It’s no wonder that we spend half the year getting ready for Christmas festivities, only to mourn it the moment it’s over!

With all that being said, holiday cheer isn’t the only thing you’re at risk of catching this December. Christmas parties and family get-togethers provide the perfect environment for sickness and bugs to flourish. That’s why it’s more important than ever that pregnant people do all they can to remain healthy during this time of year, practicing good hygiene and taking the time to rest.

Practice Good Hygiene

One extremely important but very simple thing you can do to help you stay healthy is to practice good hygiene—in particular, keeping your hands clean. 

At this time of year, the common cold, the flu, and other illnesses sweep through the land like wildfire. To try and curb the spread, we all must do our part and wash our hands, especially when meeting with large groups of people. 

In order to avoid getting sick yourself, wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, especially:

• After spending time outdoors.
• Before eating.
• After using the bathroom.

A good piece of advice is to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on you at all times. That way, if you’re unable to wash your hands with soap and water, you can still keep clean.

Get Plenty of Rest

The holidays are almost always a busy time of year. Between shopping, socializing with friends, and spending time with family, you might find you barely have a moment spare. Nonetheless, you should still try and make time for rest.

Our bodies are only able to fight off infection when they are properly rested. Indeed, studies have shown that individuals who don’t get enough good quality sleep are significantly more likely to catch a virus compared to those who do. 

Proper rest is important for us all, but especially for pregnant people and their little ones. If you’re finding it difficult to sleep properly at night due to pregnancy, you might try:

• Reducing how much you drink at night so you don’t need to go to the bathroom as often.
• Avoiding screens for at least an hour before you go to bed.
• Reading, drinking a soothing cup of herbal tea, or taking a relaxing bath to unwind.

Have a Healthy, Happy Holiday

The last thing you want is for ill health to get in the way of your enjoying the holiday season. So, make sure that you take the necessary steps to look after yourself. The tips in this article are fairly straightforward and basic, but they are nonetheless two massive factors to keeping in good health.

To that end: wash your hands, rest up, and we’ll see you on the other side of the New Year! Season’s greetings!