First Time Pregnancy Tips And Advice

Generally women are not aware of do’s and dont’s at the time of first pregnancy. Often they rely on the information provided to them by the mother or mother in law or elder sisters etc. For safe pregnancy it is essential to keep the following things in mind.

• Be very cautious while walking. One should not stumble with something lying on the floor and fall down. This can cause injury to the foetus resulting in injury and improper development of the child.

• The next important thing is not take any over the counter medicine for anything without consulting your doctor.

• If you smoke, quit smoking immediately. Even passive smoking should be avoided. If your husband smokes tell him to go out and smoke. Chemicals present in smoke of cigarette reduce the supply of oxygen to the child.

• Quit consumption of hard drinks immediately when you come to know of pregnancy, or when you are planning to have a baby. Alcohol when consumed directly mixes with the blood stream and enters the baby sack in your womb. The children born to mothers who drink have many birth defects.

• Avoid excessive intake of caffeine. This is found in coffee, tea and soda drinks. Do not drink more than two cups of coffee or tea in a day. Soda drinks should be avoided.

• When the pregnancy is established women develop morning sickness. This is caused by high level of oestrogen hormone in blood. Avoid taking medicines for this problem. Instead keep some crackers with you. Eat small quantities at regular intervals.

• Heartburn is another problem faced during the second trimester of pregnancy. To prevent this problem it will be better to quit consumption of tea or coffee. Cold milk is a good natural remedy. A spoon full of anti acid drug can help but before taking any drug consult your doctor. Increase intake of water as it will dilute the acid in the stomach.

• Low back pain, swollen feet and ankles are an issue during late pregnancy. Back ache is mainly due to shifting of centre of gravity and consequential effort to keep the body straight. Swelling in feet is due to increased load on feet due to increase of body weight. These are temporary problems. Wear comfortable shoes. Do not stand for long time. Lie down after short intervals. While lying down keep a pillow under your feet and keep them raised. For back ache select a comfortable posture.

• Disturbed sleep is associated with pregnancy. Try to be happy and less tense.

• Problem of constipation is faced by almost all women at the time of first pregnancy. To avoid it eat healthy diet with lot of fibre.

• Cramps in legs are caused due to deficiency of calcium.

For safe and smooth pregnancy, visit your doctor regularly. Follow her advice and do not ignore medicines prescribed to you.