Prenatal fitness encompasses reasonable exercises and a healthy diet as well as limiting stress for emotional health. Expecting a new baby is an exciting time and any shortcomings in the area of prenatal care can have a detrimental effect on your physical and emotional well-being.

When taking care of yourself during your pregnancy, you need to consider your emotional and mental state as well as that of your physical condition. Being subjected to a lot of stress or negative emotions can affect your ability to care for yourself physically, resulting in unhealthy weight gain or inadequate nutrition.

Many first time moms get a lot of unsolicited advice. You may have read all the books and completed hours of research, confident with the idea that you are doing what’s best for your baby, but there’s always someone who’s going to rain on your parade. For those women who have gone before you, this is the opportunity to tell you what you need to eat, how you need to prepare for the baby and how horrible the labor and delivery is. Although well intentioned, they often don’t realize that this is putting undue stress on the first time expectant mom. When it’s your first baby, you want to make sure that you’re doing everything right.

The best way to deal with this unexpected advice is to politely thank them and do what you feel is best. Instead of reaching for ice cream or some other comfort food, go for a walk around the block. This not only provides much needed exercise but also lightens your mood. It’s been scientifically proven that exercise has a positive effect on depressive moods and you already know about its physical benefits. Engaging in a daily exercise routine will improve your mood and physical appearance.

Any prenatal fitness program should include getting plenty of rest, particularly in the final months. This is when you’ll be getting the most fatigued by carrying all that extra weight around. Don’t feel bad about taking that nap in the afternoon if you need it. If you’re tired, your body is telling you that you need rest.

Of course a reasonable diet without a lot of junk food goes without saying. Try to limit the amount of processed foods you consume, as you don’t know what’s really in them. This makes control of what you’re eating more difficult.

Approach your prenatal fitness as a complete solution that addresses the physical, nutritional, and emotional aspects of pregnancy. This way you will spend this time enjoying the prospect of becoming a new mother and not feeling run down and stressed out.