How to Prevent Complications During Pregnancy
When you find out you’re pregnant the first thing you hope for is a healthy pregnancy. While some pregnancy complications happen to perfectly healthy people without obvious catalysts, others are avoidable with simple lifestyle changes to adjust to your new and exciting journey.
We’re taking a look at how to prevent complications during pregnancy to keep you and baby happy, safe, and healthy. Pregnancy is a beautiful experience and we want you to enjoy each memorable moment!
How to Prevent Complications During Pregnancy & Steps to Consider
Learning simple steps for how to prevent complications during pregnancy can give you peace of mind and may help you have a smoother experience. While it’s always important to consult your pregnancy healthcare professional for guidance during pregnancy and before making any lifestyle changes, these methods may help you along your way.
Some simple steps you can take for how to prevent pregnancy complications include:
- Eating healthily and avoiding dangerous foods
- Learning how to lower blood pressure during pregnancy
- Getting better sleep while pregnant
- Avoid all alcohol, cigarette smoke, and other potentially dangerous substances
- Managing stress levels while pregnant
Maintaining a Healthy Diet Can Help Prevent Pregnancy Complications
Maintaining a healthy diet during pregnancy is crucial for how to prevent complications during pregnancy. Proper nutrition directly affects the health and safety of both mom and baby. Not only are there common pregnancy complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes but you could also accidentally expose your baby to dangerous bacteria by eating dangerous foods.
Discovering how to prevent complications during pregnancy doesn't mean you can’t ever have a treat. It’s important, however, to stay away from potentially dangerous foods like undercooked chicken and beef (no medium rare steaks, we’re sorry!), soft cheeses, and soft-boiled or raw eggs. These foods can expose your baby to harmful bacteria such as salmonella. Overdoing it on sweets and sugars can also lead to potential pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.
If you’re having pregnancy digestion problems, finding natural remedies like using zero gravity chairs to improve digestion can make a huge difference without the use of medications. Speak to your doctor to determine a healthy diet during pregnancy that will keep you and you baby safe.
Learn How to Lower Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to serious pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, breathing problems during and after labor, and placental abruption. It can also have a negative impact on your baby’s growth during your pregnancy.
When looking at how to prevent complications during pregnancy, learning how to lower blood pressure while pregnant may be top of your list. For those with high blood pressure already, you could be considered a high risk pregnancy throughout your journey. Find natural ways for lowering blood pressure like meditating or using a zero gravity recliner to avoid unnecessary or potentially dangerous medications.
While you may use a zero gravity recliner or other method to reduce blood pressure while pregnant, it’s important that you and your doctor carefully monitor your blood pressure throughout your entire journey.
Pro Tip: Zero gravity recliners are multifunctional furniture pieces that you’ll find infinite uses for when preparing for a new baby. Consider using a zero gravity recliner as a nursing chair and experience health benefits while reclined into a natural breastfeeding position. When you’re finished nursing your baby, transition your recliner into a main living area and provide zero gravity chair benefits for all ages!
Prevent Pregnancy Complications With Better Sleep Quality
Getting better sleep while pregnant is a simple way for how to prevent pregnancy problems. Some of the dangers of not getting enough sleep during pregnancy include higher risk of gestational diabetes and longer labor (which may result in higher rates of cesarean sections). This doesn’t mean oversleeping, though, or you may risk disrupting your natural circadian rhythm and make it harder for you to get restful sleep at night.
Insomnia and sleep deficiency are some of the most common pregnancy problems, reported by up to 94% of pregnant women! Quality sleep during pregnancy is important as it helps regulate growth hormones as well as keeps up your immune system and brain function.
Activities like taking warm baths (keep it under 104°F to avoid unsafe core temperature levels) or using a zero gravity chair during pregnancy are simple lifestyle adjustments that could help you sleep better. In fact, there are loads of additional health benefits of zero gravity position during pregnancy that make it not only great for improving sleep quality but also useful for better blood circulation, providing lower back pain relief, and boosting your immune system naturally.
Avoid Alcohol, Smoke, and Other Potentially Dangerous Substances
It’s common knowledge that if you become pregnant you should stop drinking alcohol and give up smoking immediately. Second hand smoke, however, may be just as dangerous so it’s important to be mindful of your surroundings, as well.
These lifestyle changes are easy ways for how to avoid complications during pregnancy such as preterm birth, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), or other developmental issues that could cause lifelong physical or mental disabilities for your baby. If you’re a smoker, it is helpful to give this up prior to becoming pregnant, if possible.
We know it can be very difficult making these kinds of lifestyle adjustments but knowing the potential pregnancy problems and possible lifelong complications for your baby help put it into perspective more easily. If you need help don’t hesitate to speak to a doctor or professional for the assistance you need.
Managing Stress Levels Can Help Prevent Pregnancy Complications
Learning how to prevent complications during pregnancy doesn’t stop at keeping yourself physically healthy and practicing good habits, it’s also about taking care of your mental health. Studies have shown stress and anxiety can have negative effects on your pregnancy such as shorter gestation periods, underweight births, and fetal neurodevelopment complications.
To manage stress levels during pregnancy, try calming activities like prenatal yoga, mindfulness meditation, or using a zero gravity chair with a relaxing night time routine. You can relax in a zero gravity chair as part of your meditation routine, while listening to music, or even integrate zero gravity chairs into your daily fitness routine to stay active. Keeping active not only alleviates stress but helps you maintain a healthy sleep/wake cycle during pregnancy.
Many ways for how to prevent complications during pregnancy don’t require major lifestyle shifts or impossible tasks. It’s about making small changes in your daily routine to protect the health of you and your baby. Talk to a healthcare professional about a healthy diet and exercise routine to stay active, find ways to manage your stress levels throughout the day, and choose a zero gravity chair that can facilitate a positive pregnancy journey for you and baby from beginning to end.
Interested in a massage while pregnant but worried about the safety factors? We’ve answered the question “Can you use a massage chair while pregnant?” for you!
