During pregnancy, the fetus is under reliable protection of the placenta. It acts as a barrier against viruses and germs. Nevertheless, breaking this protection is much easier than it might seem at first glance. In this regard, the hygiene of a pregnant woman is extremely important.
The main pathways of microbes and bacteria in the body
Hygiene of a pregnant woman is extremely important, because the child must be protected from any viruses, infections and bacteria. The main pathways for microbes to enter the body are as follows:
- oral cavity;
- dirty hands;
- dirty clothes;
- external genitalia.
Key Personal Care Rules
Hygiene of a pregnant woman is a rather delicate and delicate issue, which includes a huge amount of detail. Nevertheless, before going into details, it is worth remembering and following these key rules:
- Take a cool or warm shower daily.
- Washing, if possible, should be carried out several times a day.
- It is better to refuse to visit the baths and saunas.
- You can not take a hot bath for a long time.
- It is better to limit bathing in water, as, in addition to harmful microorganisms, there is strong excitement, which can negatively affect the fetus.
- Nails should be short-cut so that dirt containing pathogenic microbes does not accumulate under them.
- The oral hygiene of pregnant women should be especially thorough, because during the period of gestation, the teeth are especially affected.
- All hygiene items (toothbrushes, washcloths, towels) must be individual.
Intimate hygiene
The female body is designed so that the fetus is in close proximity to the genitals. In addition, the child has to go through the birth canal. All this determines the importance of maintaining normal microflora, which can provide intimate hygiene of a pregnant woman. Briefly, by points, it can be described as follows:
- Daily (several times a day) wash the intimate area with warm water. To do this, you can use special hygiene products or regular baby soap.
- Change daily gaskets regularly as they get dirty. It is better to use hygiene items on a natural basis, without flavors.
- Give preference to cotton or linen underwear.
- When visiting the toilet in public places, use wet wipes designed specifically for intimate hygiene. Ordinary can disrupt the microflora.
- Do not use gray (recyclable) or multi-colored scented toilet paper. It should be white.
- Do not forget to remove hair in the intimate area. Of course, shaving is inefficient and inconvenient. Therefore, it is better to turn to modern salon techniques. Pregnant women are well sugared.
- At the slightest discomfort in the genital area, go for a visit to the gynecologist.
Bathing
Hygiene of a pregnant woman should be based on taking a shower. It is best to do this twice a day (morning and evening), but in the hot season, procedures can be increased. In this case, special attention should be paid to detergents. It is best to use baby soap. If you are used to shower gels, make sure that they do not contain dyes and aggressive components. You should also avoid harsh aromas that can trigger an attack of toxicosis.
Many girls are used to taking a hot bath, which perfectly relaxes and tones. Nevertheless, the personal hygiene of a pregnant woman excludes such procedures, because high temperatures negatively affect the well-being of the mother and the condition of the fetus. If you cannot deny yourself such pleasure (and if there is no threat of disruption), remember: the water should be warm, and the procedure should be short. You can add salt or herbal infusions (from plantain, calendula or chamomile). Pre-bath is treated with a disinfectant.
How often to brush your teeth?
The rules of hygiene of a pregnant woman will certainly affect the oral cavity. Experts unanimously advise to solve all problems with teeth at the planning stage of conception. This is not surprising, because during pregnancy, teeth suffer greatly from a lack of calcium, and therefore tooth decay and tartar only progress.
But the problem is not only in the teeth. The fact is that in the open cavity of the tooth, the remnants of food rot and then enter the digestive system. This can provoke indigestion, as well as adversely affect the health of the baby.
If dentists usually insist on two-time brushing, then pregnant women should do this four times a day. In addition, after each meal, you need to thoroughly rinse your mouth with saline or ordinary boiled water. As for toothpaste, it is better to choose a mint flavor. It not only freshens the breath, but also soothes an attack of toxicosis.
Hand washing is the basis of hygiene
The hygiene of a pregnant woman raises many questions. Briefly, the basic rule is: "Wash your hands often!" It is this part of the body that most often comes in contact with all kinds of microbes and bacteria. Money, animals, surfaces in public places - you touch all this with your palms, and then carelessly take an apple or other food. To protect yourself against infection, wash your hands whenever you want to eat something. In addition, pay attention to such recommendations:
- Always carry antibacterial wet wipes with you. Wipe your hands every time you come in contact with money, surfaces in public places, people or animals. The used cloth is not to be reused.
- Instead of regular soap, buy liquid with lanolin or glycerin in the composition (to protect the skin from dryness). Add 10 drops of tea tree oil to the bottle, which kills almost 100% of the germs.
Some more recommendations
Hygiene recommendations for pregnant women are so numerous that it is difficult to systematize them. Expectant mothers should pay attention to such tips:
- When choosing detergents, cosmetics and hygiene products, pay attention to products marked "hypoallergenic."
- Limit the use of perfumes and deodorants with strong odors. The latter is better to completely replace with natural alum or means of mineral origin.
- Closely monitor the condition of the chest and nipples. If colostrum begins to stand out, use special sanitary pads.
- Choose comfortable clothes that won't squeeze your stomach. It is advisable to give preference to natural materials.
- For washing use phosphate-free powders. Make sure that the detergent does not have a too harsh aroma.
Food basis
Fundamental points are the hygiene and nutrition of a pregnant woman. Features of the diet are that it must contain such mandatory elements:
- Animal squirrels. This is any kind of meat and fish, as well as milk and eggs.
- Plant proteins. Most of them are found in legumes and cereals.
- Cellulose. In huge quantities, it is found in fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, and a variety of rice, designed specifically for sushi.
- Calcium as the basis of the skeleton of the unborn child. Contained in dairy products and fish.
- Folic acid. This component is best taken in the form of a dietary supplement (1 tablet per day). And to increase the concentration of this substance in the body, you can eat bran bread.
- Iron. Contained in meat, eggs, cereals and dried fruits.
- All kinds of vitamins are found in the above products. In addition, the attending physician will definitely prescribe a balanced complex designed specifically for pregnant women.
- Water must be ingested in large quantities. It must be refined and enriched with minerals. It is better to refuse soda.
Food hygiene
Hygiene and nutrition of a pregnant woman are inextricably linked concepts. To maintain your health and protect the baby, you need to be guided by the following rules:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before meals. They need to be washed with soap from the tips of the fingers to the wrist.
- After washing your hands, wipe them dry with a clean towel or paper towel, because pathogenic microbes can multiply in a humid environment.
- Follow the correct diet. The daily amount of products should be distributed in 4-5 basic techniques. Small nutritious snacks should also be present.
- Closely monitor expiration dates and composition. Try to buy organic farm products. If you do not have such an opportunity, do not hesitate to check the meat, fruits and vegetables with a nitratomer.
- Do not store vegetables and fruits unwashed.
- Try to eat only freshly prepared food. It’s better to refuse yesterday’s dishes.
Intimacy
Intimate hygiene deserves close attention, because not all couples can refuse sexual contacts for the entire period of pregnancy. This is a rather controversial issue, but doctors agree that in the first 3 months of pregnancy, sexual intercourse is strictly contraindicated, because it can lead to bleeding and other unpleasant consequences.
You can resume sexual contacts starting from the second trimester (if there are no contraindications). In this case, you need to pay special attention to the choice of posture. A woman should feel only comfort and not feel physical stress. It is believed that sexual life during pregnancy not only does not harm the fetus, but even benefits him. In addition, it helps to transfer contractions easier. But without the permission of the doctor, such decisions should not be made.
Again, abandoning sexual activity is in the last month of pregnancy. If you ignore this prohibition, there is a risk of premature birth. Although some couples prefer to have sex until the birth of the baby. But this can only be done with the permission of the doctor.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a pleasant and at the same time very responsible state. Expectant mothers should pay close attention to hygiene and nutrition, so that the baby grows healthy and strong. The female body during the period of gestation becomes very vulnerable to germs and infections. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen it from the inside with high-quality nutrition and protect it from the outside, observing the rules of personal hygiene.