If you’re ready to have a baby, preparing your body for the baby is one of the best gifts to give your child. Ensuring you are healthy before pregnancy would also benefit you as it would help make the pregnancy and delivery less stressful.
Here are steps you can take to ensure your body is prepared to carry a baby:
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Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Certain habits like smoking and drinking can affect your fertility. Alcohol and recreational drugs can also affect fertility, and increase the risk of congenital disabilities, miscarriages, and low birth weight. When you stop these habits, it will increase your chances of having a healthy baby and complication-free pregnancy.
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See your doctor
Seeing your doctor for a preconception health check is essential, especially if you have a health condition like diabetes or high blood pressure. You can get booster immunisations to prevent some infections like German measles, chickenpox and hepatitis B during the preconception appointment.
If you do not know whether you have received these vaccinations or not, the doctor can perform a blood test to see if you have had them. After your health check, the doctor may advise you on the best time to conceive after an immunisation.
You may also need to discuss with your doctor the right time to stop using contraception. You may need to wait for a couple of months for your hormone levels to normalise when you stop using contraception.
Your doctor may advise you to get STI testing and treatment if necessary before getting pregnant.
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Maintain a healthy weight
Being underweight or overweight affects fertility and increases the risks of complications during pregnancy. Ensure you check your BMI to know your weight. A normal BMI falls between 19 and 25.
If your BMI is less than 18 or above 28, you may have irregular cycles, making it more difficult to conceive. Ensure you exercise to help remain fit during pregnancy and labour. Eat healthy foods and have a healthy diet containing lean protein, vegetables, whole grains, and fruits – try reducing your intake of fats and sugar.
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Take supplements
You can start taking folic acid and other supplements while trying to conceive. Folic acid is essential for a baby’s brain and nervous system development during the first few weeks of your pregnancy.
Lack of folic acid may result in neural-tube defects, leading to spina bifida and other complications. Ensure you continue taking your supplements throughout the pregnancy; talk to your doctor about the exact amount of supplements you need.
Iron, vitamin D, and calcium are also crucial in your diet. You can also get the required amounts of these supplements in multivitamins. However, take the recommended multivitamins for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
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Rest and relax
Most women become stressed just trying to get pregnant, especially if they have been trying to conceive for some months, which is normal. However, note that extreme stress, eating poorly, weight gain or loss and lack of sleep contribute to infertility. Try resting when you have the time. You can listen to relaxing music and try meditation to help you relax better.
If you’re stressed and it’s beginning to affect your eating and sleeping habits, talk to a medical professional so you can get help.
Visit Harley street women’s clinic today to get a preconception health check if you want to get pregnant. You can also call Private Gynaecology Clinic now on 020 7183 0435 to schedule an appointment with an experienced gynaecologist Near Me.
