1ST CITY CLINICAL HOSPITAL

The lifestyle of a pregnant woman is a multifaceted concept. This includes a daily routine, a healthy diet, timely medical supervision and much, much more.

Pregnancy is not a disease. But huge changes occur in the body of the expectant mother. This inevitably makes adjustments to a woman’s usual and well-functioning life.

So, pregnancy has come... Psychological and physiological changes have begun. The body must adapt to the new state. Hormonal levels change, the central nervous system is rebuilt, the load on the respiratory and circulatory organs gradually increases, the abdominal organs change their position, and the center of gravity shifts. These processes are normal and difficulties are quite natural.

In the early stages, against the background of adaptation to pregnancy, even the healthiest woman may experience weakness, nausea, vomiting, sudden changes in mood, and tearfulness. As pregnancy progresses, heartburn, swelling, and lower back pain occur.

It's no secret that not every woman is happy with these changes. Sometimes adaptation to pregnancy is difficult both from a physiological and psychological point of view. The first thing every pregnant woman should realize is that her usual lifestyle requires small changes.

The main rule in the behavior of a pregnant woman should be to prevent the influence of environmental factors that have a negative impact on the child. This means that smoking and taking drugs and alcohol are absolutely prohibited. You should also exclude canned food, smoked meats and any products containing dyes and preservatives from your diet.

It is especially important to ensure the safety of the fetus in the first eight weeks of pregnancy - the period of active formation of fetal organs. It has also been proven that critical periods of development include 15-20 weeks of pregnancy (increased brain growth) and 20-24 weeks (formation of the main functional systems of the fetus.

It is recommended to start taking folic acid from the moment the decision to conceive is made, or from the moment the fact of pregnancy is established.

The question of taking vitamins specially selected for pregnant women still remains open. There is currently no conclusive evidence of the need to take them.

The next important point is that not only your gynecologist, but also medical workers of all specialties who provide treatment and preventive care to the pregnant woman should be informed about the presence of pregnancy (and even suspicion of it) as early as possible.

Physical activity during pregnancy is not prohibited if the woman does not have severe toxicosis, symptoms of threatened miscarriage or a history of spontaneous abortion, polyhydramnios, or exacerbation of chronic diseases. In all other cases, dosed physical activity is welcome. It is important that the loads be systematic. The body perceives irregular loads as a stressful situation. Walking, swimming and a special course of physical therapy are excellent for most pregnant women. Yoga and Pilates classes tailored for expectant mothers should be considered.

Not only the physical, but also the psychological state of a woman during pregnancy and childbirth is of great importance. A woman’s favorable psychological mood is one of the main factors in the prevention of miscarriage and complications during childbirth. A woman’s positive attitude towards her condition and knowledge about the process of childbirth help to increase the body’s resistance to stress factors and ensure the normal intrauterine development of the baby, as well as a successful outcome of childbirth. Therefore, every woman who decides to become a mother should take care of her psychological comfort, build self-confidence, and learn to communicate with her child during pregnancy. It is important to study information about the peculiarities of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Master the techniques of self-massage during childbirth and muscle relaxation, prepare for breastfeeding. Courses for pregnant women will be excellent helpers in preparing for pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood.