All women want to lead a healthy lifestyle during their nine months of pregnancy, but sometimes the lure of “eating for two,” and forgoing the gym for an evening on the couch gets in the way of a woman’s best intentions. Studies after studies show just how important it is to maintain healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. Not only does baby benefit, but following birth, the new mom has a much easier time getting back to her pre-pregnancy weight and regaining control of her health.

Fortunately, there are number of simple tips that a mom-to-be can follow.

• Eat a balanced diet, one that combines a healthy carbohydrate, lean protein and beneficial fat in each meal or snack.
• Never go too long without food. This can send blood sugar levels plummeting, which can affect the baby as well. Therefore, always have a stash of healthy snacks on hand such as fruit, almonds, granola bars and string cheese.
• Maintain your exercise routine. Pregnancy is not a license to let your gym pass expire. Exercise does not increase the risk for pregnancy in low risk or normal pregnancies. In fact, exercise has been shown to greatly benefit a healthy pregnancy and post-partum recovery.
• Take time for yourself. Whether it’s a prenatal massage, a yoga class or simply reading a good book, regularly allowing yourself to unwind, relaxed both you and your baby.

It goes without saying that the most important action a woman can take in ensuring a healthy pregnancy is to maintain regular medical visits with your doctor throughout the entire term of your pregnancy. Always talk to your doctor about strategies and behaviors you can incorporate into your lifestyle to make for a healthy pregnancy.