The female body is incredible; the way it grows, changes and adapts to bring new life into the world is nothing short of miraculous when you think about it. But despite the fact that we’re physically designed to do this, it’s still an incredibly difficult task. And nine months of accommodating another human being can most definitely take its toll. So if you know you’re planning on becoming pregnant, one of the best things you can do is to take steps to prepare your body beforehand. Here are a few ways you can go about this.
Vitamins
As your baby grows it will take what it needs from your body, so if you’re already running low on certain vitamins and minerals you run the risk of becoming deficient in pregnancy. If you suffer with particularly bad nausea or ever hyperemesis then you might struggle to eat the foods that you need to keep these levels topped up. So if you can, in the months leading up to trying for a baby make sure your body is getting everything it needs. A pre-conception multivitamin along with a healthy nourishing diet will top up things like iron, vitamin D and folate. Folate is especially important as deficiencies can lead to neural tube defects in an unborn baby. If you’re plus sized, your provider may arrange for you to take a higher dose of folic acid (5mg a day rather than 4mg) so this is something to ask about.
Existing health conditions
If you have any existing health conditions, it’s sensible to have a conversation with your doctor ahead of time to see how a pregnancy will impact these. For example, if you’re taking medication then this might need to be swapped to a pregnancy-safe variety. Some conditions may affect whether you’re more likely to need a c section, or just some extra monitoring during pregnancy. If you’re due for a smear test then it could be worthwhile getting this out of the way first, and a general check up of your regular health would, if nothing else, give you peace of mind.
Lifestyle changes
Other lifestyle changes that you’ll need to make before trying for a baby are things like smoking and drinking. Since these are harmful to a baby, it’s sensible to quit completely beforehand. Since quitting smoking can be a long process you might want to give yourself a number of months to tackle this before actively trying. You could try switching to an e cigarette like ecigoz vape to wean yourself off nicotine, and accessing smoking support from your GP. Exercise is another great lifestyle change to consider, feeling fit and strong can help your muscles to support your growing bump later on. Exercise is also good for balancing out your hormones which can make it easier to conceive too.
Mental health
Finally, being in a good place mentally is always going to be useful when embarking on pregnancy. Even for the most prepared mums-to-be it’s full of challenges and ups and downs, feeling like you’re in a relaxed and happy place in your life overall is definitely no bad thing. Find ways that you know help you to destress when times are tough, things like journaling, hot baths, walks in the fresh air and a chat with friends could all be useful.
