The Pregnancy Process: How to Help Your Fetus Develop Properly

One of the miracles of life, of course, is the process of giving birth. As you are pregnant, many emotions will be swirling around your head for nine months. You will be elated at time, and frightened at others. These are all understandable emotions, as you just want what is best for the child that you are about to bring into the world. With that in mind, consider the following four tips designed to help your fetus develop properly:

Remember Your Folic Acid Supplements

When you are pregnant, you need at least 400 micrograms of folic acid a day during the course of your pregnancy. Most women today are not able to get anywhere near that number through diet alone, so you will want to take vitamin supplements to ensure that your fetus gets what it needs. Most health insurance policies today will cover the cost of such supplements while you are pregnant.

Avoid Any Form of Drugs or Alcohol

There is a reason why most civilized societies in the world have regulations regarding what age its citizens can consume alcohol. Imagine a fetus drinking a glass or wine or taking some drugs. You wouldn’t dream of letting your child do that, so these activities are off limits while you are pregnant as well. Even minute levels of alcohol have been shown to impair brain development in a fetus.

Receive Proper Pre-Natal Care

Since most health policies today cover maternity care, there should be no reason at all why you are not getting your fetus the care it needs to develop and grow properly. When you get a sonogram from a sonography professional, for example, you can discover a range of possible health problems that your fetus is experiencing. Your doctor can then recommend a course of action to help your fetus better develop until the child is born.

Consume Healthy and Safe Foods

As any nursing professional will tell you, it is important for pregnant women to consume a healthy diet. This is not a lecture in proper eating habits. It is simply a reminder that you are eating for two. Do not consume foods that you would not let your own child eat. Your fetus needs a proper diet as well in order to grow as he or she should.

These are four great tips designed to help your fetus grow and develop properly throughout your pregnancy. Remember to take care of yourself for these nine months, and your baby will be much the happier for it. If you have any questions about what else you can be doing to better take care of your fetus, contact your family physician.