy massage; it will help you feel relaxed, and you will never regret it. Massage helps to overcome stress and ease body pain during the months of pregnancy.
Childbirth
Try fixing a birth plan. The birth plan is what you plan to do during the birth process and after. Fixing a birth plan earlier will facilitate this stage and will let you and your midwife prepare what suits you and give you the available alternatives.
This is the last stage of pregnancy and all waiting moments. It will be easier if you have taken childbirth classes, as you will be more familiar with whatever faces you.
Birthing process starts while feeling signs like:
- Continuous pain that intensifies with time is due to cervix dilation, which will cause some blood discharge (first labor stage/first birthing process).
- Childbirth: at this stage, the contraction continues until your bundle of joy is delivered (second labor stage).
- Delivery of the placenta: this is what causes the continued contractions after the delivery of the baby; it takes about 30 minutes or even more. (third labor stage)
Don’t forget to:
- Try not to focus on the pain that will change during the birthing process, but try to get busy doing something you love. Get busy making a meal, for example.
- Go to the hospital or medical center when labor pain becomes regular and closer every 3 minutes or you have delivery complications, e.g., bleeding.
- Keep in mind that everything will pass smoothly; try to be as calm as possible and focus on your breathing.
By helping yourself by eating healthier, avoiding bad habits, and moving as much as you can, pregnancy will be easier, and the memory of pregnancy will remain as beautiful as it is supposed to be.
Pregnancy tips can vary according to the needs of each pregnant woman. Above, we mentioned The Best 10 Pregnancy Self-Care Tips for First-Time Mothers according to pregnant women’s experiences.
