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Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins contain essential vitamins and minerals that will help supply you and your baby with great nutrition. Most prenatal vitamins contain folic acid, which is very important during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Folic acid will help to reduce the risk of neural tube defects during pregnancy. Your health care provider can recommend a prenatal supplement or you can ask your local pharmacist for help.

Prenatal Checkups

Prenatal checkups are also an important part of maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Regular prenatal healthcare will allow your health care provider to monitor your pregnancy and identify any possible problems before they become serious. In fact, women who get regular pregnancy health care are shown to give birth to healthier babies.

During your checkups, your health care provider will take your weight, check your blood pressure, and monitor your baby's heart rate. Certain tests may also be performed in order to check on your overall health. Expect to have between 10 and 15 prenatal appointments throughout your pregnancy.

Pregnancy Diet

Maintaining a good diet is an essential part of pregnancy health. By ensuring that you are getting a well-balanced diet you are ensuring that you baby is eating well. After all, whatever you eat, your baby eats too! Pregnant women require more of certain vitamins and minerals than women who are not pregnant, and therefore you should try your best to meet these requirements.

Calcium, iron, and vitamin C are just a few of the essential nutrients that you will need to get lots of. You will probably need to gain between 25 and 35 pounds, depending upon your size before you were pregnant. By maintaining a balanced diet you will help you gain a healthy amount of weight - not too much and not too little. Following a good pregnancy diet will ensure that your baby develops just according to plan.

Pregnancy Exercise

Though you may shudder at the thought, exercise is also an important facet to pregnancy health. Regular exercise can help to maintain your energy and strength, as well as reduce all those nasty pregnancy symptoms. Additionally, regular exercise will help you to sleep better at night.

Consult with your health care provider about the kind of exercise that is best for you. Generally, low-impact aerobic or strength-training workouts are best for getting the heart pumping and that blood flowing! Be careful not to overdo it though - pregnancy will leave you feeling fatigued sometimes.