Preparation for Pregnancy...........Helth & Pragnency Tips

You decided that it is the right time preparation for pregnancy. To give your baby the best start in life, it’s best to get your body in tip-top condition before trying to conceive. Not only will this increase your chances of getting pregnant, it will also set you up for a healthy pregnancy.

Generally, preparation for pregnancy begins before you become pregnant. Your own good health helps your baby’s health. And when you and the baby are healthy, you have more choices in childbirth.

So, here we trying to give you some tips that will helps you to get safe and healthy pregnancy.

Lists of tips:

1. Take your decision first:

Having a child is a lifetime commitment. Before you try to conceive, consider whether you’re ready to take on this responsibility. Some key questions:

Have you thought through how you’ll handle childcare responsibilities and balancing work and family?
Are you prepared to parent a special-needs child if you have one?
If you have a partner, are both of you equally committed to becoming parents?
If you and your partner have religious differences, have you discussed how they will affect how you raise your child?

2. Preconception checking:

Primarily you can select a doctor or midwife for a preconception checkup. Your practitioner will review your personal and family medical history, your present health, and any medications or supplements you’re taking. Certain medications and supplements are unsafe during pregnancy, and some may need to be switched before you even try to conceive because they’re stored in your body’s fat and can linger there.

Your practitioner will likely discuss diet, weight, exercise, and any unhealthy habits you may have (such as smoking, drinking, and taking drugs); recommend a multivitamin; make sure you’re up to date on your immunizations; test you for immunity to childhood diseases such as chicken pox and rubella; and answer any questions you have. In addition, you may be referred to a specialist if you have certain medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure, that need to be controlled before you get pregnant.

Preparation for Pregnancy

3. Some medical tests before trying for a baby:

It may need to, but it depends on your circumstances and general health condition. You can discus with your doctor whether you need to have a test done before you become pregnant. Common tests and screening before pregnancy include:

Screening tests for STIs

If you’ve ever had unprotected sex (including oral sex),its worth being tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), even if you don’t have any symptoms. You should be screened for:

Hepatitis B
Chlamydia
Syphilis
HIV

Having treatments for STIs before you conceive can greatly increase your odds of a successful pregnancy.

Following test may also necessary:

Cervical screening

If you’re due for a cervical screening (sometimes known as a smear test) within the next year, you may be able to have it before you conceive. This is because cervical screening isn’t usually done during pregnancy, as the natural changes to your cervix make the results difficult to interpret.

Blood tests

If you have a pre-pregnancy check-up, and your doctor or nurse is concerned that you may be anemic, she’ll advise you to have a blood test. This is because women who are anemic sometimes need to take extra iron supplements during pregnancy.

Genetic test

Depending on your ethnic background and medical history, it also needs a test for genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia. This test will tell you how likely it is that you’ll pass the condition on to your baby.

4. Vaccinations before trying for a baby:

Many preventable infections can cause miscarriage or birth defects, so make sure your vaccinations are up to date. If you’re not sure what vaccinations you have already had, your doctor can check in your medical records. A practice nurse can also take a blood test to find out whether you’ve been vaccinated against certain diseases, such as rubella. If you need to be vaccinated with a live viral vaccine, as for rubella, you should wait one month after the vaccination before trying to conceive. This is a precaution, as it is thought that your body needs time to get rid of the injected virus. If you’re in a high risk group for hepatitis B, you can choose to be vaccinated against that disease as well.

5. Stop taking any birth control pills:

Discuss with your doctor. Generally, you should stop birth control pills at least two or three months before trying to get pregnant. Then your periods can return and your cycles can be tracked. However, it will not hurt the baby if you get pregnant right after stopping the pill. Although it is always not safe to use any birth control pill, it is safe to use natural way.

6. Work during pregnancy

Many women can work during pregnancywithout special risks. Physical jobs may need to be modified during pregnancy. Sometimes, problems occur during pregnancy, and you may need to take time off from work. Be sure you understand your employer’s rules about parental leave benefits.

Preparation for Pregnancy

7. Make Changes to Diet

There is no need to follow a strict regime that’s impossible to keep up with, but you should aim to be in the healthy weight range for your body. Being underweight or overweight can impact fertility and can cause health complications during pregnancy. For example, a study found women reduced their risk of gestational diabetes by 83%, simply by adopting a healthy lifestyle before they conceive. Those who adopted a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy reduced their risk by half.

food during pregnancy

8. What should eat and what should avoid

The best foods to avoid are sugars (including sweetened drinks like juice, sports drinks and flavored milks) and grains. So cut out or significantly cut down your intake of breads and cereals, cake, biscuit, pasta, potato – anything that converts into sugars. Drink plenty of water; eat a balanced diet, including lots of fresh fruit and veggies in a range of colors. Make sure you’re eating enough protein, good fats (avocado, fish, eggs, coconut oil, and chia seeds) and your iodine intake is sufficient.

9. Taking Prenatal Multivitamin

While babies are wired for survival, it’s important to make sure you have a good supply of vitamins and minerals. While we can aim to eat super healthy, due to over-farming, our foods don’t contain the rich number of nutrients that they once did. By taking a good quality prenatal multivitamin, you’ll not only be helping to prevent any possible health problems for your baby, but you’ll avoid suffering from a deficiency yourself. It can leave you feeling flat and less than 100%. It is a good idea to take a quality prenatal multivitamin with adequate folic acid levels. This will help prevent neural tube defects like Spina Bifida, one of the most common of all birth defects. Ideally, start taking prenatal supplements three months prior to conception, but if you hope to conceive sooner than this, start right away. These vitamins and nutrients are most crucial in the first trimester, as the brain and spinal cord are developing.

10. Pay attention to the fish you eat

If you’re a big fan of fish, start watching your intake. While fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids (which are very important for your baby’s brain and eye development), protein, vitamin D, and other nutrients, it also contains mercury, which can be harmful. Most doctors agree that pregnant women should eat some fish, and that the best approach is to avoid those fish that are highest in mercury and limit your consumption of all fish. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that women of childbearing age not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish, and eat no more than 6 ounces (one serving) of solid white canned tuna per week. Other experts suggest a longer list of fish to avoid. It’s also a good idea to avoid eating fish you’ve caught in local waters unless you’re certain there are no contaminants.

11. Healthy foods

You’re not eating for two yet, but you should start making nutritious food choices now so your body will be stocked up with the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy. Try to get at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day, as well as plenty of whole grains and foods that are high in calcium – like milk, calcium-fortified orange juice, and yogurt. Eat a variety of protein sources, such as beans, nuts, seeds, soy products, poultry, and meats.

12. Stop Smoking SPACE FOR ADD

There is no safe level of smoking, no matter if you are trying to conceive, pregnant or otherwise.Smoking impacts your health, your immune system, your fertility and unborn babies. Men who smoke may have reduced semen volume, reduced sperm count and more abnormal sperm compared to non or ex-smokers. Toxins found in tobacco smoke, such as cadmium, nicotine, lead and radioactive elements may be directly toxic as they circulate in the blood and reach the testes. It is not yet known whether this affects the fertility or health of the children of men who smoke. So if you are a smoker, now is a great time to stop.

Preparation for Pregnancy

13. Stop Alcohol Consumption

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) recommends that men drink no more than two standard drinks per day. For women, many peak bodies recommend no alcohol at all during pregnancy.
Preparation for Pregnancy

14. Stop Taking Social Drugs

It goes without saying that recreational drug use is harmful to your body. This may also include your fertility. Social drug taking can lead to birth defects and DNA damage.

15. Reduce Caffeine Intake

There are so many differing conclusions made about the effect caffeine has on fertility. According to the Australia New Zealand Food Authority’s report on the safety aspects of dietary caffeine (2000), the below foods contained the following amounts of caffeine:

Instant coffee (1 teaspoon/cup) 60-80 mg/250 mL cup
Percolated coffee 60-120 mg/250mL cup
Tea 10-50 mg/250 mL cup
Coca Cola 48.75mg/375 mL can
Milk Chocolate 20 mg/100g bar
Energy Drinks (e.g. Red Bull) 80 mg/250 mL can

Energy drinks like Red Bull are not recommended in pregnancy, so steer clear of those which are really bad for you anyway. All other drinks keep to a minimum or find caffeine-free alternatives

16. Aim for a healthy weight

You may have an easier time conceiving if you’re at a healthy weight. Having a low or high body mass index (BMI) makes it harder for some women to become pregnant. Getting to a healthier weight now can also help you get your pregnancy off on the right foot. Women with a high BMI are more likely to have pregnancy or delivery complications, while women who start with a low BMI and fail to gain enough weight are more likely to deliver underweight babies. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to achieve your weight goals.

17. Check Your Private Health Cover

If you have private health cover, you’ll need to make sure it’s up to date, and you have the level of cover you need for maternity care. Of course, this is only if you intend to:

Attend a private hospital
Have a private obstetrician as your primary care
Have a private/homebirth midwife as your primary care

18. Create and follow an exercise program

Start and stick to a fitness plan now, and you’ll be rewarded with a healthy body that’s fit for pregnancy. A healthy exercise program includes 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise, such as walking or cycling and weight training, on most days of the week. To increase flexibility, try stretching or yoga, and you’ll have a well-rounded fitness program. Once you’re pregnant, its okay – even recommended – to continue exercising unless you have pregnancy complications.

Preparation for Pregnancy

19. Get Moving – Exercise

As discussed earlier, women who exercise in the preconception period have much to gain as far as healthy pregnancies go. You don’t need to be a gym bunny, but aim to at least head out for a 30-60 minute walk every day, ideally with your partner so you can support one another. After all, it takes two to conceive and his health matters too. Walking together also presents a great opportunity for connection time – try it and you’ll see, you’ll end up having some great conversations. You’ll also be getting a dose of vitamin D if you walk in the sunshine, which is highly beneficial for fertility, mood and your immune system.

Preparation for Pregnancy

20. See your dentist

When you’re preparing for pregnancy, don’t forget about your oral health. Hormonal shifts during pregnancy can make you more susceptible to gum disease. Higher progesterone and estrogen levels can cause the gums to react differently to the bacteria in plaque, resulting in swollen, red, tender gums that bleed when you floss or brush. The good news is that women who take care of their periodontal health before they get pregnant cut down on their chances of experiencing gum complications in pregnancy. See your dentist for a checkup and cleaning now if you haven’t done so in the past six months.

21. Consider your mental health

Women who suffer from depression are twice as likely to have problems with fertility as women who don’t. If someone is clinically depressed, she can barely take care of herself, much less a baby. From an evolutionary point of view, it makes sense that it’s hard to get pregnant when you’re depressed.” If you notice signs of depression, such as a loss of interest and pleasure in things that you used to enjoy, a change in appetite or sleep patterns, a loss of energy, or feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, ask your practitioner for a referral to a therapist or psychiatrist for a consultation. The two most effective treatments for depression are psychotherapy and medication, and many patients do best with a combination of both. A psychiatrist can help you find an antidepressant that’s safe to take while you’re trying to conceive and during your pregnancy. You also may want to try stress management techniques, such as yoga and meditation, which research suggests can help depressed women conceive.

Preparation for Pregnancy

22. Avoid infections

It’s important to steer clear of infections when you’re trying to get pregnant, especially those that could harm your baby-to- be. You’ll want to stay away from certain foods, such as unpasteurized soft cheeses and other dairy products, cold deli meats, and raw and undercooked fish and poultry. These foods can harbor dangerous bacteria that cause listeriosis, a food-borne illness that can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. You should also avoid unpasteurized juices because they can contain bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli. Be sure to wash your hands frequently when preparing meals, and make sure your fridge is set between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (2 and 4 degrees Celsius) and your freezer is at or below 0 degrees F (-18 degrees C) to keep cold foods from going bad. It’s a good idea to wear gloves when digging in the garden or sandbox, and to get someone else to change the litter box to avoid contracting toxoplasmosis, another infection that can be dangerous for a developing baby. Finally, make sure you get a flu shot, to avoid coming down with the flu when you’re pregnant. Get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine for the coming season becomes available. Getting the flu while pregnant can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia and preterm labor.

Preparation for Pregnancy

23. Reduce environmental risks

You may not be able to entirely eliminate all environmental dangers, but you can do your best to keep as many of them as possible out of your life now. Some jobs can be hazardous to you and your unborn child, for example. If you’re routinely exposed to chemicals or radiation, you’ll need to make some changes before you conceive. Also, keep in mind that some cleaning products, pesticides, solvents, and lead in drinking water from old pipes can be dangerous for a developing baby. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your daily routine, and see if you can come up with ways to avoid or eliminate hazards in your home and workplace.

24. Deal with where you want to live

Do you need to move for more space, a better location, or any other reason? Our advice: Do it soon. Getting settled — ideally, somewhere you want to be for at least a couple of years — and feeling good about your home will help you feel more prepared for pregnancy. It’s nice not to have to deal with moves, renovations, lawyers, and closings once you’re pregnant (no one wants to be packing at 8 months along). On the other hand, if you’re happy where live, don’t feel like you have to move now that you’re family-planning either — you don’t need a huge, multi-bedroom house in suburbia to raise a baby. Remember that many infants sleep in a bassinet or co-sleeper in their parents’ bedroom for the first few months, and a baby won’t be any happier just because he has his own nursery and playroom. You’ll have plenty of time to make the big move later if you’re satisfied with apartment-dwelling now.

Preparation for Pregnancy

25. Ask your mom about her pregnancy

Ask your mom or your sisters, aunts, and grandmas, if you can. Did it take them a long time to conceive? Were there any complications, like preterm labor or having a breech delivery? Certain health conditions tend to run in families, and it’s a smart idea to brush up on your history and share any relevant information with your doctor. But don’t worry too much. Just because it took your sister a year to get pregnant doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily have a hard time too. Many common fertility problems, like poor egg quality (due to age) or blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, are not hereditary, but some, like fibroids or ovarian cysts, can be. Your doctor can help you understand which, if any, family issues can affect your fertility or pregnancy so you’ll be better prepared to deal with them later.

Preparation for Pregnancy

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