BABY IS ON MY MIND

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If you and your partner are planning to conceive, there are a list of things you can do to ensure a safe, normal and healthy baby. You and your partner should start planning at least 3 months before getting pregnant. Baby’s development can be easily affected in the first few weeks of pregnancy before you might even know that you are pregnant. Hence, a bit of planning helps and ensures normal growth and development of the baby. Here are few things to quicken your chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy.

STOP THE PILL

If you are on any of the contraceptive pills, you need to stop it. Stop taking the pill at least 3 months before you start planning. After stopping the pill, allow your body to have 3 normal menstrual cycles before conceiving (In between you can opt for another mode of contraception like a condom). This helps you know your regular cycle and helps predict your delivery date.

FOLIC ACID

The day you stop taking the pill, you should start taking a folic acid supplement. Folic acid, also known as folate or folacin, is a type of B vitamin. It prevents the baby from having any neural tube defects (NTD’s) such as spina bifida or encephaly. The spine or the neural tube develops very early in the pregnancy even before one knows about the pregnancy. Hence, a folic acid supplement is a must from the time you start planning to atleast the 12th week of your pregnancy. Natural sources of folic acid are dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli, citrus fruits, egg yolk, legumes like kidney beans and chickpeas. However, you should not entirely depend on the food sources alone. To be on the safer side, it’s advisable to take a folate supplement. To minimize the risk of spina bifida, one should take 500 micrograms (5mg) folic acid tablet everyday. Certain multivitamins do contain folic acid but they are in smaller amounts and not enough to reduce the risk of spinal defects in the baby.

REDUCE INTAKE OF CAFFEINE

If you are an avid coffee drinker, then you may have to moderate your consumption. Caffeine is known to restrict the growth of a developing baby by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the uterus. This may result in a condition called intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in which an unborn baby is smaller than it should be because it is not growing at a normal rate inside the womb. Drinking more than 3 cups of coffee a day can increase chances of growth retardation in the baby.

QUIT SMOKING AND ALCOHOL

If you smoke or consume alcohol, then you will need to stop both at this very instant. Tobacco and alcohol can affect fertility in men and women. It can also harm the growth of the baby before and after birth. If your partner is smoking, then he too needs to give up on that.

KNOW YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Are your periods regular? Do you get your monthly cycle around the same time every month? Most women have a fixed cycle, like 28 days, 30 days or 26 days. No matter what your cycle is as far as you get it around the same time every month that’s important. Having a regular cycle helps you conceive in an easier way. Most women ovulate (release the egg) around 14 days prior to their 1 st day of menstrual cycle. Studies have also shown that the most fertile period in a woman’s cycle are the five days leading up to ovulation. If you expect to ovulate soon, this is peak baby-making season. As ovulation approaches, your cervix tends to rise in your vagina, soften, and open slightly. Although it feels firm like the tip of your nose at the start of your menstrual cycle, by the time you’re ready to ovulate, it feels soft and fleshy like your lips. You can monitor this fertility sign yourself.

MOVE OUT OF RISK ZONE

If you or your partner are working in a place where you are exposed to any hazardous chemicals, you might need a change in your job or shift in placement. Being in constant contact with any form of harmful chemicals can affect you, your fertility and your child in an adverse way.

LONG STANDING ILLNESSES

If you are suffering from any illness or you have been on medications for long, you will need to check with your doctor before you start planning. Your doctor might want to alter the dose or change medications in case they are not suitable during pregnancy.

WEIGH YOURSELF

Are you underweight or overweight? Try achieving a weight that is normal for your height before you conceive. One should not diet during pregnancy as this may deprive the body of vital nutrients required for baby’s growth. So, get in shape well before pregnancy, you can also take help of a nutritionist to achieve the right weight.

EAT HEALTHY

Eat a healthy, balanced diet containing more green vegetables and fruits and lots and lots of water. Avoid eating junk food or processed food. They contain a lot of preservatives that can be harmful to you and the baby.

DON’T OVER DO IT!

You can have too much of a good thing – at least when it comes to exercise. Excessive amounts of exercise can lead to fertility problems like irregular periods, anovulatory cycles (cycles in which ovulation does not occur), and luteal phase deficiencies (a problem that occurs when the second half of your cycle isn’t long enough to allow for the proper implantation of the fertilized egg). The moral of the story? Stay active, but don’t overdo it. Include basic form exercise in your daily routine. Go for a walk, or join a yoga class. But be careful not to overdo any form of exercise.

PLANNING AHEAD

Even though you haven’t actually managed to conceive yet, it’s never too early to start thinking about your choice of doctor. Ask friends to pass along the names of doctors/nursing homes/hospitals who provided them with excellent care during their own pregnancies. Check how far the place is from your house or your Mom’s house. Once you conceive, you will have regular trips to the doctor’s clinic. Make sure the commute is not tiring for you.