Research-backed
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Pregnancy is always a phase where a woman needs to take the utmost care of herself and her baby. Being nine months long, chances are that you’ll experience different climate changes during this journey. This is reason enough for you to gear yourself up for such changes and take precautionary measures. So, if you are going to remain pregnant this winter season, here are top 6 winter care tips for you to follow:
1. Be Up-To-Date With Vaccinations
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The cold winter weather brings with it lots of common ailments such as common cold, cough, and flu which spreads easily. Therefore, it is important to be up to date with your flu vaccines. Discuss with your doctor about the safety aspect of flu vaccines. Once you receive the green signal, go ahead and safeguard yourself against winter-related diseases.
2. Consume Immunity-Boosting Food
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Apart from vaccinations, it is equally important to consume foods that improve your natural immunity. And whatever you eat will help improve your baby’s immunity as well. Foods such as almonds; fruits like blueberries and kiwi; oily fish; green vegetables like broccoli and spinach; ginger, garlic, etc., are all known to boost your immunity (1). So, make sure you add these to your pregnancy diet.
3. Keep Yourself Warm
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“Prevention is better than cure,” it is said. And rightly so. As winters grow tougher, try to keep yourself warm. You can use shawls and sweaters to cover yourself up. Avoid stepping out as much as possible, especially in crowded areas since flu spreads easily in such places. If you must go out, wear warm clothes including a woolen cap, and wear a mask around your nose and mouth to prevent catching any air-borne viral or bacterial infection.
4. Stay Well-Hydrated
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A common mistake that most women commit during winters is not drinking enough water. Unlike summer, winter does not make you ‘feel’ thirsty. You’ll probably have frequent urination due to pregnancy as well as the cold weather. All of this, however, does not mean that your body’s fluid requirement drops as well. Your body still needs to remain hydrated and so does your baby. So, continue to drink water as much as possible. If normal water makes you pee more, warming it up a bit before drinking will help. But don’t drink hot water.
5. Remain Active
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Come winter, and it is natural to feel lazy. But this should not be an excuse for you to give up your pregnancy exercises or yoga. Whatever form of physical activity you are doing for your pregnancy, you should continue to do it even during winters. By remaining active, your body will burn calories and you might feel less lethargic.
6. Don’t Forget The Moisturizer
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During winters, your skin and hair will dry up a lot. It is normal to experience cracked skin and chapped lips. In fact, your whole body will experience this dryness including the va-jay-jay. Therefore, don’t forget to moisturize yourself well, especially after a bath. Moisturize your body and face. Apply a good lip balm regularly to your lips to prevent chapping. Discuss with your doctor and get yourself a moisturizer for your lady parts as well.
Things To Avoid
Following these winter-care tips will help you tide through winter easily. However, avoid a few things too.
- Don’t increase coffee or tea intake during winter
- If you feel like drinking something warm, go for green tea
- Avoid visiting or meeting friends who might be under the weather
- If you have gestational diabetes, avoid drinking sweetened fruit juices to hydrate yourself
Winters can be specifically difficult if you are pregnant during this time. However, by following these top 6 winter care tips, you’ll be able to make this a memorable winter with the little one in your belly. Because by the time winter comes around again, your baby will be in your arms, enjoying your warm embrace.
