You’re considering getting pregnant! Mentally, you’re beginning to commit to the idea, so one of the first few questions you might ask yourself is, “What can I do before getting pregnant? How can I be sure my baby will be healthy? Is there anything I can do ahead of time to make sure everything goes right?”
While the physical part of creating new life is pretty simple to comprehend, but many women don’t actually consider that there are ways to prepare their bodies for reproduction well ahead of time. Even if you’re not ready to conceive right away, there’s lots you can do before getting pregnant, and most of it is pretty basic.
When you leased your very first apartment, you wanted everything to be just right. Before you even moved in, you eagerly imagined how you would decorate it. You carefully selected the best furniture and matching accessories you could afford. You thought of where you would put your bed and bought food for the refrigerator and pantry. Everything was positioned just right for the new home you were to live in.
When you get pregnant, your body is going to be your baby’s ’apartment’ for approximately the next 280 days. Your womb (uterus) will be its bedroom, the amniotic sac will be its bed and the umbilical cord will be its fridge and pantry. Why not prepare your body to give your child the best possible home until its first ‘lease’ is up? There are steps you can take to make that happen.
Long before the actual union of sperm with egg, there are numerous measures you can take to optimally prepare your body. You can make gradual, positive lifestyle changes in the months preceding pregnancy.
6 Things to Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy:
- Diet – If you haven’t done so yet, begin incorporating more fruits, fiber, and vegetables into your daily meals. Cut out excess fat, sugar, and caffeine. Eat junk food in moderation. Eliminate as many additives and preservatives as possible from your food by carefully reading labels and avoiding those with a long list of ingredients that you need a Hubble telescope to read or a scientific dictionary to translate.
- Exercise – Getting into the habit of walking even a block or two regularly can strengthen bone, muscle, circulation, tissue, blood and organ function, benefiting not only your own overall health but that of your future baby as well.
- Lose weight – If you are overweight, slowly shedding those extra pounds and achieving your ideal weight during the months before conceiving ensures a much better chance of becoming pregnant and carrying full term. The same holds true if you are underweight and need to bulk up a little. A healthier weight will also allow for an easier labor and delivery.
- Eliminate toxins – It’s no secret that smoking is dangerous to both you and those around you, so it stands to reason that it can be disastrous to the fetus growing inside you as well, Smoking while pregnant can deprive the fetus of oxygen, compromise heart rate, and result in premature birth or low birth weight. It can also increase the chances of miscarriage, birth defects, and stillbirth. Studies show there is a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in babies whose mothers smoked. Even exposure to secondhand smoke can have an adverse effect on your baby. Quitting before conception should be one of your top priorities. This also applies to excessive alcohol intake and any recreational drug use. Prescribed or over the counter medications should be discussed with our doctors before you become pregnant.
- Birth control – Ovulation can be calculated easier when you have had at least one normal menstrual cycle before getting pregnant. Though it’s not absolutely necessary to stop taking birth control months before you plan to get pregnant, this is something that should be discussed at your preconception counseling session with us, especially if you are currently using a long-lasting form of birth control, such as progestin, which may inhibit fertility for several months.
- Preconception counseling – Preconception counseling can evaluate, test for, diagnose, and determine any problems that may be a setback to a full, healthy and safe pregnancy for both mother and child. Your preconception counseling session with us will delve into a much more thorough list of steps you can take to make your future pregnancy as safe, smooth and healthy as possible. Ideally, it is best to book an appointment with us to discuss your plans approximately three months before you wish to conceive.
At Cherokee Women’s Health Specialists, we are committed to giving you the best possible preconception care available to women today in order to ensure the optimum health of both you and the baby you are planning to have.
These are only several of the many things you can do before you decide to get pregnant. Our comprehensive staff includes Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgeons (FPMRS), urologists, nutritionists, OB/GYNs, physical therapists and midwives. Their combined decades of experience and expertise can guide you through the preconception process, pinpointing any problems that may inhibit or be detrimental to your pregnancy.
Our team of specialists can correct any physical abnormalities that may be hindering the process as well. Your reproductive health and the wellness of your future baby is our primary concern. No question is too trivial or embarrassing and you will be treated with the utmost respect and confidentiality.
To book an appointment, please call us at 770.720.7733 or schedule an appointment online.
