Get My Body Healthy to Have a Baby - Eat a healthy, balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein. Ensure that you are at a healthy weight because being obese or underweight can hamper your ability to conceive and could have negative effects on a pregnancy if one occurs. Consider cutting back on caffeine and avoid certain types of fish that may contain large amounts of mercury.
Continue exercising regularly if you do already or begin an exercise routine if you're been sedentary. Exercising will benefit your overall health and can be continued once you are pregnant. However, most health professionals do not recommend that a pregnant woman begin an exercise regimen, so it is best to begin before you conceive.
Get My Body Healthy to Have a Baby
Overcome any unhealthy addictions you may currently have such as nicotine, alcohol, eating disorders or recreational drug use. All of these are potentially harmful to a developing fetus and may be difficult to stop during pregnancy, so it is advisable to deal with them before conception.
Begin taking at least 400 micrograms of folic acid daily as soon as you begin trying to conceive. Lack of folic acid has been shown to be related to neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Because formation of the neural tube occurs in very early pregnancy, all women of childbearing age and especially those actively trying to conceive are advised to take folic acid.
Make an appointment with your gynecologist for a regular check-up and discuss your plans. He can give you a general exam to check your overall reproductive health. This should include a pap smear to ensure you are free of potentially dangerous infections. He can also prescribe prenatal vitamins that you may begin taking when you are ready to try to conceive.
While most people acknowledge and understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, many often forget the importance of pre-conception health. Making healthy lifestyle choices can help hopeful couples increase their odds of conception and reduce the risk of complications once a pregnancy is established. Good overall health of the mother and father is the first step to a successful pregnancy and birth. - by eHow
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