Planning to Get Pregnant? Everything you need to Know

Having a baby is a big deal. In fact, it’s a life changing decision both you and your partner have to make after a lot of thought. In today’s times, choosing to start a family is not as easy as it was back in the day. People want to ensure their pregnancy plans align with their career and life goals. While that’s important, there are several other things you should do to ensure your body is ready for pregnancy. One thing you must remember is that every pregnancy journey is different. For certain couples, it is quick and easy whereas for others, it can take some time.  

Before you get to baby-making, follow our pre-pregnancy checklist to make sure your newborn comes into this world happy and healthy.

Everything you need to do before you get pregnant

• Track your cycle

The key to getting pregnant is to figure out when you ovulate. A good practice would be to become familiar with your menstrual cycle. In fact, even if you’re not planning to get pregnant, it’s a good idea to keep track of your cycle. Record when your period starts and ends, keep track of the symptoms and learn to spot the physical signs that you’re ovulating. You will find a lot of mobile apps out there that accurately track your cycle.

• See your doctor

Before you conceive, a preconception appointment with your doctor/gynaecologist is a must. By doing a physical examination, they will be able to tell you whether your body is healthy or not. Whether it’s your first or second pregnancy, seeing your doctor is important. Your healthcare provider will discuss your pregnancy goals, medical history or any other complications that can potentially affect your pregnancy.

Before meeting your doctor, another good idea would be to collect information on your family’s genetic history. Check if both you and your partner’s parents, siblings or grandparents have inherited any medical condition. In case they do, you may have a baby with the same challenges. During the preconception appointment, let your doctor know if a particular condition exists in your family.

• Take folic acid

In order to reduce the risk of birth defects, taking certain vitamins is a must. One such vitamin that is important for overall foetal health and development is folic acid. You can start taking this B vitamin when you’re trying to conceive. Once you get pregnant, take a 400mcg (micrograms) folic acid supplement daily until you’re 12 weeks pregnant. Besides the pill, make sure your diet includes a whole lot of green leafy vegetables, citrus and beans.

• Make lifestyle changes

It comes as no surprise that planning for a baby requires several lifestyle changes. Whether you like it or not, you have to clean up your act. Smoking affects fertility in men as well as women. Thus, when you’re in the baby-making phase, it’s best to refrain from any kind of tobacco or drug use. As far as possible avoid alcohol too. Continuous smoking and drinking can damage the DNA of your baby and also lead to serious birth complications. Consuming too much caffeine can also increase the risk of miscarriage. When you’re planning to conceive, limit your caffeine intake to 200mg/day. While making these lifestyle changes are important, you must also ensure you don’t work/live in stressful or abusive environments.

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet

If you’re too lean, you might face difficulties getting pregnant. Similarly, if you’re too heavy, problems can arise too. Before you’re ready to conceive, check your weight and the quality of your diet. You might even want to consult a nutritionist for advice. Start by consuming a healthy, balanced diet. Make sure your diet includes lentils, beans, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and low-fat dairy products. For a healthy pregnancy, you need all this. Your diet should give you enough protein, iron, folic acid and calcium. Say goodbye to chocolates, chips, baked goods and aerated drinks. You will anyway crave all this once you get pregnant. Cut back on these items during the prenatal phase. To make it easier for you, ask your partner if he’d like to join. Following any kind of diet is always easier when you have company.

• Stay active

Even before you take the plunge, get your body pregnancy ready. If you don’t want your labour to last too long and if you want your delivery to be normal, being active before and after conceiving is important. Exercise also helps you maintain an optimal weight. It activates endorphins which will make you feel good throughout your pregnancy. Moderate aerobic activity for thirty minutes every day is what you should start with. If you can incorporate strength training twice a week, it’s an added advantage. Even after you get pregnant, make it a point to enrol yourself in prenatal yoga.

• Start budgeting/ saving money

These days, having a baby is an expensive affair. Even before you start the process, sit down and discuss with your partner if both of you are financially stable. You will need funds for medical testing, regular doctor visits, vitamins, exercise, ultrasounds and so on. The list is indeed longer than this. Even when the baby is born, he/she will require a lot of supplies. Once you have your finances in order, you will be in a better position to become parents. You can also do some research by finding out the cost of prenatal services in your area, childcare services, insurance and more.

Getting pregnant might seem as easy as a walk in the park. Unfortunately, it isn’t. A lot of planning and discussion goes into it. We hope our checklist helps you successfully embark on the road to pregnancy. If there are any other points going-to-be parents should consider, mention them in the comments below.