Three Healthy Habits to Pick Up During Pregnancy

Pregnancy and birth are beautiful experiences, but they can also put a lot of strain on a pregnant woman’s body. If you’re expecting, you’ll want to stay as healthy as possible–for you and your little one. Here are some simple, healthy habits pregnant women can add to their lifestyle.

Stay Hydrated

While it’s always important to be well hydrated, it’s even more critical during pregnancy. Your body needs more water as it forms the placenta and amniotic sac. To turn hydration into a habit, you could treat yourself to a nice new water bottle (some even have inspirational notes on them to encourage you to drink enough water). You could also use an app to track your hydration, or just set a goal for each day and keep mental notes on how you’re doing. If plain water isn’t appealing, try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to perk it up.

Keep Moving

It can be hard to keep up your usual fitness routine during pregnancy. In your first trimester, you may feel nauseous and exhausted, and in later months your growing belly can make your favorite activities less comfortable. But that doesn’t mean you need to stop exercising; in fact, staying active during your pregnancy is good for you and your baby. Try new exercise routines that work with your changing body, this might mean long walks instead of intense jogs, or prenatal yoga instead of a high impact aerobics class.

Less Stress

While most pregnant women know they need to avoid dangers like alcohol or smoking during pregnancy, many people don’t realize the potential negative effects of stress and anxiety. Long-term stress can affect your developing baby. It’s obviously not possible to avoid all stress during pregnancy, but you can consciously work to reduce your stress levels and lower your anxiety. Some healthy habits that might work for you include a daily morning or evening meditation session, treating yourself to regular massages, or practicing some coping strategies like deep breathing when you’re in a stressful situation.