A healthy diet and exercise is the key to a healthy baby. During your pregnancy it is very important to take your
prenatal vitamins,
eat a well-balanced diet, and
exercise. Your baby is relying on you to give it all the important nutrients it needs to develop and grow. Learn more about what to eat, the benefits of prenatal exercise, and more - read our pregnancy health and fitness articles for more insight.
During your pregnancy,
eating a healthy and well-balanced diet is important to the development of a healthy baby. Because you're eating for two,
weight gain is expected and the sign of a thriving baby, but make sure to fill up on nutrients-rich foods and not empty calories.
Prenatal exercise provides a myriad of health benefits ranging from a positive self-image to improved circulation. As pregnancy takes your body through physiological changes, you and your healthcare provider should work together to carefully design a routine that will not strain you or your baby.
Weight gain during pregnancy is a normal and natural process, and maintaining a nutritious diet will be important to the health of you and your baby. To monitor your
weight gain, use our
Weight Gain Chart.
For the health of you and your baby, your doctor will suggest taking
prenatal vitamins during pregnancy to make up for nutritional deficiencies in your diet. During pregnancy, your need for certain nutrients such as folic acid, calcium, and iron increases and may not be met by a well-balanced diet.
What's the name of the game with
Kegel exercises? Little pain and lots of gain! Also known as pelvic floor exercises,
Kegel exercisesstrengthen the muscles that support the bladder, uterus, and bowels.
According to the American Diabetes Association
gestational diabetes, a condition that affects both pre-existing diabetics and women with no history of diabetes, is the most common pregnancy complication and affects about 4 percent of women. If this happens to you, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel - most women who contract
gestational diabetes do not remain diabetics once their baby is born.