Resolutions for Pregnant Women

New Year's Resolutions to Help Expecting Mothers

Oct 23, 2007

Resolve to Love Your Pregnant Body, Peter Cantfail, Wiki Commons

Happy New Year, mom to be! Here are some realistic resolutions you can make as this importnat year of your life begins.

If you're having a baby, you already know that this is going to be an unforgettable year! Why not start it out right with some New Year's resolutions for expecting moms? Remember, the trick to all resolutions is to keep them realistic. There's no need to resolve to be the perfect mom, because no one can live up to that kind of pressure. What you can do is resolve to do the best you can, and to be kind and forgiving to yourself as you undertake a joyful but difficult transition.

Here are some New Year's resolutions for pregnant women-- or at least some suggestions. Pick and choose the ones that are the most helpful!

Love your body. With excess weight, stretch marks, and all the other trimmings of pregnancy, most pregnant women don't exactly feel like supermodels. But so what? Supermodels use their amazing bodies to sell couture, but you're using your even more amazing body to bring life into the world. What could be more beautiful?
Don't expect yourself to be the perfect pregnant woman. So your sister only gained twenty pounds when she was pregnant, and your best friend wrote a book while she was carrying twins, and your pregnant neighbor had the perfect nursery ready when she was only four months along. So what? This is a difficult time, so do the best you can, and don't compare yourself to those women who seem to handle pregnancy with perfect grace. (Here's a hint: they're not as perfect as they look!)
Eat well-- but don't feel guilty if you stray just a bit! Follow all of your doctor or midwife's nutritional guidelines and fill your body with the recommended amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamins and minerals. Keep junk food to a minimum. However, there's no need to flog yourself with guilt if you can't resist an order of French fries now and then!
Take your prenatal vitamin every day. This is a simple and important resolution. If you're having trouble remembering to take the pill, try taking it at the same time every day until you establish a habit. Resolve to take any other medication you've been prescribed as well.
If you smoke, get some help and stop. This is one of the most important things you can do to help your baby. Yes, quitting is hard, so if you haven't already, contact a health care agency for some tips on how to quit fast.
Get into a realistic exercise routine. Exercise will make delivery easier and help keep your weight down. However, moderate exercise will do the trick. Since pregnant women need to be careful about physical activities, it's important to talk to your doctor or midwife about your exercise plans, especially if you are in a high-risk pregnancy. If you find something simple that you enjoy, you're much more likely to stick to your resolution. Many pregnant women enjoy prenatal yoga and swimming, and a daily walk will help keep you limber. Here are some expert guidelines for exercise during pregnancy.
Drink lots of water. You need at least eight eight-ounce glasses per day. If you're having trouble meeting this guideline (and many people do), resolve to carry a water bottle around with you.
Line up some people to help you out before the birth. Don't be shy about asking for help! After the baby's born, life will be much easier if there's someone around to run a few errands and watch the baby for an hour while you sleep.
Educate yourself about labor and parenting, but don't torture yourself! This tip is especially for new mothers, who tend to bury themselves in piles of childcare books. Yes, you should read up on labor, infant care, child safety, breastfeeding, postpartum depression, and all those other details. But there's no need to memorize What to Expect When You're Expecting, and no need to feel guilty if you don't finish every book on the shelf! It's fabulous that we live in an age where there's so much information about child care, but try to avoid information overload.
Be kind to yourself. You really do deserve a little pampering, so find some pregnancy-friendly ways to relax and make yourself feel more comfortable. Take a long nightly bath, or treat yourself to some pretty maternity clothes, or rent a pile of fun DVDs. And please, get as much sleep now as you possibly can. Soon enough you'll be spending your time caring for a baby 24-7, so take the time to baby yourself a little bit now.