Now that you’re pregnant, looking after yourself and your unborn baby is a number one priority. There are decisions to be made and many questions to ask, but how do you find the answers that are right for you? To get you off to the right start we’ve put together helpful information on pregnancy care and the choices available to you to ensure that you have a happy and healthy pregnancy. Each pregnancy is unique and you have the right to be involved in all decisions affecting you and your baby. A good relationship with your maternity care provider can make a big difference in planning your pregnancy care. This page contains information to assist you in choosing the maternity service and practitioner that’s right for you.
Pregnancy Care
Good prenatal care is essential for you and your baby. Call your healthcare provider right away and schedule your first prenatal visit, During that visit you'll be screened for certain conditions that could lead to complications.
1. See your doctor or midwife as soon as possible
As soon as you find out you're pregnant, get in touch with your GP or a midwife to organise your antenatal care. Organising your care early means you'll get good advice for a healthy pregnancy right from the start. You'll also have plenty of time to organise any ultrasound scans and tests that you may need.
2. Eat well
Aim to eat a healthy, balanced diet whenever you can. Try to have:
At least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily.
Plenty of carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta and rice, as the basis of your meals. Choose wholegrain carbohydrates rather than white, so you get plenty of fibre.
See our pregnancy meal planners for each trimester.
3. Take a supplement
Make sure your supplement contains 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid. You need this while you're trying for a baby and for the first three months of pregnancy. Taking folic acid reduces the risk of your baby developing a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.
Also, check that your supplement contains 10mcg of vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for your baby's future bone health.
If you're on a low income, you might be able to get pregnancy vitamin supplements free of charge under the government's healthy start scheme. Go to www.healthystart.nhs.uk for more information.
If you don't eat fish, fish oil supplements may be helpful. Choose a supplement made from the body of the fish, not the liver. This is because fish liver oils (such as cod liver oil) may contain the retinol form of vitamin A, which isn't recommended in pregnancy.
4. Be careful about food hygiene
There are some foods it's safest not to eat in pregnancy. This is because they can carry a health risk for your baby.
The following foods may harbour listeria and so are best avoided:
pate of any type
unpasteurised milk
undercooked ready meals
soft, mould-ripened cheeses, such as brie
blue-veined cheeses, such as roquefort
As listeria bacteria are destroyed by heat, make sure you heat ready meals thoroughly.
5. Exercise regularly
Regular exercise has many benefits for mums-to-be. It can:
Build your strength and endurance. This may help you to cope better with the extra weight of pregnancy and the hard work of labour.
Make it easier for you to get back into shape after your baby is born.
Boost your spirits and even help to ward off depression.
Good exercise choices for pregnancy include:
brisk walking
swimming
aquanatal classes
yoga
pilates
If you play sport, you can continue as long as it feels comfortable for you. However, if your particular sport carries a risk of falls or knocks, or extra stress on your joints, it's best to stop. Talk to your GP if you're unsure.
6. Begin doing pelvic floor exercises
Your pelvic floor comprises a hammock of muscles at the base of your pelvis. These muscles support your bladder, vagina and back passage. They can feel weaker than usual in pregnancy because of the extra pressure upon them. Pregnancy hormones can also cause your pelvic floor to slacken slightly.
7. Cut out alcohol
Any alcohol you drink rapidly reaches your baby via your blood stream and placenta.
There is no way to know for sure how much alcohol is safe during pregnancy. That's why many experts advise you to cut out alcohol completely while you're expecting.
8. Cut back on caffeine
Coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks are mild stimulants. There are concerns that too much caffeine may increase your risk of miscarriage. It's also thought possible that too much caffeine may contribute to your risk of having a low-birth-weight baby.
9. Stop smoking
Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious health problems, for you and your baby. These risks include an increased risk of:
miscarriage
premature birth
low birth weight
cot death (SIDS)
Smoking may even be associated with the loss of a baby at birth.
10. Get some rest
The fatigue you feel in the first few months is due to high levels of pregnancy hormones circulating in your body. Later on, it's your body's way of telling you to slow down.
Exercise may also give you some relief from backache. It can help with sleep problems, too, as long as you don't exercise too close to bedtime.
