How can I prevent complications?

Take good care of yourself while you're pregnant. For example:

• Keep your prenatal appointments. Visit your health care team regularly throughout your pregnancy.
• Take your medicines as prescribed. Your doctors will prescribe the safest medicine at the dose that's right for you.
• Get plenty of rest. Take a daily nap if you can. And stay away from strenuous physical activities.
• Watch your weight gain. Gaining the right amount of weight supports your baby's growth and development. Gaining too much weight places more stress on your heart. Ask your health care team how much weight you should aim to gain.
• Manage anxiety and stress. Ask questions about your progress. Find out what to expect during labor and delivery. Knowing what's happening can help you feel more at ease. Also, make time for things that relax you. For example, you could try meditation or spend time in nature.

• Know what's off-limits. Don't smoke, drink alcohol or take illegal drugs. These can harm your baby's health.

  If you tolerated 1 to 2 servings of caffeine a day before you got pregnant, talk to your cardiologist or pregnancy doctor. Ask if it's safe for you to keep drinking this limited amount of caffeine during your pregnancy. You may be told to drink less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day. That's about the amount in an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee. Exact amounts of caffeine in coffee or tea vary by brand though. If you notice a fast or unusual heartbeat with caffeine, you may wish to stop drinking it — especially if you have an arrhythmia.