Caring for a Pregnant Woman in the Eighth Month

 Caring for a Pregnant Woman in the Eighth Month

The eighth month of pregnancy is a time of significant physical and emotional changes as the due date approaches. The baby is nearly fully developed, and the mother may feel more fatigued and uncomfortable. Here’s how to care for her during this critical period:

Prioritize Comfort:

Help her manage common discomforts like back pain, swelling, and shortness of breath by encouraging gentle stretches, warm baths, and proper posture.

Provide supportive footwear and loose, breathable clothing to ease her daily activities.

Encourage Light Activity:

Gentle exercises like walking or prenatal yoga can help maintain circulation and reduce stress.

Avoid strenuous activities and ensure she gets plenty of rest.

Monitor for Complications:

Watch for signs of preeclampsia, such as high blood pressure, severe headaches, or vision changes, and seek medical attention immediately if these occur.

Keep track of the baby’s movements and report any significant decrease in activity to the doctor.

Emotional Well-being:

Offer reassurance and companionship as she may feel anxious or overwhelmed about labor and delivery.

Discuss birth plans and address any concerns she may have about the process.

Prepare for Labor:

Ensure the hospital bag is packed and ready, including essentials for both the mother and baby.

Familiarize yourself with the route to the hospital and emergency contact numbers.

By providing attentive care and emotional support, you can help her navigate the challenges of the eighth month and prepare for the final stretch of pregnancy.

Tips for pregnant women in the eighth month to facilitate childbirth

 It is known that a woman goes through many hardships and troubles during pregnancy, and she must take good care of herself and her pregnancy, especially during the last months which represent the end of the pregnancy journey. In order for a woman to pass the pregnancy stage safely, she must follow tips for pregnant women in the eighth month to facilitate childbirth. Tips for pregnant women in the eighth month to facilitate childbirth, which we have collected from the best experts in the field of women’s health and obstetricians and gynecologists.

Body care to facilitate childbirth

Taking care of the body in the eighth month of pregnancy is necessary. In the last months of pregnancy, daily changes occur in the woman’s body, and the fetus grows faster.

The feeling that you are about to see a new baby emerge from inside your belly is worth it, so you must take great care of your body, in terms of its external appearance and most importantly, physical health through a healthy diet by the doctor’s recommendations, and this has a major role in avoiding postpartum depression.

Sufficient sleep for an eight-month pregnant woman

Sleep is essential for the growth of the fetus and for the pregnant mother to obtain energy, so you must relax, calm down, and get enough sleep. Increasing energy levels is necessary and a positive stimulus for the birth to proceed, while being careful not to affect her activity or weight gain. The pregnant mother must balance activities. Natural, sleep and relaxation

Doing exercise

Regular exercise during pregnancy greatly prepares the body to face labor pain.

Safe and beneficial sports for pregnant women, which improve strength and endurance: walking, swimming, simple dance lessons, and yoga. All of them are sports that help the body when the time of birth and pushing arrives. Therefore, you must be careful to practice them regularly for 30 minutes for at least five days a week. Even before the eighth month.

Practice relaxation and breathing exercises

Practicing deep breathing and relaxation exercises, yoga, and massage before the time of labor helps to identify what relaxes the body and places of tension to control during childbirth. It also relieves muscle tension, helps with physical and mental relaxation, in addition to reducing anxiety and fear of childbirth, and increases feeling positive.

Walking and constant movement

Movement, especially in the last months, helps facilitate the birth process. This is because it contributes to moving the fetus so that it is in the correct position during childbirth.

The woman can continue to stand, walk, kneel, sit, and squat throughout the day, but without stress, as this pushes the fetus downward and makes it position properly inside the pelvis.

Tips for pregnant women in the eighth month

 See your doctor regularly, once every two weeks.

Monitor and count the fetal movements. In fact, the pregnant woman should pay attention to the fetal movement starting approximately in the sixth month of pregnancy.

This is to ensure its general safety. It is noteworthy that a pregnant woman in the eighth month of pregnancy is supposed to feel at least 10 movements within two hours, whether these movements include kicking, fluttering, rotating, or other things,

But also noting that the pregnant woman may feel many movements in a much shorter period,

To facilitate monitoring the fetal movement, the pregnant woman is advised to record the time it takes for the fetus to perform ten movements daily. Drink enough water

to maintain physical activity,

This is done by walking, for example, and doing appropriate and beneficial exercises for the pelvic floor muscles. Like doing Kegel exercises

Get enough rest and sleep

 Maintaining oral and dental hygiene

 Suffering from poor oral and dental health may be linked to premature birth

 Education about breastfeeding,

 Learn about postpartum care techniques

Prepare a list of materials and supplies that the pregnant woman needs when going to the hospital to give birth; Such as breastfeeding supplies, sanitary pads, etc.

Nutrition tips for pregnant women in the eighth month

The diet that a pregnant woman follows can affect her psychological and physical health, in addition to its impact on the health and development of the fetus as well. Therefore, the pregnant woman’s diet is an important aspect that deserves great care and attention.

Suitable foods

A pregnant woman's need for calories increases by approximately 300 calories more than the normal rate per day during the eighth month of pregnancy
Foods rich in iron and vitamin B12
Pregnant women should ensure that their diet contains
 foods rich in iron and vitamin B12
To maintain good and healthy levels of these elements in the body

 Foods rich in vitamin B12 include chicken, cow's milk, dairy products, and eggs.

Foods rich in good carbohydrates

  Pregnant women should obtain carbohydrates from healthy and good sources.

  Which include: potatoes, whole grains, corn, brown bread, brown rice, legumes, seeds, nuts, and oats.

Foods rich in omega-3 acids

 Omega-3, which is found in many different foods, plays an important role in improving the mood of pregnant women, but it is noteworthy that the body cannot produce it.

Foods rich in vitamin C

  Vitamin C helps

  Found in many foods, it helps absorb iron and contributes to enhancing the health of teeth, gums, and bones in the fetus.