Your life changes in many different ways when you're pregnant. When the nine months are up, things will never be the same. You''ll have a new baby to look after, which is the start of an incredible journey that lasts a lifetime.

It’s important though, to consider the changes you go through whilst pregnant. With that in mind, it’s useful to learn how to look after yourself during pregnancy. The tips in this guide won't guarantee a smooth pregnancy, but they will ensure that some of the common health issues are controlled or prevented.

This is a positive time and the journey to holding your new baby is to be enjoyed as much as you can. Whether that’s going for a pregnancy friendly spa day or shopping for a pretty maternity dress!

It can feel like a confusing time but after reading through this guide, hopefully we can give you some good tips for the next 9 months.

Take a folic acid supplement

Health supplements are everywhere, but most of them are pointless. You don't realize how many vitamins and minerals you actually get through a balanced diet. So, health supplements will mostly be unnecessary for the majority of the population. With that being said, pregnant women will definitely benefit from some supplementation.

Mainly, you need a folic acid supplement. This is because it plays a vital role in the formation of the neural tube in your baby. Without getting too technical, this is part of the brain and spinal cord. When a mother has a folic acid deficiency, it increases the chances of a baby being born with defects. Interestingly, you probably aren't deficient in it, it's just that you need more when you have a baby growing inside of you. The demands of folic acid increase, so a normal amount won't be enough.

Get more iron, calcium, and vitamin D in your diet

You could also consider taking supplements of all three of these things while you're pregnant. Iron is crucial for the formation of red blood cells, which your baby will obviously need. Calcium and vitamin D work together to form bones - another key thing your baby will require!

Unlike folic acid, it's easier to get these things in a balanced diet. Therefore, you might not need supplements as it's just a case of choosing the right foods. Dairy products are high in calcium, meat and leafy greens are a great source of iron, and you can get vitamin D from the sun.

Exercise as regularly as you can

There's a widespread myth that pregnant women can't do anything. Sure, it's harder to do things when you're 8 months pregnant and significantly heavier. But, in the early months, there are very few changes to your body. So, you can keep exercising as regularly as you like. This will be very beneficial for your health and wellbeing throughout the pregnancy.

On the one hand, exercising will keep you fit and help you to avoid gaining extra weight. It could also aid with common issues - like joint pain. Plus, exercise releases endorphins that can boost your mood and deal with some of your mood swings. You can still go to the gym and exercise when you're heavily pregnant - just be sure you check with your doctor first. It may also help to work with a personal trainer or find a workout routine for pregnant women, to avoid over-exerting yourself. In fact, here’s a video that you might find useful:

Stretch as often as possible

On the topic of exercise, you also need to stretch as often as possible. This is crucial to address muscle aches and joint discomfort while you're pregnant. No matter what you do, you will have joint pain during pregnancy - it's simply unavoidable! Things like hip pain and pregnancy go hand in hand due to changes that happen in your body. For instance, you start to release a hormone called relaxin, which relaxes your ligaments. Essentially, this helps your joints to expand or move around to create more space for the baby. It's a key hormone throughout pregnancy, but you can imagine that this also leads to joint issues and pain.

Stretching is a natural answer to this discomfort and pain. Yoga stretches are particularly helpful as they're designed to loosen tight muscles while stabilizing the joints. This can help you keep your pelvis aligned and provide stability in your ankles and knees. Like I said, it probably won't get rid of the pain completely, but it will certainly prevent the issues from being as big as they otherwise would.

Drink ginger tea

Ginger tea is a phenomenal drink with loads of excellent health properties. For centuries, ginger has been used as an anti-inflammatory, which means it reduces inflammation in the body. As a pregnant woman, you'll have a lot of inflammation due to muscle soreness and the changes around your body. However, ginger is also known for its anti-sickness benefits.

Many people take ginger tea to combat nausea when going on a boat or flying. It can calm your stomach, which is great news for a pregnant woman! Morning sickness is another reality of pregnancy, and you can often feel nauseous at other times during the day. This messes with your appetite and prevents you from eating properly. If you're sick every day, you're basically just getting rid of loads of important nutrients that your body needs. It's not good for you, so some ginger tea can prevent this. It'll keep your food down, ensuring that you and your baby get all the required nutrients to grow big and strong!

Don't forget to rest

Finally, don't forget to put your feet up and rest. I know, I've included a whole paragraph on why you need to exercise and be active! Still, you must give your body a rest from time to time. Don't overextend yourself as it will lead to an uncomfortable pregnancy with some physical aches and pains.

You will never guarantee a faultless pregnancy. Changes will always happen, but there are ways of dealing with them. The points discussed in this post will go a long way to helping you feel healthier throughout your pregnancy. Hopefully, this will translate to more comfortable labour.