PRECONCEPTION AGENDA
 You and your
partner have decided to have a child. Well that's great news. But have you
considered that parenthood is a huge responsibility. Do you think you are ready
for it? Parenthood requires lot of commitment and sacrifice. You need to change
your entire lifestyle in order to give yourself a healthy pregnancy and to have
a healthy baby. Well don't fret. Consider the following points which will make
you ready for parenthood.
Quit
Partying and Night Outs:
The most
important thing that you have to do is follow a schedule. No more partying for
you. If you smoke and drink you will have to quit because smoking might lead to
miscarriages, premature birth, and low-birth weight babies. Plus, research
suggests that smoking can affect your fertility and lower your partner's sperm
count. Passive smoking is also harmful and therefore if you go out for dinner or
lunch always choose a non-smoking area.
Aviod Caffeine:
Too much
coffee is bad for your health and baby during pregnancy because caffeine can
reduce your ability to absorb iron which you need during pregnancy. Caffeine
also increases the risk of stillbirth. If it is difficult to give up completely
then cut it down to one cup a day.
Exercise Regularly
In
order to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy it is very important that you get
your weight in check. Obesity not only makes it difficult to conceive but also
makes labor difficult. Start and stick to a fitness plan now, and you'll be
rewarded with a healthy body that's fit for pregnancy. Talk to your Doctor about
the best and safe way to achieve your weight goals.
Eat Healthy Food
To keep
your weight in check you have to keep your taste buds in check too. Stock up
your refrigerator with healthy food and say no to junk food. Try to get at least
five servings a day of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as plenty of whole
grains and foods that are high in calcium, vitamins and proteins.
Take Folic Acid
Your body
needs Folic Acid to produce red blood cells, as well as norepinephrine and
seratonin (chemical components of the nervous system). Folic acid is also one of
the few nutrients known to prevent neural tube birth defects, such as spina
bifida. It helps synthesize DNA and normalize brain function, and is a critical
part of spinal fluid. Women who don't get enough folic acid may increase their
chance of miscarriage. Before you conceive, you'd be wise to take a daily
multivitamin containing at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid. Pregnant
women will need at least 600 to 800 mcg daily.
Know your Fertility Time
Not all couples conceive as soon as they stop oral contraception and
decide to become parents. It may take many cycles for conception to occur, even
if both partners are normally fertile, healthy, fit and sexually active. What is
important to conceive is knowing when is the best time to conceive and what is
your fertility time. Thus you need to know when you ovulate. Most women ovulate
in the middle of their menstrual cycle. If you want to be more exact, start
charting your basal body temperature (BBT) and the changes in your cervical
mucus. Tracking these symptoms over several months can help you figure out when
you're ovulating during each cycle. The best bet is to have sex each alternate
day from day 10 after your menstrual cycle.
Get a thorough Medical Check Up
By getting a medical check up you will be able to know as to whether
your body is ready for parenthood or not. Get information about any medical
history such as cancer, depression, miscarriage etc running in your family and
get yourself diagnosed for it.
Toss your birth control
Once you've gotten yourself into baby-making shape, you're ready
to bid adieu to birth control. If you have been taking pills then finish your
current pack to avoid irregular bleeding and complications. It may take a few
months for your cycle to return to normal, but many women are fertile the first
month after they stop taking the Pill. If you're using Depo-Provera, it can take
up to a year after your last shot for you to start ovulating again, even if your
period returns to normal sooner.
|
