Planning for a family can be one of the most stressful life events.
As we all probably know by now, life doesn’t always happen according to
our plans. Sometimes an “oops” pregnancy occurs, and we miss the chance
for everything that comes with planning ahead. But, for couples planning
to get pregnant soon, there are many things to think about, and to
start (and STOP!) doing now –
before you conceive.
First things first – see a doctor!
The first step to getting your body ready for pregnancy is to
schedule a preconception checkup with a doctor or midwife. It is always a
good idea to make sure your general and reproductive health are in good
standing, so you can have the best chances for fertility. Also, you’ll
want to lose weight if you are overweight, or put on some pounds if you
are underweight. These factors can affect your ability to become
pregnant. Lastly, your doctor should tell you that taking a folic acid
supplement about a month before trying to conceive is a good idea.
Studies show that taking folic acid (400 micrograms) before, and during
early pregnancy reduce your chances of neural tube defects by up to 70%.
He or she will also tell you to stop smoking and to limit your
drinking! …Which brings us to our next to-do:
STOP smoking & drinking!!
It is never a good idea to smoke while pregnant. It lowers the amount
of oxygen available to you and your growing baby, increases your baby’s
heart rate, increases the chances of miscarriage and stillbirth,
increases the risk of premature labor and low birth rate, and finally,
it increases your baby’s risk of developing respiratory problems. If
your health wasn’t a good enough reason to quit smoking, your baby’s
health should be. Drinking should also be avoided while pregnant, so if
it is a big habit of yours, cut back now. Lastly, and hopefully
obviously, any recreational drugs you may use need to also be put to a
halt before you start trying to have a baby.
Coming off birth control...
Most women have been using some type of birth control before they
decide to start trying for a baby. Some women have even been on birth
control for years. If you have been taking hormonal forms of birth
control that is the pill, patch, or vaginal ring, keep in mind that it may
take some time for your body to begin ovulating on its own again. Every
woman is different, but it can take some women a few months for their
fertility to return. Once you’re getting regular periods, you’ll know
your ovulation is back.
The fun part. Doing the ‘deed’…..
Now you’re ready to actually start trying to make a baby. This is the
fun part! Remember that. Some couples can turn trying to conceive into a
chore and it often times involves a lot of pressure and anxiety. Don’t
let this be you. Remember to have fun with it, and remember why you’re
doing this in the first place! You and your husband love each other and
want to create a family. Making a baby is about love – don’t make it a
‘duty.’ Remember that stress and emotional health can also play a big
part in your chances of conceiving.
Most couples get pregnant within three months. Timelines can be
longer due to age, bad habits (like smoking!), or conditions that can
impair fertility. If you have not gotten pregnant in a year’s worth of
trying, contact a fertility specialist.
Stick to “fertility-friendly” positions that will keep sperm inside
you longer. The missionary position is usually best. Stay away from
positions with the woman on top – sperm can leak out this way. Try
putting a pillow under your hips in the missionary position, and don’t
get up right away afterwards. Relax and allow the sperm to be in you as
long as possible.
The scoop on Ovulation
Start keeping an ovulation calendar, so you know when your chances are highest. Ovulation calculator
can be helpful, too. Remember that you can only get pregnant when you
ovulate, and studies show that couples who have sex before and during
ovulation get pregnant the fastest. The absolute best time to have sex
is two to three days before ovulation, through the day you actually
ovulate. Don’t rely
just on ovulation, though. It is a good
practice to have sex generally three times a week, but focusing heavily
on the ovulation days.
The easiest way to estimate when you’ll ovulate is to count back.
First, figure out what day your next period will most likely start. This
only works for “clock-work” menstrual cycles. From that day, count back
12 days and then another 4. You will most likely ovulate during this
five-day timeframe.
How will I know when I’m ovulating beyond the calendar? Here are some subtle symptoms of ovulation:
· Breast tenderness
· Slight feelings of discomfort in your middle abdomen
· Increased vaginal discharge – the appearance will be thinner, wetter, like egg-whites almost
· A small increase in basal body temperature. You can detect this by taking your temperature each morning before you get out of bed, two days
after you ovulate.
What should I eat/take?
Start prepping your body for your baby by beginning to eat healthy
now. Generally a low fat, high nutrients diet is best. Some dietary
specialists advise even a whole year for dietary changes to take root.
But if that’s not you, don’t worry - it’s never too late to start now.
LOTS OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES: Make sure you are
eating your recommended daily serving of fruits and veggies. This will
put your body at its optimal nutrition when you conceive. Fruits and
vegetables are packed with crucial vitamins and minerals, and
free-radical fighting antioxidants. Brightly colored fruits and veggies
like blueberries, red peppers, kale, and tomatoes are the best. The more
vivid the hue, the more nutrients the food has to offer you.
IRON: Make sure you’re getting enough iron
before
you get pregnant, especially if you have heavy periods. Too little iron
at the start of your pregnancy can put you at risk for postpartum
anemia, which causes your red blood cells to fall below normal and will
deplete your energy. Taking a multivitamin enriched with iron is best.
VITAMINS: It can be difficult to get all the
nutrients you need for optimal fertility just by food alone, so taking a
prenatal vitamin or regular multivitamin is advised. If taking a
multivitamin instead of a prenatal vitamin, make sure it contains folic
acid, doesn’t contain more than the recommended daily dose of vitamin A,
and has a good dose of vitamin B12.
What to avoid?
Besides avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs, there are some other things to avoid for optimal fertility.
LARGE AMOUNTS OF CAFFEINE: There is still
inconclusive evidence that caffeine effects fertility, but experts do
agree staying on a low to moderate consumption pattern. It might be a
good idea to curb this now, however, since drinking caffeine while
pregnant should be avoided.
FISH: Mercury in fish is toxic to a developing
fetus, and can linger in a woman’s bloodstream for more than a year. So
it is best to avoid it in high doses, now. However, your body needs
omega-3 fatty acids for optimal fertility, so opt for supplements
instead of the real deal. If you must have fish, the FDA says that women
can safely eat up to 12 ounces a week (roughly two entres) of
low-mercury fish, such as shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, or catfish.
The FDA advises avoiding canned white tuna, swordfish, tilefish, king
mackerel, tuna steaks, shark, orange roughy, Spanish mackerel, marlin,
and grouper.
LISTERIA: This is a harmful bacteria found in deli
meats, soft cheeses, and unpasteurized dairy products. Pregnant women
are twenty times more likely to get sick from food that contains it. Use
caution even while trying to conceive. The infection Listeria causes
can cause miscarriages early on. To reduce the risk of contracting the
bacteria, don’t eat any food that’s been at room temperature for more
than two hours, heat high-risk foods in the microwave until they’re
steaming hot, and avoid raw sushi, smoked seafood, and unpasteurized
dairy products.
CERTAIN MEDICATIONS: It is always best to consult a
doctor regarding medications you may be taking, and trying to get
pregnant. There are a lot of medicines that should not be taken while
pregnant, and some of them should be avoided even while trying to
conceive, as they can stay in your system for awhile after
discontinuing.
STRESS: As mentioned previously, stress can
definitely affect conception. Stress can affect your hypothalamus – the
glad in the brain that regulates appetite, emotions, and the release of
the eggs by your ovaries. Typically the body is pretty good at adapting
to every day stress, but extreme stress, or a life-altering even (death
of a loved one, divorce, etc) can definitely throw off your cycle and
interfere with ovulation and conception. Again, every woman is
different.
HOT TUBS: This one is considered ok
before you
conceive, but not during pregnancy. Although, as we’ll discuss later,
the guys may want to stay clear of hot tubs and sauna’s due to
interference with sperm growth. Some studies have shown that raising
your body temperature too much during early pregnancy can increase the
risk of birth defects, and can cause miscarriage.
So much to remember for me, but what about him?!
Men always seem to get off so easy when it comes to pregnancy! But
not so fast! There are some things for them to stay away from, and do as
well. The sperm your partner ejaculates today was actually created 90
days ago making it important to plan ahead. Some ob-gyn’s recommend that
fathers-to-be take a daily multivitamin that contains zinc and selenium
for at least three months before conception. Studies suggest these
minerals aid in healthy sperm development. Studies also show that poor
eating habits can affect the quality and quantity of sperm, so start
getting him to eat better now. The best practice is to have him eat just
as healthy as you. Your child to be
does come from half of
him, doesn’t it? Also, have him cut back on his alcohol consumption,
too. Studies have shown that daily consumption of alcohol can reduce
testosterone levels and sperm counts, and can raise the number of
abnormal sperm in his ejaculate.
What about my financial health?
Being financially stable and healthy is one of the biggest reasons
couples wait to have a baby. Make sure you’re set up with good medical
insurance (you’ll be soon needing it!), life insurance, a will, and a
good savings. Children are not cheap! Make sure you have a plan for what
to do when you’re baby arrives, too. Do you plan to go back to work?
Does your employer have maternity leave coverage? If not, can your
partner’s income support you both, plus baby? If not, you’ll definitely
want to start to accumulate a good amount of savings! And don’t forget
about the medical costs not covered by insurance, everything you’ll need
to buy for your new one, room décor, diapers, food, etc. Time will fly,
so it’s never too late to start saving for college as well.
Finally, how will I know when I’m pregnant?
Besides taking the at home pregnancy test, or a blood test
administered by your doctor, there are other ways your body can hint at
you that it is carrying. The following are some signs that you may be
pregnant.
· A missed period – the most reliable sign!
· Tender, swollen, or enlarged breasts – this can be experienced
before your period, as well as after a few missed birth control pills,
but is also a sign you may be expecting.
· Nausea or vomiting – For some women, morning sickness doesn’t
appear until a month or more, but some can experience the fun symptom as
quick as a few weeks after conception.
· Heightened sensitivity to odors – You may all of a sudden realize
that certain smells repulse you – your usual morning cup of coffee,
cigarette smoke, perfumes, etc. Certain foods you used to love may not
seem so appetizing anymore. This may be a side effect of rapidly
increasing levels of estrogen in your body.
· Frequent urination – getting up more than once a night to pee?
Going more than usual during the day? This could be a sign you are plus
one. Hormonal changes affect the amount of blood that flows through your
kidneys, and can cause you to urinate more often than usual.
· Extreme fatigue – this is a common one. Do you feel way more run
down than usual? Do you catch yourself falling asleep on the couch, or
needing an afternoon nap? Extreme exhaustion is often the very first
sign of conception.
· Implantation bleeding – no one knows exactly why this happens, and
it doesn’t happen to all women. It is said that some women experience a
day or two of spotting right after the egg is fertilized, and sometimes
the blood isn’t the typical red, but can be more of a dark brown.
If you are experiencing some of these signs, and have missed a
period, it is recommended to take an at home pregnancy test. Keep in
mind, they are not always 100% accurate, and timing of conception, your
period, and the administration of the test can all play a part in
false-negative results. If you are experiencing some of the signs of
pregnancy, and have missed a period, it is always best to visit a doctor
to confirm pregnancy.
This is all great advice to follow if you are hoping to conceive.
Remember that this is a very exciting time for you, and that your life
will change dramatically as soon as your baby arrives. The more planning
you can do to prepare for the changes, and to prepare for your new
little one, the healthier and happier you and your baby will be once he
or she arrives.
