Staying healthy during pregnancy.

Before a woman gets pregnant, she can only directly affect her own body with her health actions.

However, once there is a baby on board, women know that their health choices affect both them and their growing babies. These tips offer women five easy ways to take exceptional care of their bodies during the nine months in which their babies will be developing physically and mentally.

Prenatal Appointments

Women should see their obstetricians early and often throughout pregnancy to ensure a safe pregnancy. As soon as a woman knows she is pregnant, she should make an appointment to see her doctor. Women are usually seen once a month until the last two months of pregnancy when they are seen more often. These appointments provide excellent times to discuss concerns and to ensure that the baby and mother are progressing well.

Prenatal Vitamins

While many women take multivitamins before pregnancy, a pregnant woman will need a special supplement designed especially for giving her the nutrients that she and her baby need. These prenatal vitamins should provide adequate supplies of folic acid. Folic acid is important for developing a healthy nervous system in unborn babies. Other vitamins are also important, and it’s important to talk to your doctor about adding different supplements to your diet.

Regular Exercise

Pregnant women may feel that exercise is the last thing for which they have energy. However, many exercises invigorate a woman, giving her the energy she needs for other daily tasks. While any exercise regimen should be checked with the doctor during pregnancy, women can usually continue a majority of the exercises that they were doing before pregnancy. Walking, swimming, yoga and pilates are all great choices.

Massage Therapy

Pregnancy can create many aches and pains, particularly in the lower back. A certified prenatal massage therapist can help relax tight muscles and provide relief to aching joints. Massage can also help provide relief from anxiety and depression. Physiomobility Health Group offers prenatal massage therapy that is designed to help you relieve pain and promote your health.

Adequate Sleep

Women typically need more sleep than usual when they are pregnant. This is due to an increase in hormones and to the enormous changes taking place in women’s bodies. It is vital for women to get enough sleep at night and to take a short nap during the day if necessary. Sleep rejuvenates the body.

Excellent prenatal care is extremely important because a growing baby is vulnerable. A pregnant woman can protect her own health as well as her baby’s by making a few easy lifestyle changes. Many of these tips, such as massage therapy and adequate rest, will offer her some welcome downtime.

Written by freelance writer Anita Ginsburg.

This post appeared first on Mother & Fitness.