When you find out that you are expecting a baby, your health and the health of your developing baby become your top (and sometimes only) priorities. However, it may not be clear what you can and should do in your daily life to improve your health and have a safe and healthy pregnancy from the moment you find out you are pregnant. While regular trips to your doctor of obstetrics and gynecology are important, there are other basic steps that you can take to improve your pregnancy health. Get to know some of these steps and get your pregnancy started on the right foot.

Stay Physically Active (with Slight Moderations)

For decades, and even centuries, it was thought that pregnant women should always take it easy when it comes to physical activity and exercise. In fact, it is still a popular idea that pregnant women should get a lot of rest and stay off of their feet.

However, more and more evidence is showing that exercise during pregnancy is not only acceptable but actually beneficial to maintaining a healthy pregnancy. For example, women who are already active runners prior to pregnancy can continue to run after finding out they are pregnant. 

The catch is that a pregnant woman who was not particularly physically active before she became pregnant should not take up intense physical exercise after she finds out she is pregnant. This can cause too much physical strain which could jeopardize the pregnancy. Moderate exercise like walking for 30 to 45 minutes a day would still be acceptable for such women.

Exercise helps to prevent excessive weight gain and may make a difference in pregnancy conditions such as gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. Before beginning any new exercise program while pregnant, talking to a doctor, like one from Naples OBGYN, is essential to ensure safety.

Pay Attention to Your Environment

When you are pregnant, you will want to become more aware of the environment around you, particularly at home. For example, you will need to pay close attention to the cleaning supplies you use in your home.

Many of the standard cleaning supplies used in homes are full of harsh chemicals that can be dangerous when inhaled, particularly for your unborn baby. Switching to all-natural cleaning products or using distilled white vinegar for cleaning can help to eliminate such risks.

Additionally, if you own a cat, you will want to have someone else change and clean the litter box. Toxoplasmosis is the name of the disease that humans can contract from an infected litter box. If it occurs to a pregnant woman, the baby can suffer brain damage and problems with his or her vision. As such, avoiding this in-home danger (as well as other dangers) is vital to having a healthy pregnancy.

With these tips in mind, you will be able to better care for yourself and your unborn baby throughout the duration of your pregnancy.