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So advanced it's easy. 1 800 321 Easy
Preparing Your Body for Pregnancy
If you are planning to have a baby, it is a good idea to start thinking about your health and lifestyle as soon as you want to start trying or, better yet, a couple of months before you stop using contraception. Once you have decided you would like to start a family, you might like to make an appointment with your doctor for a check up. Your doctor will ask you about your medical history and whether there is anything that you will need to consider prior to getting pregnant and during your pregnancy, such as whether your vaccinations are all up to date.
Get to know your cycleKeep track of the dates your periods start so that you will know the length of your menstrual cycle and formulate an idea of how variable you are from cycle to cycle. This will help to give you a general sense of when you may be ovulating and how to time intercourse to maximize your chances of getting pregnant. Ovulation generally occurs 12 to 16 days before your next period is due to begin. Just 2 days of the cycle comprise the actual peak fertile period – the day before ovulation and the day of ovulation, itself. Make sure of your timingTo maximize your chances of getting pregnant in any one cycle, you can use an ovulation test to pinpoint your 2 most fertile days – the days when having intercourse is most likely to result in pregnancy. Another option is to use the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor which not only shows these 2 Peak Fertility days, but also identifies additional fertile days when you can conceive. By detecting a rise in estrogen, the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor can expand the window of opportunity for most women to an extra 1- 5 days of High Fertility prior to their two days of Peak Fertility. Learn more about Clearblue® Easy Ovulation Tests and the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor. Stopping contraceptionWhen you choose to stop contraception will depend on the method you are using. For the male and female condom, the cap, diaphragm and natural family planning, you can start trying to get pregnant as soon as you stop using the contraception. With other methods, such as the pill and contraceptive injections, it can take some time for your cycles to return to normal after stopping them. Please take into consideration that the bleed after you complete your last packet of pills is not the same as a period. In order to calculate when your baby is due, you will have to begin counting from the last date of an actual period. Watching What You EatTry to eat as healthy as possible before getting pregnant so that you have all the right nutrients to support your baby from the day of conception onwards. To do this, make sure you are eating regular, balanced meals. Limit the amount of 'fast food' and processed food that you eat and eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. The basic rule of thumb is to make sure your diet includes the following:
[ top ] Vitamins and supplementsThe USDA recommends a daily intake of 400 µg/day of synthetic folic acid (from fortified foods or supplements in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet) for women of childbearing age who may become pregnant. The USDA recommends pregnant women should consume 600 µg/day of synthetic folic acid (from fortified foods or supplements) in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet. Taking a Folic Acid supplement helps in the healthy development of your baby's spinal cord which develops during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid reduces the risk of the neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anecephaly.† Exercise and weightIt makes sense for you to be fit before you get pregnant because pregnancy, let alone caring for your new baby, can put a lot of strain on your body. If you are fit before you get pregnant, that will make it easier for you to keep active when you are pregnant. Exercise has also been shown to improve your mood and energy levels - not to mention reducing stress, which can sometimes hinder conception. If you are underweight, you may need to put on some weight as women who are too thin can sometimes have difficulty getting pregnant. Being overweight can also get in the way of a successful pregnancy, and may make a mother-to-be feel less than well if she does conceive. Try and achieve as ideal a weight as possible before trying to get pregnant. Your doctor will be able to give you information about a healthy weight for you. Caffeine, cigarettes, illegal drugs and alcoholAll of these are toxic substances and although it may be difficult, it is highly recommended that you abstain from them while you are trying to get pregnant and throughout pregnancy (With coffee, try to cut down your consumption to an occasional cup…). Mothers who smoke are more likely to miscarry than those who don't and babies of mothers who smoke are more likely to have a low birth weight. Excessive alcohol consumption in pregnancy may result in the baby being malformed and intellectually impaired. It is also important that your partner cuts down on these substances too (and again, ideally, stops taking them altogether) while you are trying to get pregnant. Cigarettes, illegal drugs and alcohol, in particular, all have an adverse affect on the quality of sperm. Check that you're vaccinatedGerman measles or rubella is a mild illness in children and adults but it can seriously affect your unborn baby. If you plan to become pregnant, make sure you are vaccinated at least several months before you stop using birth control. Your doctor will advise you regarding this and other vaccinations and medical issues that you will want to address in advance of becoming pregnant. |
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