Most women feel that pregnancy lasts forever; all they want is to meet their new baby and hold him for the first time. Once the baby arrives, however, mom remarks about how fast the pregnancy went by. Seeing a positive on a pregnancy test can be the biggest life changing moment a woman will ever experience. From that point on, her body is not her own. It also belongs to the tiny little life inside of it, which means that mom needs to do everything she can to stay healthy and keep her baby healthy from conception to birth.

The first step a woman should take after seeing the positive pregnancy test is to call her ob-gyn and schedule an appointment to begin monitoring her health and baby’s development. With her doctor, a woman can create a plan for how to maintain optimal health over the next nine months. A woman should bring any questions to her doctor, especially when delivery approaches; speaking with her doctor about options like pain management and umbilical cord blood banking will help clear up any confusion or questions.

Mom also needs to get rid of any bad health habits as early on a possible. For the woman who enjoys her evening glass of wine it may be difficult to forgo that, but it’s all worth it in the end. Additionally, women who smoke need to quit. Women who take drugs absolutely must stop; even over the counter medicines need to be cleared with the doctor first. Women who love their caffeine need to cut back significantly. Additionally, women who enjoy sushi have to say goodbye to it for the next nine months.

Pregnancy is not a have strict dietary constraints. There is a recommended amount of weight that women should gain to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Women should do their best not go over that amount and they should not try to stay anywhere near their pre-pregnancy weight. In fact, they should eat an additional 300 calories per day while pregnant. However, something women can do while pregnant to make themselves feel good is get plenty of exercise. Exercise is essential for the health and comfort of a pregnant woman. Not only does it keep women from gaining too much weight, it has other health benefits. Exercise during pregnancy helps women to maintain the ability to sleep well, to overcome their tiredness and fatigue and to obtain more energy; even during the first trimester.

Most importantly, when a woman is pregnant, she should try to do whatever she can to simplify her life and reduce her stress. This could mean de-cluttering her home, asking friends and family for help decorating the nursery, cleaning all the baby’s clothes before putting them away and getting plenty of rest when she needs it. Drinking plenty of water is another health essential pregnant women should make sure to do. Water prevents dehydration and health problems in both mom and baby; though it does mean mom will need to make a few extra trips to the restroom. Being pregnant is a gift that women should enjoy; it doesn’t last forever and before she knows it, she will miss the feeling of her baby kicking from the inside.

“Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.”