Stuffiness, heat, hot asphalt is not the best environment for an expectant mother. If your pregnancy occurred in the summer months, and you have free time, a vacation in the country is the best way to spend it with benefit for yourself and the baby. Let’s talk about how to plan your stay in a country house.
If you traditionally go to the country on weekends and are going to continue this ritual, then nothing special is required. But if you want to move there for a while to breathe fresh air every day, eat vitamins from the garden and enjoy the sun, then you need to prepare well for a change of residence, albeit temporary.
The doctor’s opinion
It is very important to consult with the doctor who guides you before moving to the country. When pregnancy proceeds normally, there should be no prohibitions. But if the obstetrician-gynecologist insists that you will not go anywhere, you should listen to his opinion.
By the way, a vacation in the country can be a good alternative for expectant mothers who, for some reason, flights are not recommended. The usual climate and the usual food are also two important arguments in favor of a holiday in the country, and not at a foreign resort. Of course, if you are not an avid traveler with many years of experience.
Is the cottage ready?
Before you pack your bags and excite the household with the news of your move to a summer permanent residence outside the city, you should think about whether the cottage is ready to accept you. It’s one thing if you move to a comfortable country cottage. And quite another – if we are talking about an average country house. Factors such as the convenience of the street, the lack of hot water or even running water on the site should call into question the correctness of the decision taken.
Just imagine how you will carry buckets (which is generally forbidden) and warm water for washing. Or at night, run a dozen times to the toilet located on the street. If, at the thought of such adventures, the desire to go to the bosom of nature has not yet disappeared, then you should think about how to make your stay in the country as comfortable as possible. Perhaps in a short time it will be possible to make some changes to country life and to green up the house itself a little.
Exercise
A cottage is not only fresh air and sun, but also beds, a greenhouse, fruit trees, a lawn, after all. And all this needs to be looked after. Forget about buckets and watering cans, don’t even think about a shovel, throw any thoughts about a lawn mower out of your head! Pregnant women cannot lift weights, because of this, the muscles of the press are strained, which can lead to an increase in the tone of the uterus. And it is harmful to stay in a bent position for a long time. Even weeding the beds while sitting on a stool can negatively affect the health of a pregnant woman. If you are still planning to work in the garden, physical activity should be small and strictly dosed. The maximum that you can afford is 15-20 minutes of physically simple actions, then you should rest and not be physically loaded throughout your stay. It is best to work in the garden in the morning or in the evening when it is not hot. And it’s not about your fatigue, but about the baby’s health. Therefore, do not neglect the recommendations.
Country first aid kit of the future mother
Whether a tan is harmful for a mother is a long-standing unsolvable dispute. Some argue that the sun at this time is harmful, while others believe that sunbathing will only benefit. It’s up to you to decide which opinion to support. But it is also important to focus on the phototype of your skin. So, for women with milk-colored skin who have never really been in the sun before pregnancy, it is not recommended to experiment with a tan during this period. Well, experienced summer residents with a bronze tan can only be advised not to be under the midday sun. And don’t forget about the hat, shoulder cape and sunscreen – during pregnancy it should be with a degree of protection of at least SPF 30.
No garden plot is complete without mosquitoes. There may be more or less of them, depending on the weather and the month, but there is no way without them. So put repellents in the first aid kit. It is desirable that they be on a natural basis, without chemical components. But before using them, it is better to consult a doctor. You may be advised to apply repellents only on clothes.
Also, the first aid kit must have all the medications that the doctor prescribed for you (if prescribed). Their list is the same for most pregnant women, since almost everyone has the same problems. Only the names of medicines can be changed.
- Vitamins, folic acid, omega-3, preparations with iron content and so on. They are prescribed to all expectant mothers, regardless of how you eat and where you live.
- Medicine for nausea. This item is relevant for severe toxicosis, such drugs can only be prescribed by a doctor.
- A remedy for heartburn. It is strictly forbidden to independently fight heartburn with improvised means like soda – this can only aggravate the situation. It is better to trust proven drugs.
- A remedy for constipation. This problem occurs in almost all pregnant women, both in the early and late stages. After all, constipation leads not only to an increase in the uterus, which presses on the intestines, but also to a change in the hormonal background. Natural preparations from plant components are usually prescribed.
- Means for the treatment of wounds. A country plot is a traumatic place, so be sure to stock up on hydrogen peroxide, “Chlorhexidine”, cotton wool and plasters.
- It is very important to take all the medications prescribed by your doctor depending on concomitant diseases. They are assigned individually, so the list may be different.
What else is important
In addition to all of the above, the expectant mother should think about a situation where everything can go wrong. If you are going out of town for a long time, you should take with you all the papers related to pregnancy: copies of tests and studies, extracts from the card, an exchange card, etc. Still, try not to stay alone for a long time. Also, take care of charging for your phone in advance, or even better, take an external battery with you, from which, in the absence of electricity, it can be recharged. And, of course, the number of the doctor, husband and mother should be first on the list.
Staying in the country should by no means be an extreme experience for you, you should not worry all the time about whether you are doing everything right. All the recommendations mentioned in the article remain only recommendations. You need to understand that every pregnancy proceeds in its own way, so the approach to the mother and her health should be special. So just try to relax and get the most positive emotions from outdoor recreation — it will benefit both you and your baby.
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