There can be days when it seems like your positive pregnancy test came with a list of restrictions a mile long. You go to the neighborhood deli to get some lunch and then realize that you have been told not to eat lunch meat. Ski season is just around the corner and you realize that you are going to have to sit this one out. Depending upon how far along you are in pregnancy and how your pregnancy is progressing, you may be even further restricted by bed rest and other activity limitations as you go along.
Even on those days when it feels like you are unable to do anything while you are pregnant, there are plenty of things that you can do. For example, you can eat chocolate. Oddly enough, a preliminary study at Yale University showed that pregnant women who ate chocolate had a lower risk of developing preeclampsia. Even if that is not true for you (I ate plenty of chocolate and still had preeclampsia with both pregnancies), eating chocolate is okay for most people during pregnancy. You can even safely enjoy a cup of coffee, too, provided that you don’t overdo it. One cup a day is okay for most people.
You can take a vacation, even if it is far away. Traveling during pregnancy is best done during the second trimester, after the morning sickness of the first trimester has passed. Do keep in mind that many airlines suggest that you do not travel after your thirty fifth week of pregnancy. If you are unsure about whether flying is safe for you, check with your doctor. Car trips are fine, just make sure that you plan extra time for meals, snacks, rest stops, and pee breaks. Consider it a training run for car travel with your new baby.
You may not feel like exercising, but chances are that you can exercise during your pregnancy unless your doctor had advised you not to. Things like swimming, prenatal yoga, and walking offer gentle movement that can help to relieve stress and keep your body in shape for labor and delivery.
Photo by kconnors on morguefile.com.