From left: Jessie Hogan, wife of Arkansas Business Print/Digital Reporter Lee Hogan, is due in February 2015. Sandra McGrew, Editor-in-Chief of Little Rock Soirée, is also due in February 2015.

Nutrition

“Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to give you and your growing baby the nutrition you both need,” says Dr. Kimberly K. Reynolds, a practicing physician at The Woman’s Clinic, P.A. Here’s what you need daily for a well-rounded diet:

  • The five food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy
  • Oils and fats derived mainly from plant sources, such as olive oil, nut oils and grapeseed oil
  • Limit solid fats, such as those from animal sources and processed foods
  • 64 fluid ounces of water every day
  • Vitamins and supplements, such as folic acid, iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D

Sign up for the free meal planning program on the United States Department of Agriculture’s website ChooseMyPlate.gov, which shows pregnant moms the foods and amounts needed each day during each trimester of pregnancy.

Exercise

30 minutes or more of moderate exercise is the recommended amount per day, unless Mom has a medical or obstetric complication.

Avoid any exercise with a high risk of falling or high risk of abdominal trauma.

No scuba diving, as the baby is at increased risk for decompression sickness.

Terminate exercise if you experience any of the following warning signs: vaginal bleeding, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, headache, calf pain or swelling, preterm labor, decreased fetal movement, or amniotic fluid leakage.

Kick Bad Habits

10 percent of women reported smoking during the last 3 months of pregnancy, according to the 2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System data from 24 states (CDC.gov).

“Smoking during pregnancy is the most modifiable risk factor for poor birth outcomes,” says Dr. Reynolds.

Smoking during and after pregnancy is associated with fetal and infant risks, including:

  • low birth weight
  • preterm delivery
  • stillbirth
  • sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • childhood respiratory illnesses
  • possible cognitive effects associated with learning disabilities and conduct disorders
  • placental complications of pregnancy and more

Nutrition, exercise and smoking tips courtesy of Dr. Kimberly K. Reynolds, a physician at The Woman’s Clinic, P.A., who is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

Hormones

There are a few times during pregnancy where you feel like a circus side show. Your body is doing things at will, not your will, thanks to hormones. Morning sickness, for example, hits in varying degrees and can be an all-day sickness for some. Here are a few tips for coping:

1. Rest, slow down and avoid stress.

2. Don’t get dehydrated: drink water or eat ice chips.

3. Eat, even if you can only nibble a few bites.

For more information on pregnancy and childbirth, visit LittleRockFamily.com/Baby.