It’s never too early to prepare for pregnancy. In fact, the sooner you can get your body in the ideal condition, the better.
Besides looking for maternity services for childbirth, you also need to make healthier life choices ahead of conception. So, unless you already have a healthy lifestyle, you may need to adjust how you live your life to ensure that you’re ready to nurture new life in your body.
Some women only need a few months to prepare, but others may take a bit longer. Whatever the case, here are five healthy lifestyle changes you may need to make to get ready for pregnancy:
Table of Contents
1. Check and Regulate Your Weight.
Research shows that a woman’s weight affects fertility and foetal health. And this isn’t just limited to going over the scale. Ladies who are underweight may also have a hard time conceiving.
Moreover, people who are at a healthy weight are less likely to have problems during their pregnancies. Your doctor or other healthcare providers can help you determine the ideal weight you need to reach and how to get there.
If your weight is already within the ideal range and you maintain healthy habits, it is less likely that you’ll gain over 35 pounds after you give birth. This means it’ll be easier to bounce back to your pre-baby body.
Of course, every individual is different, so it’s best to talk to a health professional about what this means for you. While you’re at it, get some tips on how to keep your weight optimal while you’re pregnant.
2. Watch What you Eat.
During pregnancy, there’s a good chance that you’ll crave a wide variety of foods and drinks – some of which could be unhealthy. To make way for this stage in gestation, make sure you maintain a balanced diet before getting pregnant.
Follow the correct proportion of go, grow, and glow foods and make sure your plate is filled with the ideal variety of foods.
Below are a few more tips you can follow in choosing what to eat when preparing for pregnancy:
- Consume lots of fruits and vegetables. These are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals both you and the baby need. They are also rich in fibre, which helps rid the body of toxins.
- Get your carbohydrates from the right sources. Stick to whole grains like barley, corn, brown rice, oats, quinoa, and barley. Reduce your sugary and processed carb intake. This means less cookies, white bread, pastries, and cakes.
- Limit processed foods. Avoid or limit salty and fatty snacks, like chips, fast food, and other processed foods (e.g., canned goods).
- Be selective of your protein sources. Protein is crucial for foetal growth, but make sure it’s from the best This includes nuts, lentils, peas, tofu, dairy, and dark leafy greens (e.g., spinach and broccoli).
- Choose fats wisely. Like those from fish, nuts, and vegetables, some fats support nutrient absorption. Limit your consumption of red meat, fried food, and junk food that contain saturated fats and trans fats.
3. Be Active.
Exercise makes pregnancy and childbirth easier. Plus, being physically active increases your energy, not to mention boosts your mental and physical well-being.
It is also a good idea to have an exercise routine before getting pregnant, continuing that as you move along the gestation period. Just remember not to overdo it.
Don’t engage in marathon training or excessive heavy lifting right before getting pregnant. If you started a workout program, it would be best to avoid pushing yourself too hard.
To be sure, discuss your physical activities with your healthcare provider.
Some of the most popular moderate-intensity exercises pregnant women can engage in are:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Biking
If you’re not currently in a program, consult your doctor on how you can best begin and the types of exercise you can do before, during, and after pregnancy.
4. Get in Touch with your Doctor.
Your doctor can offer advice on your diet, exercise, and overall health. They could also help with preconception care and may want to talk about your health history and any medical conditions you have that may affect your pregnancy.
Your consultation may also cover any previous pregnancy problems and the following medical concerns:
Medications
Any medication for chronic conditions should always be greenlit first by your maternity doctor. While some are considered safe for pregnant women, others may have the potential to increase your child’s risk of congenital disabilities, like ACE inhibitors (medication for high blood pressure).
Also, make sure you run any over-the-counter medications by your doctor first before taking them, as many have unknown effects on an unborn baby. Talk to a medical professional about foetal medicine to weigh the benefits and risks.
Vaccinations
Your immunizations must be updated before you get pregnant, as some shots could be harmful to the baby.
Before conception, make sure you have already completed your chickenpox and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines. Otherwise, have them before you conceive while using birth control for one to three months.
5. Dial Down The Unhealthy Habits.
It’s always good to stop alcohol and tobacco use, especially if you’re planning to get pregnant. These unhealthy habits can cause foetal problems if continued through pregnancy. They can also make it harder for you to conceive.
Alcohol Drinking
Unlike coffee, there’s no known “safe” amount when drinking alcohol during pregnancy. This is why medical professionals advise against consuming anything alcoholic during gestation.
Some of the possible effects of alcohol consumption include:
- Miscarriage
- Early labour or premature birth
- Stillbirth
- Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) – a condition that may cause learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and other conditions in the baby.
Doctors also recommend you avoid alcohol when trying to conceive since you cannot know when you’ve already succeeded. This will help avoid accidentally drinking during the early stages of the pregnancy.
Smoking
Smoking is never healthy, whether you’re planning to conceive or not. Still, you must quit this habit before you have your new baby to make sure that you and everyone else around you are healthy and able to provide a safe environment for the child.
You should also know that long-time smokers tend to have a hard time getting pregnant, not to mention their miscarriage rate is higher than those who don’t smoke.
Plus, smoking while pregnant exposes your child to toxic chemicals that could lead to low birth weight, premature birth, and even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Get Yourself Ready for the Baby
Preparing for pregnancy through healthy lifestyle changes increases your baby’s chance of being born healthy. It is also known to help shorten your recovery period and make it easier for you to bounce back after giving birth.