Sign out
How can you care for yourself at home?
Diet
- Choose healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Choose foods that are good sources of calcium, iron, and folate. You can try dairy products, dark leafy greens, fortified orange juice and cereals, almonds, broccoli, dried fruit, and beans.
- Do not skip meals or go for many hours without eating. If you are nauseated, try to eat a small, healthy snack every 2 to 3 hours.
- Avoid fish that are high in mercury. These include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, and bigeye tuna, as well as tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico.
- It's okay to eat up to 8 to 12 ounces a week of fish that are low in mercury or up to 4 ounces a week of fish that have medium levels of mercury. Some fish that are low in mercury are salmon, shrimp, canned light tuna, cod, and tilapia. Some fish that have medium levels of mercury are halibut and white albacore tuna.
- Drink plenty of fluids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
- Limit caffeine to about 200 to 300 mg per day. On average, a cup of brewed coffee has around 80 to 100 mg of caffeine.
- Do not drink alcohol, such as beer, wine, or hard liquor.
- Take a multivitamin that contains at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid to help prevent birth defects. Fortified cereal and whole wheat bread are good additional sources of folic acid.
- Increase the calcium in your diet. Try to drink a quart of skim milk each day. You may also take calcium supplements and choose foods such as cheese and yogurt.
Lifestyle
- Make sure you go to your follow-up appointments.
- Get plenty of rest. You may be unusually tired while you are pregnant.
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. Walking is a good choice. If you have not exercised in the past, start out slowly. Take several short walks each day.
- Do not smoke. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
- Do not touch cat feces or litter boxes. Also, wash your hands after you handle raw meat, and fully cook all meat before you eat it. Wear gloves when you work in the yard or garden, and wash your hands well when you are done. Cat feces, raw or undercooked meat, and contaminated dirt can cause an infection that may harm your baby or lead to a miscarriage.
- Avoid things that can make your body too hot and may be harmful to your baby, such as a hot tub or sauna. Or talk with your doctor before doing anything that raises your body temperature. Your doctor can tell you if it's safe.
- Avoid chemical fumes, paint fumes, or poisons.
- Do not use illegal drugs, marijuana, or alcohol.
Medicines
- Review all of your medicines with your doctor. Some of your routine medicines may need to be changed to protect your baby.
- Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) to relieve minor problems, such as a mild headache or backache or a mild fever with cold symptoms. Do not use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), unless your doctor says it is okay.
- Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
- Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
To manage morning sickness
- Keep food in your stomach, but not too much at once. Try eating five or six small meals a day instead of three large meals.
- For nausea when you wake up, eat a small snack, such as a couple of crackers or pretzels, before rising. Allow a few minutes for your stomach to settle before you slowly get up.
- Try to avoid smells and foods that make you feel nauseated. High-fat or greasy foods, milk, and coffee may make nausea worse. Some foods that may be easier to tolerate include cold, spicy, sour, and salty foods.
- Drink enough fluids. Water and other caffeine-free drinks are good choices.
- Take your prenatal vitamins at night on a full stomach.
- Try foods and drinks made with ginger. Ginger may help with nausea.
- Get lots of rest. Morning sickness may be worse when you are tired.
- Talk to your doctor about over-the-counter products, such as vitamin B6 or doxylamine, to help relieve symptoms.
- Try a P6 acupressure wrist band. These anti-nausea wristbands help some people.
Current as of: April 30, 2024
Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
