The last few weeks of pregnancy makes you tiresome due to the increasing size of your bump and holding on patiently to actually start the labor. You have to complete your 40 weeks of pregnancy to tag yourself as a full-term achiever. There are instances where babies born after 37 weeks are considered to be full-term, yet they might have problems that land them up in a neonatal care unit after birth.
How do you complete full-term patiently and have a smooth delivery?
- Eliminate bad habits like smoking and drinking alcohol.
- Educate yourself with pregnancy books and articles
- Exercise
- Track your weight gain
- Eat a healthy diet
- Don’t skip prenatal vitamins
- Hydrate yourself
- Buy a comfortable pair of shoes
- Stay clean
- Avoid stress and stay positive and happy.
Top Eleven Tips for reaching full-term pregnancy
A full-term baby does not have to go through the trouble of a preterm baby who generally suffers from jaundice, low blood pressure, and difficulty in breathing. Some women turn up in the labor room much before the due date and there are varied reasons for such type of premature delivery. Whatsoever, the best gift that you can give your baby is to deliver them full-term and healthy.
Stay hydrated or drink more water
As you discover those two lines in your pregnancy test kit, you got to be alert that the water intake has to be doubled. Start your day with Luke warm glass of water and keep trying fruit juices and coconut water. Don’t compensate for water with any other drink.
Caffeinated drinks cannot be accepted as a healthy fluid. You would be dealing with a number of problems in your pregnancy like UTI, headache, hemorrhoids, swelling, and constipation. The one-stop solution is drinking water at least 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Don’t skip your prenatal vitamins
Calcium, iron, and Folic acid need to be taken from the first month of your pregnancy. Prenatal Vitamins are prescribed by your doctor with specific timing. You need to follow that meticulously and don’t skip it as it is the most essential medicines for the healthy development of your baby. Make sure you are well-aware of all the myths associated with prenatal vitamins.
Eliminate tobacco, alcohol, and toxins
You need to stay away from all toxins that harm the development of your baby. If you are a smoker, you need to quit as soon as you discover your pregnancy. Smoking blocks the smooth passage of oxygen and nutrients to your fetus.
Drinking alcohol also leads to problems like miscarriage, preterm delivery, north defects, and other complications. If you wish to have a healthy full-term baby then you need to stop drinking alcohol.
Bid Bye to chemical products
Women use nail paints, hair dye, nail polish remover, and other substances that have a very high content of chemicals in it.
You need to put yourself away from these products until you give birth. Stay away from all forms of chemical products including drugs, to have a smooth full-term healthy baby.
Avoid dangerous everyday chores
Your pregnancy won’t stop you from doing the daily chores and it’s absolutely fine that you continue your work. But certainly, you need to stay away from infections and unnecessary trouble.
You cannot stand for a very long period of time, don’t lift heavy objects as in the first trimester it might lead to miscarriage, and in the second and third, your water bag might break.
Cat litter is supposed to have some bacteria that cause diseases and in your pregnancy, you are obviously vulnerable to it. These are daily chores which need to go minus from your list if you want to hit the full term button.
Wear comfortable footwear
As your baby bump grows bigger, your feet need to take all the weight of your body. It is likely to have bad pain in the ankle and foot. There are high chances of the feet swelling and your footwear would get smaller for you.
It is important to wear extremely comfortable shoes and lift your legs up for some time to get rid of the pain and discomfort.
Your feet need to handle the growing pressure of your body so invest in good comfortable shoes for a healthy pregnancy. This will help you to avoid the common and unwanted discomforts of pregnancy.
Find time for yourself
You will have very little time for yourself once you have the baby. Sleepless nights and exhaustion will take over the next few months. Invest time for good sleep, get maternity pillows, and have a comfortable sleep for eight hours and more.
Relax and follow your craving. You can take short naps throughout the day and also go shopping to make yourself feel happy. Stay away from stress and keep yourself on the positive side. This will help you complete your full term in ease.
The gap between the two pregnancies
If you have plans for number two then you got to wait for at least eighteen to twenty-four months. It is unhealthy to conceive within one year of your delivery. It can be responsible for both birth defects as well as pre-term pregnancy.
Your body also needs to heal completely as giving birth is a hectic process where your body gets drained. It is important for you to be back to your normal self before you even think of having another one.
Exercise
You can practice yoga, walk for about 20mins, go swimming, do some light exercise, and practice Kegel exercises for staying active throughout your pregnancy. It is mandatory to take the opinion of your gynecologist before adopting any of those fitness courses.
If you stay active throughout then it’s definitely going to make your labor easy and give you a good night’s sleep free from constipation, UTI, and heartburn. This will definitely contribute to keeping your unborn baby healthy.
Eat a healthy diet
A good mantra to a healthy pregnancy is eating a healthy diet. Include fruits and vegetables rich in fiber and iron, lean meat, fish oil, dry fruits, coconut water, fruit juices, thick yogurt, dairy products, and green leafy veggies.
Exclude caffeinated drinks and fast food oily stuff from your list. Eating right would help you gain healthy weight and make your pregnancy and delivery calm and trouble-free.
Stay away from infections
Avoid unpasteurized cheese, get your immunizations, avoid raw meat and fish, undercooked veggies to avoid infection. You need to wash your hands regularly and use a hand sanitizer to keep yourself free from viral infections and diseases.
You also need to be careful while having sex as unknowingly you can transmit diseases like STD, so always use protection. You are prone to infections in your pregnancy due to a weaker immune system and it might hamper you and your baby growing inside your womb.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Reaching Full-Term Pregnancy
1. Is it safe to stay with pets during pregnancy?
You need to keep your pet clean and vaccinated throughout your pregnancy. It is safe to stay with pets, but you need to avoid cleaning cat litter as it contains parasites that could harm the baby inside your womb.
2. Is it recommended to have a glass of beer or wine during pregnancy?
Alcohol consumption is unhealthy during pregnancy and the right amount of alcohol that can be consumed is unknown. It can result in birth defects in a child so it’s good to be avoided.
3. Is it okay to take cold and fever medication during pregnancy?
All medicines should be taken only on the supervision of your doctor. You are not authorized to take random medications as it will definitely hamper the growth of your baby growing inside you.
4. When is traveling possible?
The second trimester is generally the honeymoon period of pregnancy. Avoid traveling in the first and third trimesters as it may lead to unnecessary complications and put in labor much earlier.
Takeaway
A full-term pregnancy is a healthy pregnancy where your child gets the right time to develop. Many times you cannot choose as your body may fall prey to various conditions like leaking of amniotic fluid, which may put you in labor even weeks before your due date. There are few things which you can keep in control to reach the benchmark of 37 weeks, so stay active and eat well for reaching that goal.
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Mother of Two children. I’m a former teacher with a background in child development and a passion for Good parenting. I understand child development and know how to develop activities to help children learn and grow. Spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and volunteering in my community.