5 Mistakes Women Make During Pregnancy

With so much conflicting advice out there as to what you can and can’t do during pregnancy, it’s easy to make the wrong choices. Some of which could have a negative impact on the health of you or your baby. Below are just some of the most common mistakes to avoid during pregnancy.

Doing no exercise

It’s definitely important to take things easy when pregnant and to avoid certain activities like jumping and heavy lifting. However, you shouldn’t be skipping exercise entirely. Continuing to work out during pregnancy can reduce stress, improve sleep quality at night, reduce the risk of labor complications, and stop you from gaining too much ‘baby fat’. Low impact exercises are the best types of workout for when you’re pregnant. A few examples include swimming, walking, indoor cycling, and yoga.

Eating for two

Another one of the five mistakes made during pregnancy is eating for two. The idea that you should ‘eat for two’ when carrying a baby is unfortunately a myth. Your body becomes better at processing and absorbing nutrients during pregnancy, so you only need to eat for one. Eating too much could cause you to gain weight that will be hard to shift after pregnancy. Plus, it can increase the risk of labor complications. It’s important that your diet is healthy. Such as fruit and veggies will give you the vitamins you need. Starchy foods like potatoes and pasta will give you the carbs you need. Also, meats and dairy will give you the protein you need (or beans and nuts if you’re vegetarian). There are a few foods that are best avoided.

Taking too many supplements

If you’re eating correctly, you shouldn’t need to take loads of supplements when pregnant. Folic acid supplements are the only supplements that a doctor will recommend – they can help form the neural tube and prevent a number of complications. Eating too many supplements could have adverse effects, so be careful as to how many you consume.

Ignoring unusual symptoms

It’s important to get the prenatal care you need when pregnant. This involves going to all your appointments and scans, as well as letting your midwife/doctor know if you experience anything out of the ordinary. Some women ignore symptoms of problems, leading to complications later on. Conditions like preeclampsia and diabetes can often develop during pregnancy, and diagnosing these early can sometimes be essential for protecting the health of you and your baby.

Overstocking on supplies

There are many baby supplies that need to be bought before the arrival of your little one. While it’s good to be prepared, you don’t want to waste money and stress yourself out buying surplus items that you won’t need. Be careful of stocking up on supplies for newborns – buy too many newborn diapers and clothes and you could find that your little one grows out of them before you’ve had a chance to use most of them. Similarly, items like baby solid food may have an expiry date and may not be necessary until your baby reaches six months old, so you may want to wait to buy these.  

Mistakes during pregnancy can seem so daunting when you are about to have this bundle of joy. Just remember that everyone makes mistakes. Just trying to seek out the information here and taking care of yourself is going to be the best for you and your child. Remember to be gentle with yourself, if you are not able to continue your exercise regimen or eat the perfect diet it’s okay. You got this mama!

Until next time…