February 14, 2010
5 Ways To Foster a Healthy Fetal Environment
In preparation for her pregnancy, Ann decided it was time to make some better choices. For the past ten years she had not taken the best care of herself and now that she was thinking of having a baby, she wanted to get her body in the best shape she possibly could. One of the very first things she decided to do was to kick the cigarette habit she had developed. She began smoking cessation therapy and while participating in the program she underwent smoking cessation hypnosis. She was very pleased with the results and being able to quit her dependence on cigarettes gave her the confidence she needed to get the rest of her healthy lifestyle choices going. The following are some of the healthy lifestyle choices that Ann wished to maintain in the months leading up to conception and during the months where she would carry her baby.
1. Restrict all cigarette usage. Having the discipline to quit and stay off cigarettes is not only great for a developing fetus but for a new born infant as well. Second hand fumes are considered to be just as, if not more detrimental than the inhalation of the cigarette itself.
2. Restrict all alcoholic intake. While alcohol may not be harmful to a body prior to conception, if you are trying to get pregnant it is the best course of action to restrict usage. Since you may not be able to know with certainty whether or not you are pregnant, particularly in the days immediately following conception, avoiding all alcohol just makes good sense.
3. Begin taking a daily vitamin supplement. In the days leading up to a pregnancy it is thought to be advantageous to take a multi-vitamin or a pre-natal vitamin supplement. The best course of action is to consult your obstetrician to get a vitamin recommendation from him or her.
4. Consider adding light to moderate exercise to your weekly routine. While it is not necessarily advisable to work out like a mad woman, some light exercise, particularly walking, is very advantageous to most expectant mothers. Moving those feet keep circulation flowing and gets the heart pumping in a healthy, active way. Physical exercise can also provide a mental boost, particularly if hormones tend to be surging.
5. Make very wise food choices. While satisfying the occasional odd or unhealthy food craving is certainly okay, sticking to diet rich in green leafy vegetables, fruits, proteins, grains, minerals, and vitamins will give you the energy you need to get through your days and will provide your growing baby with the nutrients so essential to good growth and development.
Being responsible for creating and maintaining a healthy living environment for another life can seem like a huge task. Yet, every day, expectant mothers are making good decisions for the baby in their womb. Developing a healthy lifestyle will not only be an advantageous choice for your baby, but will be an extremely beneficial choice for you as well. Using pregnancy as a beginning for a future lifetime of healthy lifestyle choices is one of the best choices an expectant mother can make.











