4 things you can do to have a more positive pregnancy experience

If you or your partner want to experience the best pregnancy possible, there are a few simple things you can do, that shouldn't require too much effort. No matter your situation, support at this time is important, so if you have a partner, family or friends you can lean on or just offer a shoulder to talk to, make use of that during your pregnancy. While we simply cannot do it all, and shouldn't feel pressured to do so, we can within reason make active choices that will help your baby thrive. Having had two children of my own, here are a few things I've learned along the way.

Step away from negativity

During this time you want to try and surround yourself with positivity as much as you can. If there is someone in your life who is not supportive of the pregnancy and voices this constantly, then you may need to consider reducing contact with them or not involving them in your life during this time as negative emotions can cause stress which is something you want to avoid. Also think of ways you can keep the mood upbeat, for example, when you are thinking of ways to announce your pregnancy, this should be a fun and happy experience that you are sharing with the people that you love and care about.

Keep varied and balanced eating as a priority

Healthy eating should still be a priority. I'm not saying at all that you should ignore your cravings, nor am I saying that you should exclusively eat healthy food, but simply keep it the same as regular life and there should be a focus on a balanced diet as much as possible. You need to keep in mind that whatever you are eating will be passed to the baby as this is how they get their vitamins and nutrients, so if you are someone who regularly skips meals then you need to try and work to get this under control as soon as possible. If you are struggling with eating healthy when pregnant, then you can get advice from your midwife or specialist who will be able to help.

Take Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal Vitamins are more than just a suggestion but rather essential and should be included in your daily routine. They have a number of benefits to both parent and the baby, and even though there are people who choose not to take them whose babies turn out fine, this does not mean it’s worth the risk. These vitamins provide essential things that parent and baby both need, keeping you both in the best possible health. Pregnancy is tough on the body at the best of times, and it can be difficult to get all of the nutrition needed if they are throwing up a lot of what is being eaten.

If you are worried about these vitamins, then speak to a professional and they will go through everything with you both. There is always help available so you don’t need to worry about going through this on your own.

Aim to stay active

The last thing that I'm going to mention is that you should try and stay as active as possible. As the pregnancy progresses, you may find yourself becoming increasingly uncomfortable and everything feels a little bit harder. However, if a doctor has not recommended that you rest more than usual (which is required in some circumstances), then keeping active will have positive benefits for both you and the baby. You could try and head out on a gentle walk each morning or try to complete gentle exercises throughout the days if you feel up to it.

I hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the steps that you can take to ensure your pregnancy goes as well as possible. Your support is going to be more important now than it ever has been before so if you do have people you can depend on in your life now is the time to lean on them and reduce your stress as much as possible.