Pregnancy Self-Care When Baby Has a Heart Defect

When your body is healthy, you can better support your baby's body.

As much as possible, pregnant parents should:

• Go to all their prenatal appointments

• Take all their prescribed medications, and no medications that are not prescribed

• Eat nourishing foods that taste and feel good

• Rest as much as they need to and are able to

• Drink enough water

• Get some exercise if a doctor says it is OK, and if it feels OK

If you can stay as relaxed as possible during your pregnancy, you can support your growing baby. It is hard to relax when you are living with uncertainty and fear. These strategies can help you to manage your thoughts and feelings, and reduce your stress.

Pregnant parents often feel better when they:

• Ask for a referral to a therapist

• Exercise if it feels OK

• Get outside

• Paint, draw, color, sculpt, sew, embroider, design, build

• Spend time with friends and animals

• Meditate

• Find other parents who have a child with a heart defect, and talk regularly

• Practice grounding in the moment: focus on breathing, and on what you can see, hear, smell, feel, and taste right now

• Ask for specific help with work, childcare, and chores

• Talk to a doctor right away if they feel overwhelmed or hopeless

Right now, your body is your baby's home. When you keep yourself healthy, you give your baby a healthy home. However, self-care does not stop at delivery, and it will remain critical after your baby is born.

You owe it to yourself, and to your baby, to take care of your mind and your body. As a person, you deserve rest, care, and nourishment. When you are well, you can be the parent your baby deserves.

This content was reviewed by a cardiologist and a psychologist at Boston Children's Hospital.

Developmental care is best when it is local. Families local to Boston can receive developmental care from the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program (CNP), including a prenatal stress reduction program. They can receive medical care from the Maternal Fetal Medicine Center. Families from other regions can use the link below to find their local care team.