30 – Day Guide: Preparing Your Body for Pregnancy
There are a number of couples who might want to get themselves ready to plan a child. Planning and getting a healthy baby through a successful pregnancy is a huge achievement for a couple and certainly a matter of unbound joy. But before planning for a baby, people need to clearly understand whether their bodies and minds are ready to produce a healthy child successfully. For instance, people need to have a healthy and balanced diet and consume several essential components such as folic acid for a healthy pregnancy or they will have to include some healthy practices into their daily lifestyle such as practicing yoga, meditation, exercises and having proper sleep and most importantly to check the medical history of the couple and to treat any hidden health conditions that they might be having. Here is the one-month guide to prepare your body effectively to have a healthy pregnancy.
Days 1-7
Day 1: Stop using contraception
It is very important to stop taking any types of birth control pills or contraception if you want to prepare yourself to get pregnant easily and fast. Once you stop using the birth control pills, you have already increased your chances of getting pregnant.
Day 2: Have lots of Multivitamins
While you are preparing your body for pregnancy it is always advisable to have a diet that is rich in various essential and soluble vitamins. Doctors always prescribe to have multivitamin supplements as you prepare to get pregnant as multivitamins help to maintain good prenatal health because these multivitamins help to provide your body immunity and other essential health benefits that are required in the pre-pregnancy period.
Day 3: Have foods rich in Folic Acid
In your prenatal stage, you should consume foods that are high in folic acid content or supplements that contain folate that will help in the growth and brain development of the embryo. According to recent studies (Trusted Source) having high amounts of folic acid in your diet per day before getting pregnant prevents neural tube defects during pregnancy.
Day 4: Have a balanced diet
While you are preparing your body for pregnancy, try to limit the consumption of overcooked, processed, packaged and fast foods such as burgers, pizzas, pasta and so on. Instead try having plenty of fruits and green leafy vegetables and nutritious foods such as whole grains, oats, foods that are rich in fiber and antioxidants and drink plenty of water.
Day 5: Work out daily
Exercise is the most vital procedure for keeping both your mind and body healthy and active. Try to work out and do easy exercises such as jogging, cycling, and free hands for at least 30 minutes a day while you are getting your body prepared for pregnancy. In fact, you can continue exercise even when you get pregnant but surely consult your physician.
Day 6: Get a Physical
In your pre-natal days, it is necessary to keep up with your physicals each year so that if you have any hidden health problems, they will be treated immediately they are noticed and will not lead to complications while you get pregnant.
Day 7: Get all necessary vaccinations
Before getting pregnant, or while you are preparing yourself, get the necessary precautions to protect it from diseases. Keep all your vaccinations updated such as chicken pox, smallpox, rubella, mumps- measles and coronavirus, so that you and your child remain protected and safe.
Days 8-15
Day 8: Visit your doctor
While you are getting prepared for pregnancy, make appointments with your obstetrician and discuss what you need to do to have a healthy child and a complication- free pregnancy. Also place your medical history and family disorder trends with your doctor for further advice.
Day 9: Know your menstrual Cycle
It is important to keep track of your period cycle each month and to report any sort of irregularity to your concerned obstetrician. In fact, tracking your menstrual cycle will help you to get a clear idea of when you are most fertile and when should you have sex to get pregnant fast and easily. Once you start missing your cycles, there are chances that you might be pregnant.
Day 10: Avoid exposure to toxic substances
While planning a baby, one needs to avoid the exposure to the following toxic substances:
- synthetic fragrances of perfumes or beauty products
- Bisphenol-A (BPA)
- Chemical fragrances and fresheners in laundry
- Chemicals in cosmetics and room fresheners
Instead switch to the following uses:
- stock up on fragrance-free laundry detergents
- avoid using cosmetics with chemicals like parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, and mercury
Day 11: Manage Stress
Stress and anxiety are not good for the baby and for expecting mothers. Moreover, stress disorders make it difficult to even perform intercourse that will eventually lead to pregnancy. So, it is crucial to manage stress and anxiety-related issues before pregnancy.
Day 12: Practice Yoga and meditation
Practicing yoga and meditation every day along with some breathing exercises helps in keeping the mind and the body in proper coordination. This is very important in your pre-natal days and yoga benefits also help to enrich the fertility.
Day 13: Visit the Dentist
Though this may sound unusual, sometimes before and during pregnancy your body undergoes some sudden changes in hormones that may affect the health of your teeth and gums. So, it is better to get advice from your dentist and maintain healthy dental practices before getting pregnant to avoid cavities and toothaches during pregnancy.
Day 14: Cut down Smoking and Drinking
Smoking, heavy drinking and consumption of drugs can seriously harm the health of a child and can also cause difficulties in getting pregnant and in intercourse. In fact, heavy smoking and drinking can lead to extremes such as miscarriages and stillbirth.
Day 15: Perform intercourse
Know the time when you are most fertile and then perform sexual intercourse that will help you to conceive. You may consult your concerned physician to know in detail about the positions that are effective to get pregnant easily.
Days 16-23
Day 16: Keep your weight at an optimum
Before you get pregnant try to get rid of excess weight or obesity and keep your body mass index or BMI (Body Mass Index) at an optimum level. It is also important to note that if your body is underweighted you might face difficulties in pregnancy and so you should consult your doctor.
Day 17: Get to know Family Medical History
If there is a genetic trend of certain disorders in your family history, then the genes from both the mother’s and the father’s person can bring those disorders to the child. So, it is important to know your family medical history before you plan for a child. In this case a genetic counselor may help to find a way out.
Day 18: Discuss Prescriptions
Try to let your doctor know that you are planning for pregnancy so that he or she can help to conceive faster and easily. Discuss the doctor’s recommendations and share with your past medical conditions that will make pregnancy an easier process.
Day 19: Get rid of Domestic Violence
When you are planning for a pregnancy, make sure there is no domestic violence that may keep you mentally disturbed. Moreover, during pregnancy, any kind of violence or mental disturbance of the mother can affect the child’s health.
Day 20: Get enough Sleep
It is crucial to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy. Try to get a power nap whenever possible while you are preparing for pregnancy.
Day 21: Avoid too much Caffeine
Drinking too much (around 5 or more cups each day) of coffee or any other caffeinated beverages may be harmful for your pregnancy. Try to lower down the intake of coffee and caffeinated drinks while you are pregnant.
Day 22: Keep yourself hydrated
Drink plenty of water each day so that your body remains hydrated throughout the day. Doctors prescribe high consumption of water and other fluids before and during pregnancy to avoid dehydration that might affect pregnancy.
Day 23: Learn about pregnancy
Try to learn about parenthood before you plan and prepare yourself for pregnancy. First, know-how and when to perform intercourse to get pregnant easily. Secondly, knowing the process of conceiving a child begins after fertilization will help you to get a clear idea about pregnancy before you prepare yourself for it.
Days 24-30
Day 24: Father’s checkup is vital too
A man has an equal contribution in pregnancy just like the mother. So, the father must also get regular checkups and get physicals while the couple is planning for a child. Before pregnancy, the father should also work out, meditate, practice yoga and breathing, manage stress, quit smoking, alcohol, and drugs, and have a proper and balanced diet.
Day 25: Build Immunity
Try to build up a strong immunity to combat against several types of chronic disorders and to fight against infections such as the common cold and flu, covid and many others so that you can ensure an easy pregnancy.
Day 26: Learn the Do’s and Don’ts
According to studies It has been found that before planning pregnancy, couples have a lot of doubts regarding the process of pregnancy and issues related to it. The complications in pregnancy can easily be avoided if you know what to do and what to avoid while you are pregnant or while you are preparing for it.
Day 27: Do casual work
Do not do heavy work such as lifting heavy weights or frequently climbing staircases or any work that requires stooping or bending over while you are pregnant or when your body is getting prepared to carry a child. You can do some casual work.
Day 28: Try experiencing
When you get pregnant, you might face several restrictions. So, it is important to make your mind relaxed before your body prepares for pregnancy. Do a number of activities such as skating or scuba diving before you get pregnant.
Day 29: Check Your Insurance Coverage
Before planning for a baby, make sure that you have enough insurance coverage, because babies are born with low birth weights and are more vulnerable to diseases and deaths than babies born to women who keep up with regular prenatal visits.
Day 30: Communicate
While you are preparing your body for pregnancy, communicate frankly both with your partner, your doctors or maybe with your friends if you are comfortable because once you open, it will be easy to discuss the problems you might be facing, and this will help to keep your health and your child’s health safe and secured.
