Simple Tips for a Healthful Living During Pregnancy

It is always desirable for parents to lead a healthy life. During pregnancy, living healthfully becomes particularly important for the welfare of both the mother and her child. As a general rule, pregnant women should go on with their usual way of life; however, they should observe a lessening of intensity or avoid extremeness in everything they do. This means avoiding excesses of any kind.

Some of the excesses that pregnant women must avoid include doing heavy work or engaging in strenuous physical activities. Lifting and stooping are two specific actions that should be avoided. Those who are into such strenuous sports as horseback riding or tennis should wait until way after they have given birth before engaging in their favorite game again. And, yes, even excesses of rest should be shunned.

Some pregnant women ask if it is alright to exercise during pregnancy. In reply, most physicians confirm that reasonable exercise is beneficial to pregnant women. Two specific forms of exercise or activity that can definitely benefit pregnant women are gardening and walking. There are also special muscle-building exercises that some physicians recommend which are intended to make stronger those muscles that will be involved in childbirth, hence making the procedure less taxing.

What should a woman wear during pregnancy? Two easy descriptions immediately come to mind: simple and comfortable. Pregnant women should avoid wearing tight-fitting dresses that may interfere with the blood's circulation in the veins. A firmly-made brassiere is ideal since the breasts become larger during pregnancy. As for footwear, low-heeled shoes are always desirable.

It is during pregnancy when taking a bath daily is even more advisable than at any other time in a woman's life. This is because the skin glands are more active during this period. The water should be of the right temperature. During the last month of pregnancy, the woman should no longer be taking tub baths; this is to avoid germs from being introduced into those parts which will help to form the channel through which the fetus will pass during birth. Taking a shower instead is preferable at this stage of pregnancy.

It is natural for a woman to have less desire for sexual intercourse during pregnancy. But, observing moderation, it is proper for a couple to go on with their intimate relations even until the last month of this period. Also during this period, the couple should be able to communicate with each other easily, especially where preferences and problems are concerned. It is likewise advisable for the husband to be with his pregnant wife as much as he could whenever she visits her obstetrician-gynecologist. [Read the Original Article]