Pregnancy resources
Staying healthy and safe
Pregnancy asks a lot of your body, and most of what keeps you well is beautifully ordinary: moving, resting, drinking water, and knowing when to call. Here's the everyday picture, plus the signals that deserve a phone call right away.
Movement that supports you
Most pregnancies do well with about 150 minutes of moderate movement a week — walking, swimming, prenatal strength, stationary cycling, or prenatal yoga. Use the talk test: you should be able to hold a conversation. Skip contact sports, hot yoga, scuba diving, and anything with fall risk. After the first trimester, avoid long stretches flat on your back.
Sleep and rest
Side sleeping — often the left — supports blood flow to the placenta. A pillow between your knees and under your belly makes it far more comfortable. Fatigue in the first and third trimesters is real, not weakness; naps and earlier bedtimes are legitimate prenatal care.
Hydration and heat
Aim for roughly 8–12 cups of fluid daily; more if you're active or it's hot. Keep core temperature down — no hot tubs, saunas, or very hot baths, especially in the first trimester. Warm (not hot) baths are lovely and safe.
Medications and supplements
Take a prenatal with at least 400–800 mcg folic acid, and ask your provider about iron, vitamin D, choline, and DHA. Always clear medications, herbs, and new supplements with your provider or pharmacist — including over-the-counter ones. Do not stop a prescribed medication on your own; many are safer to continue than to quit abruptly.
What to avoid
No alcohol, nicotine, vaping, or cannabis. Limit caffeine to about 200 mg a day. Skip cat litter changing (toxoplasma), lead or solvent exposure, and pesticide handling. Ask about safe cleaning products and wear gloves when gardening.
Travel and work
Travel is usually fine through about 36 weeks in an uncomplicated pregnancy. Stand and walk every hour or two, stay hydrated, and always wear a seatbelt with the lap belt low under the belly. At work, ask for breaks, seating, and lifting adjustments — you're allowed to.
Your emotional health matters too
- Mood shifts are expected — hormones, sleep, and identity are all in motion.
- Anxiety or low mood lasting more than two weeks deserves support, not silence.
- Screening for perinatal depression is a normal part of prenatal care; ask for it.
- Naming what you need to your partner or a friend is a health practice, not a burden.
Call your provider right away if you notice
- • Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking
- • Severe or constant headache, blurred vision, or spots
- • Swelling in the face or hands, or sudden rapid weight gain
- • Fever of 100.4°F or higher
- • Belly pain that doesn't ease, or regular contractions before 37 weeks
- • A noticeable decrease in baby's movement after 28 weeks
- • Chest pain, trouble breathing, or calf pain and swelling
- • Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
You will never be "too much" for calling. If something feels wrong, that instinct is worth listening to. For urgent mental health support in the US, call or text 988, or the Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA.