4 health tips for pregnant women.

By HELEN VNUK

Every pregnancy is different.

My first pregnancy I barely even noticed. My second, the nausea really kicked in, I got huge and the whole thing was a lot more of an effort. But both times I just loved that feeling of my baby kicking inside me, and I miss it even now.

I learned a few things while I was pregnant, and there were other things that I wish I’d known back then.

Here are four suggestions to help your nine months go a little more smoothly.

1. Get comfortable shoes.

These were two words I’d never really put together before I was pregnant. Being short, I’d worn heels to work every day to bring myself closer to everyone else’s eye level. But once I was pregnant, my baby’s safety suddenly became my number-one priority. I wasn’t going to wear anything that could possibly make me less steady on my feet when I had a baby on board.

The other thing to remember is that your feet will probably swell – or possibly balloon – and your regular shoes may just become too painful. So buy yourself some beautiful, flat, comfortable footwear that you’ll feel happy to put on. One of the first things I bought when I found out I was pregnant was a pair of soft leather boots with a fleecy lining. (I live in flat shoes now, and never feel short – that’s the beauty of having little kids.)

Just FYI you should know that this post is sponsored by Floradix. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

2. Keep a food diary.

Most women are going to suffer some morning sickness. Some advice is to keep plain crackers by your bed and munch on them before you get up in the morning. Or you could try the most popular traditional remedy: ginger, whether ginger tea or crystallised ginger. But crackers and ginger aren’t going to help everyone.

Experiment with different foods, and keep a diary to help you work out what’s making you feel better and what’s making you feel worse. Everyone is different. (Guilty confession: I used to sometimes eat hot chips to ease my nausea, but a lot of women find greasy foods make them even sicker). Of course, if you’re suffering severe morning sickness, or hyperemesis gravidarum, like Kate Middleton was, no type of food will help, and you may need expert help.

3. Invest in a body pillow.

Getting a good night’s sleep isn’t easy when you’re pregnant. For me, one of the biggest problems was that I had to change my natural sleeping position. I was used to lying on my stomach, but doctors advise pregnant women to sleep on their left side, because it’s better for the unborn baby.

You’ll probably find that your head isn’t the only part of your body that needs a pillow – you might need several pillows to support different body parts. I wish I’d known about body pillows when I was pregnant. You can buy ones that support your bump, back and hips, all in one. (By the way, if you think getting a good night’s sleep isn’t easy while you’re pregnant, you should try it when you have a baby).

4. Know what vitamin supplements you need.

I didn’t regularly take vitamin supplements before my first pregnancy. I thought I didn’t need them because I was eating reasonably well. But when I got pregnant, I felt differently.

Firstly, I was responsible for someone else’s health, so I had to make sure I was getting it right. Secondly, pregnant women need more of certain vitamins and minerals.

I started taking an iron supplement, because that’s what my body needed. At one point during my pregnancy I found myself getting incredibly tired. I couldn’t understand why I felt like lying down in the middle of the day, and I wondered if I was going to feel exhausted for the rest of my pregnancy. I realised I’d been forgetting to take my supplement. I went back on it, and soon found I was getting my energy back, which was a relief.

Did we miss any? What health tips would suggest for pregnant women?

Some celebrity baby bumps that we’ve seen over the years…

Salus, maker of awarding-winning FLORADIX products meets the most stringent quality standards. The organic label guarantees the origin of the herbal ingredients and their quality. Floradix contains iron gluconate in liquid form which is very easily absorbed by the body and herbal extracts to help maintain healthy digestion, including vitamin C to support the absorption of all nutrients.

Floradix does not contain preservatives, artificial flavours and colours or nature identical additives. This means that you can feel confident in the knowledge that our products are natural and free of any harmful chemical additives.  The entire Floradix range available in Australia is TGA approved, and suitable for every stage of your life.