Gaining too much weight during pregnancy makes you more likely to deliver early, develop preeclampsia (which can also lead to prematurity), or have a big baby (which makes delivery rougher on both of you). "That's a pretty big health risk for the baby," says obstetrician Laura Riley. "A little extra can be a bad thing."
Riley says many women pack on much more than the recommended poundage because they overestimate how many extra calories they need. An additional 300 calories a day – about what you get from two glasses of 1 percent milk or an apple with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter – is all you need to fuel your baby's growth.
A flu shot is your best bet for avoiding the flu while you're pregnant. Why is the flu such a big deal? Because changes in your immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy make you more vulnerable to flu complications (such as pneumonia), which can be very serious and even fatal. Getting the flu while pregnant also raises your risk of having a miscarriage or delivering early.
The flu can be dangerous for your unborn baby, too. Some studies have shown that the high fever that sometimes accompanies the flu can increase the risk of birth defects if you get sick early in your pregnancy. For all those reasons, doctors urge pregnant women to get vaccinated.
A recent study shows there's even a benefit to your baby after birth: "The study found that moms who get the flu shot during pregnancy protect their babies from the flu for the first six months of their lives," says Riley. That's during the time babies are too young to get the vaccine but are still very vulnerable to complications from the flu, so it's a pretty helpful benefit from one quick shot.
You can safely get the flu injection, which contains an inactivated version of the flu virus, any time during pregnancy. But you shouldn't get the nasal mist form of the vaccine, which contains a weakened, but live, version of the virus.
Sure, many medications aren't safe to take during pregnancy. But sometimes the diseases they treat have more serious risks for your baby. "For instance, stopping antidepressants requires some thought and discussion," says Riley. Although some studies have linked antidepressant use during pregnancy to problems such as premature birth and low birth weight, others suggest that untreated depression could do the same.
As soon as you find out you're pregnant, let your doctor know immediately so she can review your list of medications. Discuss the risks and benefits with her before making the decision to stop taking any prescription medicines.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, never stop suddenly on your own because some medications have serious side effects when you abruptly stop taking them. For example, there's a possibility that antiseizure medication can cause birth defects, but having a grand mal seizure during pregnancy is much worse.
Well-baby checkups begin as soon as your baby arrives, so start the search for your baby's doctor during your third trimester to give you a chance to find the right fit. "That way you can look for someone whose schedule works with yours, who's in your neighborhood," says ob-gyn Deepali Patni. "You visit the doctor quite a bit, so you want someone you feel comfortable with."
You can even interview her in person before you deliver, something many moms-to-be don't realize.
"Stress during pregnancy has been linked to preterm birth and low birth weight, and those can cause developmental delays and learning disabilities," says pediatrician Alanna Levine. Obviously, the demands of work, home, and other children don't come to a screeching halt just because you're pregnant.
That's why Levine advises her pregnant patients to ask friends or family members for any help that lightens their load, whether it's doing laundry or providing an hour of childcare. It's especially tough for women who already have kids to take her up on this suggestion, she says, but it's just as important.