Pregnancy - some best practices
Pregnancy is a sensitive time for parents, especially if it is your firstborn. You are flooded with information and dos and don'ts, much of which can be confusing. So what are some of the best practices to consider?
Exercise, walking, or strength training is an excellent place to start. Exercise improves blood flow. It releases feel-good hormones.
It reduces blood sugar as muscles absorb the sugar in your body. Done well, it can help keep your weight in check, when coupled with proper nutrition.
Listening to music has been shown to have a positive effect on the child. Depending on your inclination, listen to Mozart or religious hymns, like the Gita, for example.
Music has been shown to increase the intelligence of the unborn child.
Given the relative inexperience of having a child, it is not uncommon for an expecting mother to have anxiety. Regulating your mood to the extent possible helps. For mood, experts recommend building strong social bonds.
This is the time to lean on friends and family and spend time with them. Laugh, joke, and relax.
Sometimes the anxiety or concern can transfer to your body. Slow breathing, or pranayama, is an excellent way for your body to reduce its levels of stress. Incidentally, both exercise and music have positive effects on your mood.
Needless to say, nutrition will play a vital role. I have been saying this for a while, but I was even more shocked to learn from Dr. Nozer Sheriar on my show that perhaps we overestimate the amount of food you need.
You need almost the same amount of food you were eating in the first trimester. In the second and third, you need to increase the protein intake.
The total calories depend to a great extent on where you started. If you were already beyond your ideal weight, Dr. Sheriar actually advocates shedding the weight to reduce the risk gestational diabetes and its associated concerns.
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