Having a baby is a life changing event. It’s important to make sure you are physically & mentally healthy when you plan for a baby. Planned pregnancies can contribute to better health outcome for mom as well as baby compared to unplanned pregnancies. The following are the 6 points you need to consider when you are planning pregnancy.
1. Discuss with your partner
It’s important that both the partners are on the same page when it comes to the decision to have babies. Helping & supporting partner will make your pregnancy easier & happier.
It will also give your partner a chance to mentally prepare for idea of having a baby. Most of the times, desire of motherhood is natural for women. But men can get scared with the thought of having additional responsibility. Especially when there are few or no babies in family/extended family.
So, it’s always good idea to first talk to your partner.
2. Start with Healthy Lifestyle – Prepare your body
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Eating Right
Eating a healthy diet sets the foundation of healthy pregnancy. Focus on intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, dairy & healthy fats.
Avoid junk & processed food items. Limit sugary & baked desserts.
Also, focus on intake of Iron & calcium rich food items. Insufficient iron levels during pregnancy can lead to iron deficiency – anemia.
Calcium is essential for the development of bones in babies.
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Start with Folic Acid Supplements
Folic acid is a very important nutrient when preparing for pregnancy. It may help prevent major birth defects of the fetus’s brain and spine called neural tube defects.
It is recommended that women planning for pregnancy take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day.
Though it can be challenging to get this much folic acid from diet alone, you can buy folic acid over the counter (OTC) or with a prescription from your healthcare provider.
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Exercise & Healthy Weight
You should try to exercise for at least 30 mins daily. You can choose from moderate to vigorous activities of your choice like brisk walking, dancing, running, swimming, cycling etc.
Exercise helps you improve your overall wellbeing as well as enhances fertility, increasing chances of successful conception.
Exercising improves your mood, makes you feel better, helps you sleep better.
When combined with a good diet, exercise will help you maintain healthy optimal weight.
Being overweight can increase the risks of complications during pregnancy.
It’s important that you are not underweight too. Women who are underweight may deliver babies with low birth weight.
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Quit Smoking & Alcohol
I know how hard it can be to quit smoking. But if you want to give a healthy environment to your baby it’s a wise decision.
Smoking
- Reduces fertility of men as well as women making it harder to conceive.
- Increases risks of pregnancy complications like miscarriage & low birth weight
- Increases chances of preterm delivery & risk of birth defects
In order to ensure the wellbeing of baby its necessary that you quit smoking today. Secondhand smoke exposure is equally harmful. So, it’s time for both the parents to set plan to quit smoking. Someday, you will be proud of yourself & your decision.
Alcohol too can impact fertility in men as well as women.
For women, heavy alcohol consumption can impact their hormone levels, menstrual cycle & ovulation. In men, excessive alcohol intake may reduce sperm quality.
Sine there is no known safe level of alcohol for pregnant women, it would be a good idea to avoid alcohol entirely for a while.
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Limit Caffeine
Excessive amount of caffeine can impact fertility & conception process. So, if you are a big-time coffee lover who lives on coffee, it’s time to reduce your caffeine consumption. A cup of coffee/tea in the morning won’t do any harm.
Consuming up to 200 mg caffeine can be considered safe.
Please note that caffeine is not only found in coffee but also in tea, chocolates & soft drinks.
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Manage Stress Level
As our blog says, happy mom happy fam.
A happy mom can help raise a happy child. Pay attention to yourself & your mental health.
You may feel sad sometimes, but if you always feel sad, stressed & anxious, talk to your dear ones, and get help.
3) Schedule an appointment with your health care provider
It’s important to schedule a visit to your doctor as soon as you plan for pregnancy.
Your doctor can evaluate your health & decide if you need any precautions to take when it comes to pregnancy. The doctor can also advise you if any pre-conception test/checkups are needed.
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Discuss chronic health conditions
Chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, thyroid disorders, epilepsy should be discussed with your doctor before you plan for baby. Your doctor can help with medication/precautions to minimize its impact on baby & pregnancy.
Also highlight details about current medical conditions & medications going on if any
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Your Family History
Maternal & Paternal family history might help your doctor analyze conditions that might be passed on to the child.
Some genetic disorders can also be inherited in family like sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis.
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Prior Pregnancies
If you had any complications in previous deliveries, any miscarriage or stillbirth – please highlight it. You can work with the doctor and try to avoid problems in coming pregnancies.
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Vaccine Status
Make sure you are up to date with current vaccinations. This step can help you avoid illness during pregnancy which can be harmful for baby.
You can also discuss with a doctor if it’s possible to get flu shots before or during pregnancy.
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Birth Control
You may also want to discuss on how and when stopping using birth control would work.
While birth control methods like condoms can be stopped immediately. For other methods like hormonal injections, oral pills – it may take some time for your hormone levels to adjust & for your menstrual cycle to regulate after stopping the pill.
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Prenatal Vitamins
Along with folic acid you will also require other vitamin supplements like – Iron, Calcium, Vitamin D, Iodine. Your doctor can advise you on prenatal vitamin supplement which will have all the necessary nutrients.
4) See your Dentist
It’s equally important to visit your dentist & get an oral checkup done. The dentist will check for any existing oral problem/ tooth decay & suggest treatment.
Gum diseases, if left untreated during initial days, can worsen during pregnancy. These can also harm your pregnancy & baby increasing risk of low birth weight, pre-term birth.
Along with treatment for existing issues, dentists can also advise you on oral hygiene during pregnancy.
5) Start Saving
Babies can be expensive. Healthcare expenses, diapers, clothing, breast pumps & other feeding accessories, baby gear, childcare, toys and so on. You would require numerous baby products during the initial days after childbirth.
If your current house is not big enough, you may have to move to another house to accommodate the new baby.
All this is going to cost you a considerable amount of money. So better start saving up now!
6) Medical Insurance
Check on your existing medical insurance limits, conditions, coverage. Consult with your insurance provider and understand your current cover & maternity benefits. It would help you to plan for upcoming expenses.
Most of us have insurance from our employers or our spouse’s employer. If you don’t have one, get the insurance ASAP. Pre-natal care, postnatal care, and hospital stay is going to cost you huge.
Pregnancy- complications & high-risk situations may require specialized care causing significant increase in childbirth budget.
While some couples get pregnant easily, some couples take longer time to conceive. If you are actively trying to conceive for more than a year or six months if you’re over 35 , its worth to talk to your doctor.
Please find early signs of pregnancy here
5 Early Signs of Pregnancy – Happy Mom Happy Family
External References
Your Prepregnancy Checklist: What to Do Before You Try to Conceive (webmd.com)
