Tips to Stay Healthy In Your 18th Week of Pregnancy

At 18 weeks pregnant, you're well entrenched into your second trimester. Here's what is happening with you and your baby. According to Huffington post, staying healthy while pregnant isn't as hard as you think. By now, your belly is growing quickly and you probably have an impressive baby bump. During your second trimester, you should plan to gain three to four pounds a month for healthy weight gain. If you started your pregnancy either underweight or overweight, these figures will change. Don't be surprised if you gain a pound or so this week.

Your baby is becoming increasingly active and those gas bubbles or butterflies you feel in your tummy may be your baby's first movements, which are also called quickening. It won't be long before you feel his or her gentle kicks and stretches. Here are some tips while in pregnancy at 18 weeks.

1. See Your Doctor Regularly. To ensure a healthy pregnancy, as soon as you find out you're pregnant, get in touch with your doctor and set up a prenatal care plan.

2. Take a Prenatal Supplement. Pregnancy vitamins are usually recommended even before you actually get pregnant. I've heard doctors recommend to start taking prenatal vitamins three months before you start trying to have a baby.

3. Eat a Well-balanced Diet. The healthier you can eat the better. The healthier you can eat the better, eat what you need to eat and don't be so hard on yourself. I promise that after the first trimester (for most) the nausea will dissipate and you won't feel the need to stuff your face with junk in the same way. Ask your doctor for specifics about what you should eat but you know the gist. Lots of fruits, veggies and protein.

4. Be Vigilant About Food Hygiene. You may have heard of Listeria. It's a bacteria that is rare and doesn't usually pose too bad of a threat for those with healthy immune systems. However, when you're pregnant it can pose a risk of serious health issues, birth complications and even miscarriage. There are certain foods that you should absolutely avoid like unpasteurized dairy, undercooked meats and fish. There are more of course, I recommend asking your doctor for a full list but you can check this list of foods to avoid during pregnancy out for quick reference.

5. Exercise Intelligently. Healthy pregnancy exercise cardio choices for pregnancy include low-intensity aerobics: brisk walking, swimming, yoga and pilates. If you're already a runner, you can probably continue for as long as it feels comfortable for you. However, when you're super nauseous running isn't always the most soothing activity. Also, be careful about playing sports that have a high risk of falls or bumps.