When a couple is working hard to become pregnant, the moment they learn of their growing baby is a joyous occasion. Babies are miracles in human form. However, there is understandable anxiety in the cases where the doctor shares that the pregnancy is considered high-risk. During high-risk pregnancies, many women are placed on bed rest until their due date. If this isn’t the way you’d like to enjoy your pregnancy, there are a few things you can do to potentially avoid the high-risk restriction. Nothing is guaranteed, but these are great starting points.
Start Early
Finding the love of your life and starting the process of growing your family isn’t one that’s necessarily bound by time. It can be difficult to find your future husband or the man you’d like to spend the rest of your life with. However, the earlier you begin the pregnancy process, the better. The risk factors only increase as you increase in age. After 30, the risks increase. Many women experience high-risk pregnancies at 35 years and up. If you’re able to, it’s better to start family planning sooner than later.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Many risk factors are closely connected to your waistline. Even though the culture may promote curves and thickness as beautiful, there is a health factor to consider. When the body is living with excess fat on it, it’s unable to operate at its best. The wider your waistline is, the more susceptible you are to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Stay active. Exercise on a daily basis. Even if it’s just a walk, keep the body moving on a consistent basis to encourage a healthy weight.
Get Prenatal Care
If you’re in the position where you’re in the early stages of pregnancy already and would like to avoid a high-risk pregnancy down the line, get prenatal care. Quality prenatal care from qualified professionals will help. Whether they’ve completed ADN to MSN programs, or if they’ve worked within the profession for a number of years in the doctoral sphere, it’s important to look for someone with certified professional advice that can tell you the proper prenatal vitamins, practices, and dietary rules in order to avoid your pregnancy becoming high-risk.
Eat the Right Foods
Good nutrition is vital for anyone who is looking to take better care of their body. However, it is especially important for anyone who is looking to gain a better understanding of how to support their body while carrying a growing life. Iron, calcium, folic acid and other nutrients are vital in higher dosages to be effective. Find the foods that are higher in these vitamins and make sure to increase your intake. For example, wheat germ is a great source of folic acid. Yogurt is a great source of calcium. Alongside your scrambled eggs and toast, enjoy a cup of Greek yogurt sweetened with honey and fresh fruit. Top the yogurt with a few teaspoons of wheat germ for a power-packed breakfast.
Just because high-risk pregnancies happen often, you can still thrive and carry your baby without dealing with any issues. Try implementing these steps, decreasing your stress and reminding yourself that everything will be okay.