Checklist – before baby arrives

Progressive relaxation

This is an effective way of releasing stress and teaching your body to feel total relaxation. Tense and relax one group of muscles at a time, from head to toe, until you are totally relaxed.

There are many things you can do to prepare for the delivery of a healthy baby. One of the most important things is eating right to gain the extra weight you’ll need to support another life. Your doctor will keep a close eye on your weight gain during your pregnancy to make sure it’s in the right range.

Are you planning to have a baby soon? Find out our preconception checklist to facilitate the conceiving process and have an healthier pregnancy.

Stimulating the cardiovascular system through aerobic exercise helps to maintain and improve your fitness during pregnancy.
Due to the stress on the cardiovascular system, you should only exercise to your comfortable capacity.

Distractions like breathing, visualising or fixing on one point can take your mind off the pain.

Concentration will help you to acknowledge the pain, and experience it as a positive force that is bringing you closer to meeting your baby.

The fertilised egg divides into two identical cells – then four, then eight, then 16, and then many billions, and 266 days later – your baby.

Energy

You need extra energy:

It is important to monitor your response to your exercise programme by taking your pulse-rate before, during and after exercise. Underworking will show no benefits and overworking may harm you and your baby. The correct pace will allow you to carry on a conversation while exercising (talk test).

Breathing reflects the activity in your body and, of all the body’s involuntary unconscious physical responses, breathing is the easiest to control. 

Women have XX and men have XY chromosomes. 

Diagnostic ultrasound
The most important scans are performed at 12 weeks and 16 weeks. These early scans often prove the most accurate in determining the date of birth.
 

First trimester

Your fitness is likely to decrease. Listen to your body and only do what you feel comfortable doing.

Second trimester

You may feel more energetic and can exert more effort, but continue to listen to your body.

The Pros

• Offers immediate relief.

• Decreases tension and offers good pain relief.

Confirm a suspected pregnancy immediately to avoid unnecessary risks to your baby.

As your pregnancy advances, the uterus exerts an increased upward pressure on your diaphragm. As you near your due date you may find that you breathe less deeply, although more efficiently. You may have a tendency to hyperventilate. To avoid this, breathe more slowly and evenly.

Ideally, you should assess your health and fitness. You may need to make some changes to your lifestyle

Foetal movement counts (after 28 weeks)
Be aware of your baby’s pattern of movements on a daily basis by counting four foetal movements in the hour after a meal every day.

As a mom, whether you have a child yet or not, you look into the lens of the future to envision memorable moment after memorable moment together. We want to do every bit we can to have those fantasies realised. Iron has had its benefits recognised for centuries, and to this day, nothing has changed.

Before exercising, during or before pregnancy, it is advisable to eat high fibre, high carbohydrate snacks, such as an apple, dried fruit, banana or whole wheat muffin, as your metabolic functions accelerate and your energy requirements increase.