Rational behavior of a woman during pregnancy. What should be the attitude of a man to a pregnant wife

Lifestyle and daily routine
Pregnancy is not a disease, but the body of the future mother works in a double mode, which inevitably makes its own adjustments to the usual way of life and requires some change in behavior, taking into account the priority of reasonable caution.

In the early stages, against the background of adaptation to pregnancy, even a healthy woman may experience vegetative-neurotic disorders (weakness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, salivation, heightened sense of smell, a sharp change in mood, tearfulness). As pregnancy progresses, symptoms associated with an increase in the size of the uterus and the influence of placental hormones on all systems of the woman's body (heartburn, constipation, frequent urination, palpitations, muscle pain in the legs) join. On the eve of childbirth, shortness of breath, swelling, pain in the lower back and in the area of ​​the pubic joint, and frequent mood swings may disturb.

The main rule motivating the behavior of a pregnant woman should be the prevention of the influence of controlled environmental factors that have a proven or potentially negative effect on the fetus.

It is especially important to ensure the safety of the fetus in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy - the period of active organogenesis. It has been proven that the 15-20th week of pregnancy (increased growth of the brain) and the 20-24th week (the formation of the main functional systems of the fetal body) also belong to the critical periods of development.

Not only the gynecologist, but also medical workers of all specialties who provide medical and preventive care to the pregnant woman, and pharmacy pharmacists should be informed about the presence of pregnancy / suspicion of it in a timely manner. It is advisable to notify the cosmetologist, manicure and pedicure masters, fitness instructor, massage therapist and hairdresser about the change in your condition, which will help to avoid a number of problems.

Physiopsychoprophylactic preparation for childbirth. All changes that occur in a woman's body during pregnancy have the ultimate goal of preparing for birth stress and blood loss, as well as lactation.

Therefore, it is essential to allocate time to attend the appropriate classes, which are held in the conditions of the antenatal clinic, starting from the first weeks of pregnancy.

Physiopsychoprophylactic preparation includes:
- individual conversations and lectures;
- group classes in special gymnastics;
- use of natural factors (light, air, water) to improve health
- the use of physical therapy.

The goals of physiopsychoprophylaxis during pregnancy:
- increasing the body's resistance;
- adaptation to increased requirements in the new conditions of the body's activity;
- antenatal protection of the fetus;
- development in a woman of a conscious attitude towards pregnancy, the perception of childbirth as a physiological process;
- teaching childbirth skills.

Wellness vacation
A pregnant woman should change her daily routine so that she feels as comfortable as possible.

First of all, this means having enough time for rest. Starting in the second trimester, you should aim for at least 9 hours of sleep a day, including an episode of daytime sleep. In the event of emotional tension and sleep disturbances, auto-training, phyto- and aromatherapy, drawing, singing, classes on the biofeedback system, and, if necessary, consultation of a psychotherapist can be recommended for pregnant women.

Given the increased need for oxygen, expectant mothers, especially those living in urban areas, should use every opportunity to stay in nature. At all times of the year, regular non-fatiguing walks are recommended for 1-1.5 hours daily and, if possible, before going to bed. At the same time, choose a place for daily walks away from noisy streets and intersections, giving preference to parks and squares. When planning a vacation and organizing a recreational holiday, you should prefer countries with familiar climatic conditions in the autumn-spring period. An ideal option is a sanatorium for pregnant women. On vacation, lifting and carrying heavy loads should be avoided and exposure to the active sun should be limited.

Pregnant women are shown warm air baths (temperature 22 ° C) lasting 5 minutes in the first days with a gradual daily increase by 5-6 minutes to 25 minutes. You can perform the procedure outdoors, in the solarium, on the veranda. General sunbathing is recommended, starting from 3 minutes, followed by an increase of 2-3 minutes per day up to 20 minutes. In view of the risk of violations of phosphorus-calcium metabolism in pregnant women in the autumn-winter season and in the spring with natural relative hypovitaminosis, especially in the northern regions of the country, ultraviolet irradiation of the body during pregnancy 18-20 and 35-37 weeks is useful.

If the pregnancy proceeds normally, bathing in the sea and the river is allowed. In this case, it is better to use a special swimsuit for pregnant women, the cut of which takes into account the features of the figure, and the fabric protects from ultraviolet radiation.

Driving and driving
During pregnancy, you should refrain from air travel if possible, preferably by train or car. Any long journeys should be as comfortable as possible, since their indispensable companions are noise and shaking. For travel in trains, compartment or sleeping cars are preferable. When traveling in a car, it is reasonable to make stops every hour and a half to rest. After 28 weeks of pregnancy, long trips by any form of transport should be avoided, and in the last 2 weeks before delivery, you should stay at home. When using public transport, you should strive to avoid rush hour and minimize movement during epidemics of viral diseases. Upon entering the cabin, do not hesitate to ask passengers to give up their seats. It is contraindicated to run after a departing train, bus or tram.

When driving a car, the back of the driver's seat should have the most comfortable position. It is mandatory to use seat belts that are put on as usual: the lower part is thrown over the hips, the upper part is passed over one shoulder and under the opposite arm so that a fist can be inserted between the front chest and the belt.

Pregnant women are contraindicated in cycling and other modes of transport, associated with vibration and shaking of the body, creating a risk of placental abruption, and also contributing to injuries and inflammatory changes in joints softened by relaxin. Driving a car potentially limits not the fact of driving a vehicle, but its quality, traffic intensity and noise level, driving experience, duration of trips and the risk of emotional overload of the driver. A pregnant woman driving should strive to avoid participating in traffic during traffic jams, strictly observe traffic rules and speed limits. It is advisable to drive no more than an hour in a row and no more than 2.5 hours a day.

In addition, it is necessary to refuse to listen to music on headphones when traveling on the subway, and also not to use the loudspeakers in the car at full capacity. The powerful vibrations that arise in these situations have an extremely negative effect on the brain.

Physical exercise
The fact of the positive effect of dosed physical activity on the state of the body of a pregnant woman is beyond doubt. However, their intensity depends on the physique and habitual lifestyle of a woman. The recommended frequency of classes is 2-3 times a week. At the same time, it is very important that the loads are systematic. The body perceives irregular loads as a stressful situation, which is unsafe during pregnancy. The total duration of classes usually does not exceed 40-50 minutes. Before starting exercise, it is advisable to eat yogurt, a medium-sized fruit, or drink a glass of low-fat milk (kefir). For most pregnant women, walking, swimming, and a special course of physical therapy (aerobics) that can be performed in a gym or at home are most suitable. Very useful are cardio classes on a gentle exercise bike (recumbent exercise bike with a back), yoga and Pilates, adapted for expectant mothers.

The complex for pregnant women excludes exercises associated with running, jumping, sudden movements and emotional stress. In the third trimester of pregnancy, the load on the knee and ankle joints should be sharply limited. At the same time, athletes can continue to train, avoiding overheating and dehydration.

Goals of exercise during pregnancy:
- strengthening the back muscles
- increased mobility of the spine and hip joints
- elimination and prevention of congestion in the pelvis and lower extremities
- strengthening and increasing the elasticity of the muscles of the perineum
- training in breathing exercises and relaxation skills
- reduced risk of excessive weight gain
- normalization of tone and function of internal organs.

When exercising in the gym, an individual training program should be developed. During classes, you need to monitor the pulse and well-being. Modern cardio machines calculate the pulse automatically, and its indicators are displayed on the screen. The pulse during the lesson can be considered independently. This can be done by counting it on the wrist or on the neck for 10 seconds and multiplying the result by 6. During the first trimester of pregnancy, the pulse against the background of physical activity should not exceed 60% of the pulse at maximum oxygen consumption, in the second and III trimester - 65- 70% of the heart rate at maximum oxygen consumption, which is calculated using the formula "220 - age." If during exercise shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, pulling pains in the lower abdomen, spotting or other unusual symptoms appear, you should immediately stop exercising and consult a doctor.

Pregnant women are contraindicated in sports and physical activity in the presence of:
- acute diseases;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- symptoms of threatened miscarriage;
- isthmic-cervical insufficiency;


- severe toxicosis;
- symptoms of preeclampsia, especially hypertension due to pregnancy;
- premature birth, spontaneous abortions and non-developing pregnancy in history;
- polyhydramnios;
- pregnancy that occurred in the IVF program;
- systematic cramping pains that appear after classes.

Climbing stairs. It is advisable for the expectant mother to climb the stairs on foot no more than two flights of stairs and no more than twice a day. In cases where a pregnant woman lives above 2 floors in a house that does not have an elevator, climbing stairs, she should take breaks in movement more often and limit other physical activities.

Work and employment
During the working day, it is necessary to change the posture, avoiding prolonged static standing and sitting. Every hour and a half, you should take small breaks for yourself, during which you can perform several light physical exercises to stretch the muscles of the back and chest, alternately tensing and relaxing them against the background of calm deep breathing through the nose. During the lunch break, it is advisable to spend a few minutes in the fresh air.

Not recommended for pregnant women:
- having a history of two or more premature births;
- with isthmic-cervical insufficiency;
- having a history of spontaneous abortions due to anomalies in the development of the uterus;
- with heart failure;
- with Marfan's syndrome;
- with hemoglobinopathies;
- with diabetes mellitus complicated by retinoor nephropathy;
- with bleeding from the genital tract in the 3rd trimester;
- after 28 weeks with multiple pregnancies.

Household and renovation
It is possible and necessary to do the homework of the expectant mother, observing the condition - not to overdo it. Once at home after a hard day's work, it is necessary to lie down and rest for an hour before embarking on the duties of a housewife. In addition, every hour and a half it is advisable to arrange small breaks in your classes. You should never refuse the help of household members.

A long stay in the kitchen, especially a small one, at high temperature and humidity can contribute to the expansion of blood vessels, which is unsafe for a pregnant woman, since blood flow to the uterus increases her excitability. The most optimal is to stay in the kitchen for no more than two hours, evenly distributed throughout the day.

When choosing household appliances, it is necessary to check whether they have a hygiene certificate. Kitchen household appliances, the duration of which does not exceed an hour, should not make noise more than 85 dB, household office equipment - no more than 75 dB. It is preferable to sew in all respects on an electric rather than a mechanical machine.

For daily routine cleaning, it is better to use lightweight portable mini-vacuum cleaners for horizontal surfaces, office equipment and upholstered furniture. Wet cleaning should be carried out without chemical detergents - due to their toxicity, they can affect the development of the fetus. It is advisable to use a mop or special devices to avoid bending below the level of the knees, which is fraught with premature onset of labor. To polish hard-to-reach places, it is better to involve family members.

A pregnant woman is characterized by increased attention to the arrangement of life, which psychologists define as "nesting syndrome", which is often accompanied by a change in the design of the home, its redevelopment and repair work. At the same time, trips to construction markets, rearranging furniture and lifting heavy objects should be left to other family members or professionals. Neither varnish, nor paints, nor acetone should smell during the period of residence in the house of the expectant mother. A pregnant woman should not come into contact with organic solvents from the moment of diagnosis, and if necessary, use protective equipment and work in well-ventilated areas. It’s good if the house located next to a noisy street has glazed balconies and the windows have modern double-glazed windows that increase noise protection. presence of wires and sockets. It is better to refuse carpeting for a while - this is the strongest dust collector, and the rooms will need regular wet cleaning.

Visiting shops, leisure facilities and crowded places
It is advisable to be in the store no more than an hour a day. It is wiser to avoid shopping during the influx of buyers (holidays and weekends, at the end of the working day) and during the influenza and SARS epidemic, when the stay of a pregnant woman in any crowded places should be as limited as possible due to reduced resistance to infectious diseases. In large department stores and supermarkets, special cash desks for pregnant women are allocated, in any case, you should not be shy about skipping the line. The maximum weight load for the entire period of pregnancy is 3 kg. Therefore, a pregnant woman at any time must use carts on wheels and carry purchased products and purchases in small portions.

From the long list of leisure facilities during pregnancy, nightclubs and any establishments that allow smoking directly in the hall and increase the noise level should be deleted. Psychologists recommend that a pregnant woman attend exhibitions, theaters, classical music concerts. It is advisable not to visit and receive guests too often and not until late - the party for the expectant mother should end no later than 22 hours.

Clothing and footwear
Starting from early pregnancy, you should be careful about the choice of clothes, shoes and underwear. Clothing should be loose, comfortable and ergonomic - preference should be given to natural "breathable" fabrics. It is necessary to avoid tightness of the chest and abdomen, pressing elastic bands, especially on underwear. Due to the need to relieve tension from the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, as well as the shift in the second half of pregnancy and before childbirth of the center of gravity, shoes should be comfortable, with wide, low heels. Dresses with a loose cut or high waist are suitable for pregnant women, in hot weather this maybe a sundress with straps. Blouses can also be high-waisted or have a wraparound design that allows you to adjust the width. Long loose blouses are relevant. In skirts, an elastic band or drawstring is used instead of a belt. Pants for pregnant women are sewn from elastic fabric, or have elastic inserts in the abdomen, or an adjustable fastener, allowing you to increase the waist as needed. It is better to buy clothes for pregnant women not in the first months, but as needed (not earlier than 4-5 months), because its size may change.

You should also take care of clothing for the lactation period. Bathrobe, pajamas, nightgown should be comfortable for feeding, panties - cotton. At least two nursing bras are required, their cups should be easily detachable with one hand. Inserts (pads) in a bra can be used disposable and reusable, which can be washed. They should be made of non-fluffy material (preferably fleece) and cup-shaped with a recess for the nipple, it is also desirable that they are fastened to the bra with Velcro.

Hygiene and care
Oral and dental care. During pregnancy, it is advisable to use a toothbrush with soft bristles and toothpaste that promotes tooth mineralization, or for children. Even if the condition of the teeth and gums does not require it, a visit to the dentist is desirable at the beginning of each trimester.

Skin care and beauty treatments. Due to the increase in intracutaneous blood flow and increased skin respiration during pregnancy, the load on the skin and the degree of percutaneous excretion of harmful metabolic products increase. Therefore, caring for the body and keeping the skin of the face and body clean during pregnancy play an important role in facilitating the work of the kidneys and contributing to the prevention of diseases. Baths are not recommended for pregnant women, especially in the second half of pregnancy. The most optimal hygienic water procedure is a warm shower, which can be combined with washing and rubbing with water at room temperature. Expectant mothers can use special cosmetics for pregnant women or any cosmetics for face and body care that do not indicate that they are contraindicated during pregnancy . At the same time, you need to be prepared for a possible change in the type and condition of the skin. Pregnant women are absolutely contraindicated in all hardware techniques used in cosmetology, mesotherapy, photoepilation, solarium, tonic and lymphatic drainage massages.

To prevent the appearance of stretch marks, especially during intensive growth of the abdomen in the third trimester, you can use skin-improving products from among cosmetics for pregnant women containing vitamins A and E, as well as substances that improve blood circulation. Moisturizing creams for pregnant women, designed to eliminate dry skin, help to partially prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

Nail care. Manicures and pedicures should be done regularly during pregnancy, sometimes even more often than usual, due to the possible increase in cuticle roughness and a tendency to form burrs. During the first 14 weeks (the period of organogenesis), it is desirable to give preference to hygienic manicure, without the use of nail polish, at best - using a medical base. During the entire period of pregnancy, contact of the expectant mother with formaldehyde, toluene and camphor oil, which may be contained in nail polishes, should be excluded, and a liquid that does not contain acetone should be used to remove varnish.

Nail extension using an acid primer is contraindicated. The safety of using shellac and gel nail extensions in pregnant women has not been studied. Breast care. Daily washing with room temperature water with baby soap and rubbing with a hard towel is recommended. Wearing linen or cotton bras is shown. On the eve of childbirth, starched fabric can be put into the bra, which will contribute to irritation and the formation of nipples. With dry skin, 2-3 weeks before childbirth, the skin of the mammary glands, including the areola, should be lubricated daily with a neutral or baby cream. There is an opinion about the usefulness of air baths in the chest area, which are carried out for 10-15 minutes several times a day. Haircut and hair coloring. The issue of hair care during pregnancy, in terms of safety for the fetus, has not been studied enough. The simplest recommendation is to trim the ends of your hair regularly to promote hair growth. The use of hair cosmetics and coloring agents during the period of organogenesis should be excluded, and subsequently minimized. It is possible to use natural dyes for pregnant women - henna and basma. One should not ignore the negative impact on the body, especially in the early stages, the need for a sufficiently long (from one to three hours) stay in a static position in a hairdressing salon with a high concentration of toxic substances in the air and an increased noise level.

Intimate hygiene and physical intimacy. During pregnancy, it is necessary to make a genital toilet with baby soap or intimate hygiene products approved for use in pregnant women, 2 times a day, and also after each episode of urination and defecation. The genital area should be dry and clean. Pregnant women are characterized by increased urination, especially at the beginning of pregnancy and before childbirth. Vaginal douching for hygienic purposes is contraindicated, as their negative impact on the state of the vaginal biocenosis has been proven. Underwear should be made only from natural fabric, preferably cotton.

Recommendations regarding physical intimacy during pregnancy require taking into account the presence of medical contraindications for vaginal sex in the expectant mother, anatomical and physiological changes in her body and the risk of sexually transmitted infections. According to international experts, sexual abstinence is indicated if a pregnant woman has:
- repeated miscarriages in history;
- threats of termination of this pregnancy;
- bleeding from the genital tract;
- low location or placenta previa;
- a history of premature rupture of membranes;
- history of premature birth;
- multiple pregnancy (after 20 weeks).

In the absence of contraindications and the normal course of pregnancy, sexual activity is quite acceptable, but is limited by the need to avoid excessive pressure on the abdomen (after 12 weeks of pregnancy), and also to limit the depth of penetration of the penis into the vagina. In this regard, as the gestational age increases, an appropriate change in the position of the partners should be recommended. Women who have oral sex during pregnancy should avoid entering a large amount of air into the vagina due to the high risk of developing pulmonary embolism. If there is an individual risk of sexually transmitted infection during any sexual contact, the use of a condom is recommended.

Tobacco smoking is absolutely contraindicated. The more cigarettes a pregnant woman smokes per day, the higher the risk to the fetus and newborn. Smoking mothers have been shown to increase the risk of spontaneous abortion, placenta previa and premature detachment, prenatal rupture of water, fetal growth retardation and sudden infant death syndrome, as well as an increase in perinatal mortality by an average of 27%, with consumption of more than 20 cigarettes per day - by 35 %.

Since most smokers do not realize the severity of the consequences, it is important to inform the expectant mother as soon as possible about the need to quit smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes smoked to 2-3 per day. The ideal is to stop smoking at the preconception stage (the stage of preconception preparation) 4-6 cycles before conception. Narcotic substances are strictly unacceptable during pregnancy. Their consumption is highly correlated with the development of pathology of the placenta and the placental complex, which increases the risk of spontaneous abortion, prenatal outflow of water, premature birth, intrauterine hypoxia and malnutrition of the fetus, up to its antenatal death, and is also accompanied by the development of drug intoxication and withdrawal syndrome in the newborn, syndrome of sudden infant death, disorders of the physical and mental development of the child.

Medicines. In the phase of organogenesis (up to 14 weeks), it is necessary to strive to abstain from the use of any drugs, with the exception of folic acid at a dose of 400 mcg per day, the intake of which during physiological pregnancy is regulated to prevent congenital malformations and diseases associated with folate deficiency. Folic acid should be started no later than three months before conception, ideally from the moment the decision to plan childbearing is made. Priority should be given to preparations containing metafolin, a biologically active form of folic acid that can guarantee full inclusion in the folate cycle. You can continue taking folic acid throughout pregnancy and lactation, but during the first trimester it is mandatory.

The question of the advisability of additional oral intake of potassium iodide by healthy pregnant women to prevent congenital cretinism has not yet been finally resolved. At the same time, according to WHO recommendations, pregnant women and nursing mothers form a risk group for iodine deficiency, therefore, when living in an iodine deficiency zone, which is determined by the hygienic and epidemiological surveillance authorities, it is advisable to recommend taking potassium iodide at a dose of 200-250 mcg / day. Healthy women during the entire period should avoid any drugs, except for the simplest over-the-counter drugs. At the same time, when a woman herself seeks medical help and needs to take medications, she should notify a medical worker or a doctor of any specialty about the likelihood or presence of pregnancy, especially in the early stages. Pregnant women suffering from chronic diseases should, together with their doctor, prepare for pregnancy in such a way as to be able to reduce the intake of drugs in the early stages to a minimum or temporarily refuse them. The need for medication during pregnancy is controlled by the attending physician.

The question of taking vitamins specially designed for pregnant women is currently open. There are only a few studies with level A evidence, the results of which testify in favor of the appropriateness of their use, therefore, the use of multivitamin and mineral complexes designed specifically for pregnant women remains relevant in women who are not able to adequately eat or with a verified deficiency of specific nutrients. Reimbursement of the latter is preferable to carry out monopreparations. Multivitamin complexes that are not intended for pregnant women are contraindicated in any case.

Even a calm pregnancy proceeds with significant changes in the psyche of a woman who is trying to maintain the previous state of affairs, get used to the new, keep it, and change it again as soon as possible. What stages and states turn out to be quite typical, what do they talk about, and is it worth worrying about changes in our perception and our behavior.

The beginning of pregnancy: a new life of 9 months

Pregnancy for almost every woman begins a little strange. New sensations, expectations based on books, films and stories from life do not quite coincide with real changes in the female body and, accordingly, thoughts. A certain amount of fear, like the fear of a new one, is quite typical, subconsciously we still cling to our old habits, our former way of life, our former body. It is sometimes difficult to realize the naturalness of what is happening, we would definitely resist internal changes, which is why the first significant mood swings occur.

A rounded chest usually becomes a joyful event, but the first toxicosis is frightening. It is easier to get used to the new state for those who have discovered pregnancy at the earliest possible date. The hardest thing is for those who have it happened at a later date - the sixteenth week of pregnancy and beyond. Then it is not easy to get used to the changes in the body and the growing tummy, it involuntarily upsets, the woman feels not pregnant, but fat. At this stage, the support and patience of a loved one is very important. If prejudice is alien to you, then working with a photographer will be beneficial, creating an image, you will let the state of expectation of a miracle inside yourself and feel that your changes are beautiful and even magical.

Listen to yourself more. Many pregnant women at the first stage are characterized by the fusion of their personality with the unborn baby: “we want to eat”, “this baby is not in the mood today”, “we will sleep”, this is how an emotional merger with the fetus occurs, which helps to perceive all changes better and easier, rejoice in them, however, this may be accompanied by the first manifestations of over-anxiety, a tendency to follow impulses. Psychologists note more animal moods of women, submission to basic instincts.

Second trimester of pregnancy: becoming a mother

The depth of feelings of the first stage with the desire to endow everything that happens with a higher meaning recede a little with the beginning of the second stage. Most often, these are the first movements of the child or a strong pulsation, which inexperienced young mothers take for the fetal heartbeat or a purely factual new event - the determination of the sex of the child. A division into one's desires begins to take place, and the desires of a child, a son or a daughter become very concrete images in the mind of a woman who calms down a little and becomes a little less impulsive than before and at the next stage. The character of the fair sex, just like a mother, begins to manifest itself precisely at this stage of pregnancy and changes in the psyche. The former emotional experiences associated with their own childhood and their parents are intensifying, the support of which will now be very helpful.

The third period of psychological changes in the mind of a pregnant woman: big changes again

The last third period of the nine-month wait is often psychologically the most difficult for a woman. Irritability and internal tension begin to experience even the most calm of the fair sex. The approach of the birth of a baby, as his separation from his mother, affects the subconscious as a frequent rejection of the fetus to one degree or another. Strong fatigue, the desire to give birth as soon as possible are quite natural and, moreover, “natural” - the subconscious mind sets the woman up for the inevitability of new significant changes in her body. The desire to give birth as soon as possible should not be taken as an alarming negative bell, when some young mothers begin to doubt the correctness of their own feelings and worry if their love for the unborn baby has decreased. Everything is in order, you tune in to the state that internally reduces the fear of pain or contractions in general. The risk of depression in the last weeks is reduced when pregnancy is managed by specialists, which included psychological preparation for pregnancy.

Today's women meet pregnancy and childbirth fully armed, but several stereotypes have strengthened in the minds of mankind, which it is high time to get rid of

Ten years ago, many women had very poor ideas about what would happen to their body during pregnancy. Now Google is becoming the best friend and first adviser of the expectant mother from the very second, as soon as the test shows two stripes. Today's women meet pregnancy and childbirth fully armed, understanding in detail the features of all the necessary drugs and procedures, which even their older sisters could not boast of. The Internet is filled with articles that detail all the changes that a woman's body undergoes during pregnancy. And yet, in the minds of mankind, several stereotypes have strengthened, which it is high time to get rid of.

1. “Quiet winter night. It's time for strawberries. And have a bite to eat."

Every girl has ever heard a joke about pickles at least once. The myth that during pregnancy a woman's eating habits are abruptly rearranged, and she begins to crave a very strange combination of products, is so firmly rooted in modern folklore that many girls even fantasize what such an exotic can pull them into. In fact, only a few pregnant women will dream of smoked salmon in honey, but for the majority, eating habits, if they change, are quite standard. A pregnant woman may begin to love those foods that she didn’t really like before, but going to extremes is not at all a prerequisite for a successful pregnancy.

The tastes of a woman change due to powerful changes in the hormonal background of her body. The main culprit here is the hormone progesterone. This comrade is generally responsible for a lot of things. Progesterone is the so-called. pregnancy hormone. It is produced in the corpus luteum in the area of ​​​​the released egg in the ovary, and then the placenta also begins to produce it. As a result of the influence of progesterone, the successful introduction and attachment of the embryo to the uterine wall is formed (this process is called implantation), and due to its action, the muscle fibers of the uterus are in a relaxed state, which prevents the rejection of the fetal egg and prevents pregnancy from being interrupted. In addition, due to the action of progesterone, the mammary glands are prepared and, in the future, normal lactation is formed in the woman who has given birth. Most of all, its influence is felt in the first months of pregnancy, especially in terms of up to 16-18 weeks. Then the main portions of progesterone are produced precisely by the ovary, while the placenta is just being born and formed. As it matures (after 16 weeks), the ovary gradually loses its hormonal functions. Then the food habits return to their usual course.

The main need for changes in taste preferences is an increase in the need of a woman's body for vitamin and mineral components. The fact is that the developing fetus consumes those nutrients that come to it in the mother's blood. If some substances are not enough for the harmonious development of the fetus, the mother's body begins to use up its "strategic" reserves. Then the mother's body sends signals to the brain in order to activate the appetite and desire to eat foods such as citrus fruits, strawberries, a variety of other fruits and foods rich in minerals and vitamins. Usually such desires arise in the late afternoon or at night, since it is at this time that the work of those parts of the nervous system in which the “dominant of pregnancy” is formed is activated, and then it takes command of all processes.

You want chocolate and other sweets because the body needs more energy to carry the baby and to feed it.

2. The mood of a pregnant woman is like a powder keg: it will explode from any tiny spark.

It is generally accepted that the expectant mother is constantly in a state of "from one extreme to the other": she cries, she laughs, she gets offended, she gets angry for no reason. This behavior is indeed not uncommon for expectant mothers, but it is a mistake to consider it the norm. The psycho-emotional sphere is the most subtle and individual area of ​​human physiology. There is no general pattern of behavior here, all changes are individual and for each woman occur in her own way.

The mood really “jumps” in the first weeks of pregnancy, and hormonal changes in the body are to blame. Normally, such emotional instability is felt within 1–2 weeks and is noticeable only to the most pregnant woman and the closest family members. Most often, during this period, a woman does not even know that she is pregnant. However, even during this period, “jumps” of mood are not necessary. Many women note a stable change in the emotional background: someone is in high spirits, someone, on the contrary, experiences a feeling of depression.

The already familiar “dominant of pregnancy” is to blame for this. Psychological dominant is an emotional state that prevails over all other experiences of a person at a certain stage of his life. During pregnancy, care for the preservation and successful development of the fetus becomes a priority for the expectant mother. Since no change can occur instantly and imperceptibly, the restructuring of the body has such an interesting side effect. This does not mean at all that there is no need to take care of the mood of a pregnant woman. The cause itself may be small, but the woman's feelings are real and experienced as acutely as larger problems. Leaving a person alone with what worries him is still not recommended.

If the mood really changes from one extreme to another, and this happens throughout the pregnancy, you should seek advice from a perinatal psychologist; this condition is not the norm and may indicate more serious deviations in the well-being of the expectant mother.

3. A pregnant woman instantly becomes stupid.

Oh, the topic of the intelligence of pregnant women is a real battlefield of researchers. Many ongoing studies show conflicting data. For example, in a population-based study published in 2007, Australian scientists confirmed the possibility of developing mental disorders in pregnant women. This work collected data from 14 different studies conducted over a period of 17 years. The researchers compared the memory scores of pregnant women and/or women in the postpartum period with those of the control group. During the study, it turned out that during pregnancy, some types of memory significantly worsened in women, but the reason for this was never found. In another 2010 study, researchers at the Australian National University also looked at women before, during and after childbirth and found no significant changes in memory function or cognitive abilities. However, it was noted that the third trimester of pregnancy was associated with a sharp deterioration in the results of one of the four tests to assess the state of memory and cognitive functions in the study participants.

And this is just an example of the contradictory views on the problem.

Perhaps the general absent-mindedness and forgetfulness that many expectant mothers complain about depends on their own mental state and environment. With the onset of pregnancy, the usual way of life of a woman undergoes strong changes. There are many new worries, experiences and fears, someone's psyche is ready for such new formations, and someone has to adapt.

Pregnancy is an exceptional period in a woman's life. Despite the fact that billions of women go through it (many and more than once) and the body of each of them acts according to a known pattern, for each this process will proceed individually. Someone will not notice large-scale changes, and someone for several months at night will dream of a jar of notorious pickles from a joke. The main thing to remember is that if your pregnancy does not meet the stereotypes that have developed in society, there is nothing wrong with that. And in time to contact a specialist.

Pregnancy is the happiest, but also the most disturbing time in a woman's life. On the one hand, this period is accompanied by the joy of waiting for a miracle, on the other hand, the fear of the unknown. If a pregnant woman is supported by a loving husband, relatives and friends, fear recedes, and if a woman is lonely, he can take over all the thoughts of a future mother, poisoning her every day.

Perhaps our advice will help someone understand that it is not a disease, that almost any problem can be solved if you treat them calmly. One wise man said: "The problem is not the problem, but our attitude towards it." Make it your motto.

Let's take a closer look at what you can and cannot do during pregnancy.

Not allowed during pregnancy:

1) Smoking, drinking hard liquor, using drugs. These substances adversely affect the development of the nervous system of the child. Women who smoke are much more likely to give birth to premature babies, children with pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. Newborns whose mothers smoke sometimes have an allergy to mother's milk, and alcoholics and drug addicts can have a child with congenital dependence, not to mention malformations.

2) It is senseless, ridiculous and cruel to blame the baby for your own unwanted pregnancy. According to statistics, among unwanted children, whose mothers could not come to terms with the appearance of a child until the very birth (even if they later fell in love with him), various mental and nervous disorders and suicidal tendencies are much more common.

3) You can not do hard physical work, especially related to lifting weights. Even if the pregnancy is going well, in the last trimester the uterus is in an overstretched state, and strong muscle contraction can simply push the baby out, provoking premature birth, or cause placental abruption. For the same reason, it is undesirable to engage in sports that involve the risk of falling (skiing, cycling, speed skating, etc.). At the same time, calm cycling and skiing up to 6-7 months of pregnancy is not only not contraindicated, but also desirable perineal muscles, helps to keep fit, contributes to a better supply of oxygen to the fetus.

4) Do not allow thoughts about the unfavorable outcome of pregnancy, fetal pathology. Increased nervousness and emotionality are common to all pregnant women, but if bad thoughts prevent you from enjoying future motherhood, contact a psychotherapist. You can take herbal sedatives. A decoction of valerian or motherwort is best suited (especially with a tendency to high blood pressure).

5) You can not neglect the advice of doctors, although it is also undesirable to follow them blindly. It is better if you are supervised by a specialist you can trust. When one of my acquaintances was in position for the second time, all the gynecologists insisted on an abortion, since she had a spiral in front of it. What horrors they did not draw for her! But she left the baby, as she was sure of the birth of a wonderful daughter, and she turned out to be right. Another friend was offered swamping for a long time, as tests showed the presence of fetal malformations. Fortunately, the woman also refused such a step and gave birth to a healthy boy. Trust your intuition and never rush. If you doubt the recommendations made, consult another doctor, and then draw conclusions. Doctors are people too, sometimes they can make mistakes.

6) Do not torment yourself with thoughts that you will not be able to cope, that you will have nothing to live on. Even if you are alone, you can always find a way out. There will definitely be an experienced woman friend who will help you at first. In many cities, day care groups have been introduced in the Baby House, where you can take your child, like to a kindergarten, and calmly go to work. Many people will be happy to help and donate the things of their grown children. You can find work at home, including through the Internet. There are no hopeless situations! Instead of wasting your nerve cells in vain (especially since it is not harmless for the baby), make a list of necessary things, find in advance a person who will help you and whom you can trust the child, try to save some money to stay at least a month with the baby and recover after childbirth. Believe me, the birth of a child opens up such reserves of strength and talents in a woman that you don’t even know about now!

I would like to highlight a few controversial issues:

- Can I drink beer and wine? Yes, if the beer is non-alcoholic (it contains a lot of B vitamins, it has a mild diuretic effect, favorably affects the functioning of the nervous system), but not more than 0.33 l / day. Natural red wine in small quantities used to be prescribed for threatened miscarriage, severe neurosis (calms, contains a large amount of minerals and). But I emphasize that the wine should be natural and should be used only if necessary and in small quantities (about 100 ml).

- If the expectant mother knits, will there be an entanglement of the umbilical cord? No. All their lives, women have been preparing a dowry for the baby on their own, and there is no harm from this.

- You can't cross your legs? Yes. The blood circulation of the pelvic organs is disturbed, which can lead to a change in the position of the fetus in the last stages of pregnancy to pathological.

- You can not raise your hands up? If you just do it, do the exercises smoothly, without sudden movements, there will be no harm. It is undesirable to do work that requires raising your hands. For example, hang clothes, especially in the last months of pregnancy and in the presence of adverse factors (polyhydramnios, multiple pregnancy, large fetus, late preeclampsia). Strong muscle tension combined with tension can provoke placental abruption or premature birth. In addition, such work that is familiar to us as hanging clothes requires energy costs, as when chopping firewood.

Before that, we only talked about that, and we got a fairly impressive list. Do not be discouraged, dear women. There are many more things you can do!

Walk as much as you like, but get home before you get tired. Walking should be fun and not exhausting.

Rest every time you feel tired, and no one will dare accuse you of being lazy.

Surround yourself with beautiful things, look at flowers more often, listen to beautiful music, classical music, and your child will be born beautiful and calm.

Listen to your own, but do not bring things to the point of absurdity. When you eat, you feed not only yourself, but also your baby, and he is unlikely to benefit from cakes and sweets. But you can eat fruits in any quantities.

A pregnant woman needs to sleep well. If you can't sleep at night, go to bed during the day. By the way, a pregnant woman's working day should be reduced by one hour.

Engage in physical education. This will help you keep in shape, improve the baby's blood supply, provide optimal conditions for its development and your well-being. Just remember the sense of proportion! The best sport is swimming. It provides unloading of the spine and joints, improves immunity and mood, allows you to train muscles without risk to the child. But that doesn't mean you have to compete in swimming competitions!

The most important thing that a future mother should do is to love herself and her child. Enjoy every minute of your pregnancy. After giving birth, you will never be so close again. With every centimeter of their growth, children move away from their parents. They have their own character, their own view of the world. This is normal and right, but sometimes you start to miss those times when you went to bed and woke up together, ate together and understood each other without words. Do not rush time! Everything has its turn. And when problems arise, don't get discouraged. Remember that even "if a fish has eaten you, there are always at least two ways out."

The best time in the life of a future mother, because during this period all relatives and especially her husband are obliged to indulge any of her whims and whims. Is it so important to fully indulge all the weaknesses of a pregnant woman? And what consequences can this lead to?

Often, pregnancy becomes a difficult test not only for the woman herself, but also for her relatives and relatives. This happens because the expectant mother makes too many claims and demands on her environment, which are often not only biased, but sometimes even absurd. However, she knows that any desire of a pregnant woman is the law, and must be satisfied as soon as possible, and she unconsciously begins to manipulate her loved ones, relying on this setting.

Naturally, the husband gets the lion's share of the work to satisfy the whims of the mother of his unborn child. And if he more or less copes with this task, then the rest of the environment of the pregnant woman suffers to a lesser extent. If, for some reason, the husband does not meet the expectations placed on him, the woman can turn her attention to relatives - her own parents, friends, relatives.

To childless friends and relatives, who in general are not particularly interested in this side of life, such claims from the expectant mother may seem unfounded. At best, they will not react to them in any way, at worst, they will either stop communicating, or show certain emotional reactions and discontent. This, in turn, can cause new conflicts and a whole tangle of new negative feelings, claims and resentments. As a result, experiences and negative experiences for both parties.

In addition, the surrounding childless women and men may form a negative attitude towards the psychology of pregnancy in principle, since for 9 months they observed an unsightly picture of the relationship and conflicts of two people, or maybe they themselves participated in this interaction. Of course, such an idea can be worked out and destroyed, but the degree of sensitivity and suggestibility varies from person to person.

Negative consequences can be for the expectant mother herself. For example, if a pregnant woman emotionally manipulates her husband, and the husband steadfastly endures, then later, when the pregnancy ends and completely different everyday life begins, and the woman continues the usual pattern of interaction, the husband’s reaction and actions can be completely different. At best, he ceases to respond to the pressure and requests of his wife, indicating to her directly that her time has passed, that is, the pregnancy is over, and now he is not obliged to fulfill all the whims of his wife and endure her emotional swings. In the worst case, it can go into open conflict, completely withdraw from household chores, from communication with the child and his upbringing. Frequent absences, late arrivals, and sometimes a mistress may appear. It is not uncommon for spouses to divorce in the first year after the birth of a child, precisely because conflicts of pregnancy and the postpartum period remained unresolved between them.

It is also important to remember that the constantly present negative background of the mood of the expectant mother is a stress factor that will negatively affect the health of the unborn child. After all, stress hormones constantly secreted into the mother's blood enter the child's body through the placenta, and he has a negative experience of passing this period.

The question arises why some pregnant women show inadequacy in behavior, expressed by emotional manipulation, resentment against her husband, sometimes open conflicts, aggression, and even a depressive background of mood. There can be many reasons for this.

Of course, bursts of hormonal levels, which are closely related to emotional ones, have an objectively strongest impact. However, such surges cannot be daily and regular and, as a rule, appear only at the beginning and at the end of pregnancy, when the body is preparing first for gestation and then for birth, and all its systems, including the hormonal one, are being rebuilt.

A more common reason is the lack of development of relationships and role positions between spouses, which existed and was not conscious and resolved even before pregnancy. In this case, changes in the hormonal background are simply superimposed on emotional blocks and thus only activate what already existed in a hidden form.

The degree of awareness of both spouses, the ability to find compromises in communication, the desire for mutual understanding - all this can be a good diagnostic tool for the problem of inadequate claims and requirements of a pregnant woman, as well as a way to work them out.

And, finally, another important question in this topic - what should be considered reasonable requirements and whims, and what should be classified as inadequate? Obviously, any requirements and requests regarding the regime, safety, health and comfort of the psychological pregnant woman and her unborn child are reasonable and objective.

If the expectant mother constantly accuses everyone around her and especially her husband of lack of care, love, but in fact this is not the case, if she demands impossible things, for example, the presence of her husband nearby 24 hours a day, or communication only with her, or his complete refusal from their interests, then these requirements may be of a manipulative nature and can become the basis for conflicts and negative emotions.

In any case, it is important for both spouses to understand that a harmonious pregnancy, and hence a healthy baby, is the absence of strong conflicts in the family, the ability to show and accept care, as well as a feeling of emotional comfort and happiness inside.