Congratulations! Making the decision to try for a baby is a huge milestone in life.
You can improve your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy by following few steps. Preconception health and health care focus on things can-increase the chances of having a healthy baby. You're most likely to get pregnant if you have sex during ovulation period (release of an egg from the ovary). Ovulation generally occurs 14 days before the first day of your next period. The average cycle takes 28 days, but shorter or longer cycles are normal. For an example, a women with a 28 days cycle might ovulate on day 14 and a women with a 32 days cycle might ovulate day 18. An egg lives for about 12 to 24 hours after it's released. When the egg must be fertilized by a sperm within this time it turns into a pregnancy. Sperm can live for about 5 days inside a woman's body. So if you've had sex in the days before ovulation, the sperm will have had time to travel up the fallopian tubes to "wait" for the egg to be released.
If you are thinking about pregnancy, visit your doctor for a preconception consult. They will provide you with expert advice on planning your pregnancy. The preconception period (3 to 6 months prior to pregnancy) is the time to make lifestyle changes that can help boost fertility, reduce problems during pregnancy and assist in recovery from birth.
If you want to conceive, you'll need to discontinue any form of birth control. You can get pregnant right away after stopping some types of contraception like birth control pills.
Give yourself a boost by taking a multivitamin to bridge any gaps. Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated to give your body what it needs during pregnancy.
Starting a prenatal now will help you avoid any nutritional deficiencies during early pregnancy.
Folic acid or folate supplement to prevent neural tube defects during early pregnancy. The recommended dose is 400 McGee but you might be advised a higher dose in case you have previous such pregnancy history.
Do not worry if you get pregnant unexpectedly and were not taking a folic acid supplement at the time. Start taking them as soon as you find out, until you're past the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
If you're overweight, you may have problems getting pregnant and fertility treatment is less likely to work.
Being overweight (having a BMI over 25) or obese (having a BMI over 30) also raises the risk of some pregnancy problems, such as high blood pressure, thyroid problem, miscarriage and gestational diabetes.
You can keep to a healthy weight by having a balanced diet and doing regular exercise.
You can also get many of the vitamins and minerals you need from eating a healthy, balanced diet. Enjoy whole foods over anything processed.
Incorporate more organic fruits and vegetables into your diet to limit your exposure to toxins.
Moving your body at least four to five times a week for 30 minutes does contribute to prepare for pregnancy.
Depending on a number of factors (age, previous fertility issues, current health status, health history, etc.), schedule a special preconception visit with obstetrician can help you to achieve a goal of having health baby and prevent birth defects.
Your visit should cover from screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to screening for pregnancy readiness.
If you currently have any medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disorder, STDs, genetic disorder like sickle cell & thalassemia, be sure they are under control and being treated.
Your preconception appointment is also a great opportunity to get caught up on any vaccinations that may have lapsed (tetanus, rubella, etc.). Vaccinations can help keep both you and your baby healthy and protected.
Having an understanding of your cycles will help you discover if anything is off and might need addressing (spotting, irregular lengths, etc.).
Start by simply recording when your period starts and ends to see how the length of your cycle changes from month to month.
High amounts of toxic exposure can be dangerous for a developing baby. Try to lower your exposure to common offenders by:
Stress-relief will help you not only during pregnancy but also in the hectic first year of your baby's life.
Yoga has a number of benefits for your fertility. Taking on a regular yoga practice may help with your emotions and anxiety related to the conception process. This also strengthen and stretch body in preparation for pregnancy.
Smoking, using drugs and drinking alcohol can harm an unborn baby in a number of ways. Smoking exposes your baby to harmful chemicals, restricts blood flow and may even cause: preterm labor, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death, miscarriage, breathing problems.
Smoke from other people's cigarettes can damage your baby, so ask your partner, friends and family not to smoke near you.
Drinking puts baby at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Using drugs (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, etc.) is not only illegal, but it also may cause birth defects, miscarriage or stillbirth.
Quitting can be hard, no matter how much you want to, but support is available.
Not all medicines are safe in pregnancy or planning a pregnancy, whether they're on prescription or medicines you can buy in a pharmacy or shop. If you take prescribed medicine and you're planning to get pregnant, talk to a doctor. Do not stop taking your ongoing medicine without talking to a doctor.
Infants need a lot of stuff. They go through about 8,000 diapers before they're potty-trained! You'll need clothes, a car seat, and a stroller, and maybe formula and bottles. Make a list of supplies and start looking now. Keep in mind, your expenses will also include doctor visits and possibly child care.