Healthy Tips for Your 8th Month in Pregnancy

A Healthy Pregnancy Means a Healthy Baby

By the eighth month of pregnancy, most woman are feeling uncomfortable, impatient and a little anxious. Birth is only a handful of weeks away. During this month, your baby will become more sensitive to light and sound, and you should be feeling strong movements by this point. You will continue to gain about a pound a week, and by now you will be feeling the aches, pains and fatigue associated with late pregnancy. A healthy lifestyle during your eighth month of pregnancy can help relieve some of these complaints, and is important to delivering a healthy baby.

Healthy Eating for Two

1. During your eighth month of pregnancy, your appetite will probably increase. You still need only an extra 300 calories a day, and it can be easy to eat too much. Eat small, nutritious meals often. Extra fruits and vegetables can reduce constipation and reduce your chances of developing hemorrhoids. Dairy, carbohydrates and protein are essential parts of your diet. Remember to take your prenatal vitamin, and follow the dietary guidelines set by your doctor.

Stay Active

2. Late pregnancy fatigue could stop you from getting exercise, but staying active is essential to a healthy eighth month of pregnancy. There are plenty of exercises that you can do, even this far along. Swimming is one of the best options, along with walking, stretching and yoga. All of these exercises can relieve aches and pains and help your baby to position correctly for delivery. Avoid actions that require you to move quickly, jump up and down, lie flat on your back or make you feel uncomfortable.

Pay Attention to Your Body

3. Your body can be the most important source of information you have about your pregnancy. Pay attention the signals it gives you. If you are tired, rest. If you are hungry, find a healthy snack. If you are experiencing contractions, even if you think they are Braxton-Hicks, more than four times and hour, if you notice any bleeding, swelling or if something just feels off, call your doctor or head to the nearest emergency room.
   You should also be monitoring your baby's movements for an hour a day. This is called a kick count. During the span of one hour, you should be able to count around 10 movements. Even if you are not doing actual kick counts, you should still be aware of how often your baby moves. If you stop feeling movement, or if the movements are happening a lot less frequently than normal, call your doctor or head to the closest hospital.