Pregnancy Wellness

How can I stay healthy during my pregnancy?

Women who are pregnant face the challenge of staying healthy for themselves and for their unborn child. This means consuming nutrients that will aid the baby’s growth while providing for the mother’s nutritional needs, balancing the need to exercise with the need to rest, and deciding on what prenatal care is right.

Every pregnancy is different. There are some general standards of pregnancy wellness that apply to everybody – for example, consumption of alcohol is never recommended during pregnancy. But there are some factors that will vary from one woman to the next. Some women, for example, will be advised to continue with their exercise regimes, while others will be placed on bed rest.

The needs of the mother and baby will also vary depending on what stage the pregnancy is at, whether or not the mother is carrying multiples, and whether there are any medical conditions to consider, such as diabetes or hypertension.

 

What if I need help during my pregnancy?

Most women envisage a pregnancy in which they can follow a healthy lifestyle, go for their regular checkups, and simply let their bodies perform the miracle of growing a baby. The reality is that some women do need a bit of extra help during their pregnancies. There are a number of ways in which HHC Centre can help, including the following:

• Chiropractic care, massage therapy and osteopathy: keep your body from aching and treat injuries without the use of medication
• Nutrition and naturopathy: ensure that you are eating what’s right for you and your baby, during pregnancy and as you start breastfeeding
• Acupuncture and reflexology: safely induce labour without the use of drugs if your pregnancy has gone beyond the due date
• Psychotherapy: ease your anxieties about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting, and get early effective treatment for post partum depression

 

First trimester

During the first three months of a pregnancy, both mother and baby undergo some rapid changes. The baby’s organs begin to form, its heart starts beating, and its body starts to take shape. At the same time, the mother’s body is going through some big changes in order to accommodate the pregnancy. She may feel nauseous and exhausted, her moods may be volatile and her breasts may feel uncomfortably tender.

The first trimester is a vulnerable time – the risk of pregnancy complications is higher now than at any other point during pregnancy. Access to a professional health care provider can greatly reduce this risk.

 

Second trimester

Pregnant women often feel at their best during the second trimester. Many of the uncomfortable first trimester symptoms have passed, and the baby is not yet big enough to be pressing on the mother’s internal organs. Women at this stage tend to feel energized. The pregnancy may seem more real as the mother feels the baby’s movement.

In the second trimester, the baby’s organs are fully formed, and the baby already looks like a person with distinguishable body parts. Now, the baby is growing and starting to use some of its senses.

 

Third trimester

The last three months of pregnancy can be both exhilarating and exhausting for the mother. The baby is gaining weight rapidly at this stage as its body prepares for life outside of the womb. The mother may experience a plethora of physical symptoms as her body accommodates the growing baby and prepares for the ordeal of giving birth.

Symptoms include back and hip pain, discomfort as the internal organs are shifted and compressed, swollen ankles, fatigue and anxiety.