Congratulations, you’re a mom-to-be! Now that your little one is months away from your lap, it’s time to prepare for a healthy and complications-free pregnancy. And the first step towards this goal is to narrow-down on one reliable and well-qualified prenatal health care provider who will be your individualised medical care expert in the months to come. First things first –
What is Pre-Natal Care?
Pre-natal care refers to a specialised and preventive medical care regime, tailor-made for pregnant women. Since complications in pregnancy may crop up at any time, it is advisable to consult a prenatal care expert starting from the early stages of one’s pregnancy. Timely prenatal visits throughout the course of the pregnancy reduce the chances of complications going unnoticed and help in preparing the mother-to-be.
Meeting your prenatal care provider will be a learning experience as you gain valuable pregnancy information about labour and delivery, body changes and lactation, weight gain, exercise, breathing and nutrition as well as precautions to be taken during the first trimester, second trimester and third trimester, etc.
What’s more, you’ll get useful advice about –
•How to stay healthy and fit?
•Things to avoid during pregnancy
•The most suitable personalised diet for you
•The best exercise sessions for you
•The importance of breast feeding
•How to manage mood swings, and much more.
The Early Stages
During your initial visits, your doctor will perform routine tests and monitor your prevailing chronic health conditions if any; suggesting ways to control these illnesses, lest they interfere with your pregnancy. The most common chronic conditions include diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure.
As you progress through your pregnancy trimesters, there will be a series of check-ups and prenatal tests to closely monitor your baby’s growth, fetal brain development and your overall progress.
Research shows that timely and regular prenatal checks increase the chances of having a safe pregnancy, and a healthy baby.
Common Issues Faced During Pregnancy & the Help Available
As your body undergoes changes to make room for your little one, you may experience minor irritants that can become serious issues if not managed correctly.
Weight gain, stretch marks, mood swings, acne and other skin breakouts, body aches in the lower back and abdomen, swollen feet, nausea and vomiting, tiredness, etc., are quite common. The important thing is to not let these problems overwhelm you. Rather, consult your prenatal care expert on how to handle these issues.
These days, an array of pregnancy footwear, safe prenatal massages and yoga sessions are available to help you release stress and give you the relief you need!
All the best!