If you’re pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, you probably already know the most basic pregnancy advice: Don’t smoke or be around secondhand smoke. Don’t drink or consume other dangerous substances. Get your rest. But what other healthy pregnancy tips do you need to know?
From taking prenatal vitamins to what to do with the kitty litter, here are the most practical pregnancy tips to help ensure safe and healthy prenatal development.
01 – Take a Prenatal Vitamin
One of our favourite pregnancy tips is to start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you know you’re pregnant. Many experts recommend taking them when you start trying to conceive. This is because your baby’s neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal cord, develops within the first month of pregnancy, so you must get essential nutrients—like folate, calcium, and iron—from the very start.1
Prenatal vitamins are available over the counter at most drug stores, or you can get them by prescription from a doctor. If taking them makes you feel queasy, try taking them at night or with a light snack. Chewing gum or sucking on hard candy afterward can help, too.
02 – Exercise
Staying active is important for your general health and can help you reduce stress, improve circulation, and boost your mood. It can also encourage better sleep. Studies have shown that exercise has many benefits to support a healthy pregnancy, including helping to lower the risk of preeclampsia.2
Take a pregnancy exercise class or walk at least 15 to 20 minutes a day at a moderate pace—in cool, shaded areas or indoors in order to prevent overheating.
Pilates, yoga, swimming, and walking are also great activities for most pregnant people, but be sure to check with a health care provider before starting any exercise program. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Listen to your body, though, and don’t overdo it.
03 – Write a Birth Plan
Determined to have a doula? Counting on that epidural? One of the pregnancy tips we swear by is to write down your wishes and give a copy to everyone involved in your labor and delivery. Here are some things to consider when writing your birth plan:
Who you want present
Procedures you want to avoid
What positions you prefer for labor and delivery
Special clothing you’d like to wear
Whether you want music or a special focal point
Whether you want pain medications and what kind
What to do if complications arise
04 – Educate Yourself
Even if this isn’t your first baby, attending a childbirth class will help you feel more prepared for delivery. Not only will you have the chance to learn more about childbirth and infant care, but you can also ask specific questions and voice concerns. You’ll also become more acquainted with the facility and its staff.
Now is also a good time to brush up on your family’s medical history. Talk to your doctor about problems with past pregnancies, and report any family incidences of congenital disorders.
05 – Practice Kegels
Speaking of pregnancy tips, Kegel exercises is a popular one. Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support your bladder, bowels, and uterus. Done correctly, this simple exercise can help make your delivery easier and prevent problems later with incontinence.3
The best part: No one can tell you’re doing them—so you can practice Kegels in the car, while you’re sitting at your desk, or even standing in line at the grocery store.
Here’s how to do them:
Practice squeezing as though you’re stopping the flow of urine when you use the bathroom.
Hold for three seconds, then relax for three.
Repeat 10 times for a complete set.
06 – Eliminate Toxins
Because of their link to congenital disorders, miscarriage, and other pregnancy complications, you should avoid tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, and even solvents such as paint thinners and nail polish remover while pregnant. Smoking cigarettes, for example, decreases oxygen flow to your baby, and it’s linked to preterm birth and other complications.4
“If you can’t stop smoking, drinking, or using drugs, let your doctor know,” recommends Roger Harms, MD, an OB-GYN at the Mayo Clinic. A doctor can offer advice and support and refer you to a program that can help you quit.
07 – Change Up Chores
Even everyday tasks, like scrubbing the bathroom or cleaning up after pets, can become a little riskier when you’re pregnant. Exposure to toxic chemicals or coming in contact with certain germs can harm you and your baby. Here are some things to take off your to-do-list:
Climbing on step stools and/or ladders
Changing kitty litter (to avoid toxoplasmosis, a disease that can be found in cat feces)5
Toxoplasmosis: Pregnancy FAQS. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2024.
Using harsh chemicals
Standing for long periods of time, especially near a hot stove
Also, wear gloves if you’re working in the yard where cats may have been, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.