7 steps to a healthy pregnancy

Pregnancy is an ideal time to start taking really good care of you both physically and emotionally. You give yourself the best chance of having a problem-free pregnancy and a healthy baby if you follow a few simple guidelines:

· Organize your antenatal care early

Good antenatal care is essential to your baby's health. Choosing your carer early means you'll have months to build a good relationship in preparation for the birth. Even if you are not offered a choice of carer, you may be able to develop a rapport with one particular midwife or obstetrician you have met during the course of your pregnancy care.

· Eat well

Although you don't necessarily have to eat more when you are pregnant, it is important to eat a well-balanced and healthy diet. Many women go off certain foods, but it's always possible to substitute those with others that provide similar nutritional value.

Make sure that your diet includes some vegetables and fruit, some carbohydrates, some protein, which might be fish, meat, eggs, nuts, or pulses, and some milk and dairy foods, every day.

· Exercise regularly

A good exercise programmer can give you the strength and endurance you'll need to carry the weight you gain during pregnancy and to handle the physical stress of labour. It will also make it much easier to get back into shape after your baby is born.

If you are used to taking exercise in the form of a sport, you can continue with this as long as it feels comfortable for you, unless your particular sport carries a risk of falls or knocks. More gentle exercise such as walking, swimming, aqua-aerobics, and yoga are also very beneficial.

· Limit your alcohol intake

Since any alcohol you drink rapidly reaches your baby via your blood stream and placenta, you may decide to cut it out completely, or at least to monitor the amount you consume.

Women who drink heavily (over six units a day) on a regular basis during pregnancy are known to be at greater risk of giving birth to a baby with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which describes problems ranging from learning difficulties to more serious birth defects (BMA 2007:6).

· Cut back on caffeine

Coffee, tea, and cola-style beverages are mild stimulants, and although the research evidence is not clear, some researchers feel that too much caffeine may contribute to a risk of having a low birth weight baby, or increase your risk of miscarriage.

As with alcohol, it's best to err on the side of caution and you may prefer tocut down on caffeine significantly, or switch to decaffeinated coffee, tea, or fruit juices, instead, particularly in the first trimester. A refreshing alternative is a glass of mineral water with a twist of lime or lemon.

· Stop smoking

Women who smoke increase their risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, and cot death.

Smoking in the first trimester also slightly increases the risk of having a baby with a cleft lip or palate.

While it is best to give up smoking before you even try to conceive, any reduction in the number of cigarettes you smoke per day will give your baby a better chance.

· Get some rest

The fatigue you feel in the first and third trimesters is your body's way of saying "slow down". A nap in the middle of the day may seem like a luxury you can't afford, but you and your baby will both benefit. If you can't sleep, at least put your feet up and relax for 30 minutes or more, in whatever way suits you best.

If backache is disturbing your sleep, try massage, aquanatal classes, or exercise classes specifically for back care. Exercise and relaxation can also help with sleep problems related to stress. Try relaxation techniques, which are safe in pregnancy, such as yoga, stretching, deep breathing, and massage. Always tell the teacher of any exercise or relaxation class that you attend that you're pregnant or choose classes tailored for pregnant women.

Healthy Pregnancy Information

Pregnancy is a very exciting time in a woman's life. But it can also be a time filled with questions and concerns. Sometimes pregnancy symptoms can be confusing, making you wonder whether you really are pregnant or not. Only a pregnancy test will be able to help answer that question.

Now that you know that you are pregnant, it's time to see a prenatal health care provider. But which one is right for you? Take a look at Choosing a Prenatal Practitioner to understand how OB/GYNs, family doctors and midwives differ. No matter which of these practitioners you choose, though, all will offer you a multitude of prenatal tests over the course of your pregnancy to help make sure you and your baby are healthy. A cordocentesis may be performed if your baby is in distress; this fetal blood sampling test has also been used to administer in utero treatment to fetuses with heart problems and other dire health conditions.

During early pregnancy, you may have some concerns about already existing health conditions and how you and your baby will be affected. For women with asthma, Asthma and Pregnancy will likely answer many of your questions, while Prozac and Pregnancy will be useful for those women using this common antidepressant. If you are HIV positive, or are infected with this virus during your pregnancy, be sure to learn how HIV can affect your pregnancy. And if your pregnancy symtpoms seem really bad, then you may want to check to see if you're having twins or multiples.

There are a number of infections that a woman may contract during her pregnancy. Common Infections details a variety of illnesses and how they may affect you during pregnancy. One infection that woman are often cautioned of is toxoplasmosis. Though the risk of catching the virus is low, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent having to deal with it at all. Other infections that pregnant women shold guard against include chickenpox, group B strep, and the parvovirus, also know as Fifth Disease.

One concern for all women is the risk of ectopic pregnancy. If you suspect that your pregnancy may be ectopic, it is important to seek treatment quickly. While generally effective, occasionally some women may require to have a repeat treatment. False pregnancy is a condition in which a woman believes she is pregnant when she is really not. Learn more about this emotional and psychological condition here.

If you have been having troubles getting pregnant, you may want to be investigated for antiphospholipid syndrome. This syndrome can contribute to repeat miscarriages as well as increase a woman's risk of developing pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, a condition associated with hypertension.

Other complications that can develop during late pregnancy include a low-lying placenta and cervical incompetence. Having an incompetent cervix increases your risk of premature labour. Also increasing the risk for premature labour is PROM, or premature rupture of the membranes. At the other end of the spectrum, prolonged pregnancy can also be problematic making it necessary for health care professionals to induce labour

Many women are worried about giving birth. Will it be painful? Is it safe to use pain medications? What if something goes wrong? Will you need a caesarean section? Give yourself one less thing to worry over by using our labour checklist to make sure you have everything in order for the big day. And don't forget to check out Birthing Options, which explains all the choices you have when it comes to how and where to give birth. Of course, creating a birth plan is one of the best ways to let your health care professionals know what you want on that special day.

Breech Babies will give you an idea of what to expect if your baby isn't in the head first position, while Pain Relief for Labour will help you better understand your choices of labour medications. If you prefer not to use medications to deal with pain during labor, then you'll want to read Alternative Pain Management. One decision you may have to make once your baby is born is whether or not to administer vitamin K. Vitamin K for Newborns outlines the pros and cons of this treatment.

In addition to the complications a mother may experience during pregnancy, complications with your baby can also arise. This includes amniotic bands and sheets, single umbilical artery, and choroids plexus cysts. One complication that can be tested for during pregnancy is Downs syndrome. The chances of your baby developing this disorder increases with maternal age. However, there are a number of birth defects that can be diagnosed during your pregnancy. Though scary, knowing early on what to expect can help you prepare for that very special bundle that is arriving.

Not sure whether to breastfeed or bottle feed? Check out Bottle Feeding, which explains the pros and cons, and the ins and outs of feeding with formula. You'll also want to take a look at Breastfeeding, and all of the benefits it has for you and your baby.

As you're getting ready for your baby's arrival, there are likely a number of things you'll need. Help make you baby shopping easier by visiting PregnancyStore.com. Also check out our information on yoga and pregnancy and about how yoga can help you through this exciting time.