Parenting Content // Tips and Tricks for a Healthy Pregnancy*

The test is positive! You are beyond ecstatic! But now the hard work starts. Pregnancy means putting you and your growing bump first. These tips and tricks for a healthy pregnancy from HARTMANN Direct may just be what you need.

Pregnancy is a time that you should enjoy but with many expectant mums battling morning sickness along with the need to urinate more often, many pregnant women find it a difficult, testing time too. Managing your pregnancy is the best way to enjoy it so what hints and tips will help you enjoy this incredible process?

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Eat Well
We all know how important a balanced, healthy and varied diet is to our physical and emotional health. And during such an important time as pregnancy, this is certainly very true.

But, with nausea and sickness never far away and the fact that your food and drinks taste a little differently, just how do you make sure that you have the right intake of nutrients?

• Eat smaller, but often – some expectant mums find that the solution to a varied and healthy diet during pregnancy is to eat smaller portions, but more often. Hormones can make food and drink taste differently, affecting your sense of smell too, and so steer clear of things that taste or smell unpleasant to you.
• Cravings – you may find you crave certain foods, from salty crisps to roasted parsnips, or even a bowl of your favourite cereal. Cravings are a perfectly normal part of pregnancy but if you are concerned, have a chat with your doctor or midwife.
• Make sure you know which foods and drinks to avoid – alcohol during pregnancy is generally not a good idea and avoiding some seafood, soft cheeses, pates and meats are important too. Take a look at which foods and drinks are best avoided in pregnancy.

Stay Active
Starting a high-impact exercise regime is probably not a good idea when pregnant BUT, sticking to your usual exercise routine for as long as you want or feel able is.

Pregnancy hormones are fantastic – they make sure that the foetus grows well, and they give the chemical signals your brain needs to get your body to do certain things, like soften the cervix ready for labour and trigger milk in your breasts when your baby arrives. But they can also knock you around a little bit. When they fall away post-pregnancy, we can be left ‘feeling blue’.

Post-natal depression is linked to many factors but for expectant and new mums, exercise is one way of helping them to prepare emotionally and mentally for this exciting role. Stay active in pregnancy by walking, swimming or however you like to stay fit. Being fit helps with labour and birth too.

… But Rest Too
Just as you need exercise, you need to get plenty of rest too. Some days you may feel full of energy but other days, all you want to do is sleep. Follow the messages that your body is sending you: if you feel tired, then rest.

For some women, getting comfortable at night time can be a real problem, especially as their bump grows. From special pregnancy pillows that support your back and bump to sleeping on your side to cat-napping during the day, make sure you get plenty of rest.

Stay Informed
Being pregnant is an exciting, but daunting time for many women. On one hand, this is what you have wanted and planned but it is also a time when there are so many changes to your body and to how you feel, that it can easily become overwhelming.

And with advice from well-meaning relatives and friends coming at you from all directions, you can be plunged into a world of uncertainty and judgement.

Understanding the changes that happen is important. And there are some great apps online that help you understand the changes and the growth of your unborn baby, week by week. Why take a closer look at some of these pregnancy apps?

Be YOU!
Everyone has an opinion about what you should do when pregnant, how you should do things, what to do and what not to do. In fact, becoming a parent is a time in which you will be judged and instructed by friends, family, neighbours, doctors, midwives, health visitors and complete strangers in the street too.

This is your pregnancy. You continue being YOU, you make the choices that feel right for you, your baby and your partner. And the most important tip is simple – enjoy it!

HARTMANN Direct has a growing range of discreet incontinent pads in various absorbencies, perfect for use during pregnancy and after birth. With many years of experience, they understand exactly what the modern expectant mum needs!