In your 8th month of pregnancy, avoid smoking, alcohol, drugs, excessive caffeine, high-mercury fish, unpasteurized dairy, raw meats, strenuous exercise, overheating (saunas/hot tubs), and heavy lifting, as these pose risks to your baby's development and your health; focus instead on safe foods, hydration, gentle activity, and consulting your doctor about medications and travel.
Here are some health tips for how to care for an 8-month pregnancy:
Smoking, drugs, and alcohol are the biggest enemies at this point. They can adversely affect the baby's health, not just during the birth, but for a lifetime. Caffeine should be cut down; high levels of caffeine will result in low birth weight of the baby. Avoid junk food and unhealthy ones in your diet.
Pregnancy Checklist for Month 8
Catch up on as much rest as possible. Make sure your hospital bag is ready. Decide if you'd like to bank your baby's cord blood and cord tissue stem cells. Include your wishes in your birth plan.
Ways to take care of yourself during your third trimester
DANGER SIGNS DURING PREGNANCY
Grapes in pregnancy, Grapes aren't recommended for consumption during the final trimester. They are known to generate heat in the body which is not good for both mother and the child.
Importance of fruits during pregnancy
Things you'll want to get done before you go into labour
Their limbs are starting to look chubbier around now. You should still feel movements, though, and may even be able to see them pressing against your 8-month-pregnant belly.
Swelling, especially in the face, that does not go away after lying down. Rapid weight gain (more than one pound per day) Blurred vision or spots before your eyes. Headaches, severe or that don't respond to comfort measures or Tylenol.
Bananas offer consistent benefits throughout pregnancy as an energy-rich source. Particularly advantageous for those with anemia due to their iron content, they help maintain healthy hemoglobin levels. Whether in the first, second, or third trimester, bananas provide nourishment and energy.
The "3-2-1 Rule" in pregnancy is a guideline for first-time mothers to know when to call their midwife or doctor for active labor: consistent contractions that are 3 minutes apart, lasting 2 minutes each, for 1 hour (or sometimes cited as 3-1-1, meaning 3 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour). For subsequent pregnancies, the 5-1-1 Rule (5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour) is often used, indicating labor is progressing more quickly.
Experts agree these exercises are safest for pregnant women: Walking—Brisk walking gives a total body workout and is easy on the joints and muscles. Swimming and water workouts—Water workouts use many of the body's muscles. The water supports your weight so you avoid injury and muscle strain.
Swimming is another exercise that's fantastic in your third trimester. In the water, you float and, again, don't put pressure on your joints, yet your muscles are challenged. Doing gentle laps is meditative, while water aerobics is a fun group activity.
Some foods that 8th-month pregnant women should eat include:
Here are six potentially labor-inducing foods to consider.
Stay positive, listen to soothing music, and focus on the outcome—holding your baby for the first time. Preparing thoroughly beforehand can significantly ease delivery day anxiety.
How to Make Your Water Break
Protein — supports growth
Protein is crucial for the growth of your unborn baby, also called a fetus. Good sources: Lean meat, poultry, seafood and eggs are great sources of protein. Other options include beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products.
Pregnant women can enjoy eggs daily as part of a healthy, balanced diet that also includes plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and a variety of protein-rich foods like eggs, lean meat, chicken, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds as well as healthy fats such as avocados and olives.
Pomegranate and orange juice are the best juices to drink while pregnant. Pomegranate is rich in folate, which is vital for a healthy pregnancy. Orange juice, especially fortified varieties, offer calcium with vitamin C and a boost of potassium.
Don't eat raw, undercooked or tainted seafood
To avoid harmful bacteria or viruses in seafood: Don't eat raw fish and shellfish. Examples of raw or undercooked foods to avoid include sushi, sashimi, ceviche and raw oysters, scallops or clams.
Certain nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and E, folic acid tablets, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, are particularly beneficial for promoting healthy skin development and fair complexion for the baby during pregnancy.
FRUIT