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For more tips on having a healthy pregnancy, visit
morehealth.org/baby
.
care are three times more likely to be
born underweight than those whose
mothers do get care.
Make good choices day to day
Every day of your pregnancy is
a chance for you to practice hab-
its that are good for your growing
baby—and you too. Among the
most essential:
Nourish your body.
Eating a
variety of foods from all $ve food
groups is the best way to get all the
nutrients you and your baby need.
Focus on fruits; vegetables; whole
grains; low-fat, calcium-rich foods;
and lean sources of protein, such
as poultry and beans. Also, be sure
to drink plenty of &uids, especially
water.
Do keep in mind that—sorry!—
being pregnant is not an excuse
to overeat.
Now that you’re expect-
ing, you only need about 300 more
calories every day to nourish your
developing baby. "ose calories add
up quickly—so quickly, in fact, that
a glass of low-fat milk and half a
sandwich covers them.
Watch your weight.
Adding too
many pounds increases your risk of
high blood pressure, gestational
diabetes or a di*cult delivery. Gain-
ing too few pounds, on the other
hand, raises your risk of having an
underweight baby.
Your provider will advise you on
the right amount of weight to gain. If
you were at a healthy weight before
you conceived, your likely target will
A healthy pregnancy largely depends on making good choices. To protect your baby:
be 25 to 35 pounds.
Take a multivitamin or prenatal
vitamin with 400 micrograms of folic
acid daily.
This simple safeguard
reduces your risk of having a baby
with birth defects of the brain and
spine.
Make time for exercise.
Unless
your provider says otherwise, try to
$t in at least 30 minutes of exercise
(such as swimming or brisk walking)
on most or all days of the week.
Don’t smoke, drink alcohol or
use illegal drugs.
Doing any of these
things could seriously endanger your
baby’s health. Tell your provider if
you need help quitting any of these
risky habits.
By caring for yourself, you are car-
ing for your baby—the much-antici-
pated son or daughter you are about
to meet and will continue to protect.
Sources: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists;
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Do
w
Fend o* illnesses by washing your
hands often, especially after handling
raw meat or using the bathroom.
w
Stay away from toxic chemicals and
substances, such as insecticides, cleaning
solvents, paint thinners and paint fumes.
w
Check with your healthcare provider
before taking any medicines, even over-
the-counter ones. Some might harm
your baby.
w
Sign up for a childbirth education class
to learn more about labor and delivery.
w
Work closely with your provider to
make sure any health problems you have
(such as diabetes or high blood pres-
sure) are well-controlled.
Don’t
w
Eat #sh that may contain high levels of
mercury, such as sword#sh, king mack-
erel and tile#sh.
w
Take very hot baths or use hot tubs or
saunas. High temperatures might hurt
your baby.
w
Breathe in secondhand smoke.
Exposure to other people’s tobacco
smoke raises your risk of having an
underweight baby.
w
Clean a cat’s litter box. You might
develop an infection triggered by a para-
site sometimes found in cat feces. If not
treated, this infection can cause severe
problems in unborn babies.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Smart steps
FOR MOMSTOBE
RRIVAL
A