Most women who want to have children
try to plan for when they will have children, and part of your plan
can include getting your own body ready for the demands of pregnancy
and childbirth. You can still have a healthy pregnancy without
extensive preparation, but many women have a more positive pregnancy
experience if they are able to prepare in advance.
Follow these tips to help prepare
yourself for pregnancy if you hope to conceive soon.
1. Reach a Healthy Weight
Weight gain is normal and usually
encouraged during pregnancy. However, if you are already overweight,
weight gain can sometimes be an extra burden on you during a time
when your body is already more physically stressed.
Overweight and obese mothers can
experience more complications during pregnancy. Common troubles that
result include:
- Gestational diabetes. Some
pregnant women have a hard time regulating their blood sugar.
Gestational diabetes goes away after birth, but it can affect fetal
development. The most common side-effect of gestational diabetes is
a larger baby who struggles to regulate their own blood sugar after
birth.
- Premature birth. Overweight
mothers are more likely to go into labor early, which can be
dangerous for the baby.
- Trouble sleeping. Sleep
apnea can develop during pregnancy, making it harder for you to get
necessary rest.
- Preeclampsia. This
condition, which is characterized by high blood pressure and organ
damage, affects new mothers most often and it is most common in
women who are overweight or obese.
Reaching a healthy weight before
conceiving can help you control your weight better after you become
pregnant. If you become pregnant before reaching your goal, your OBGYN
can help you develop a
plan for healthy eating and reduced weight gain during pregnancy.
2. Take Prenatal Vitamins
Your body requires extra nutrients when
it is working hard to grow a baby. The baby takes vitamins and
minerals from your diet and from your body's natural stores. Women
who are pregnant commonly struggle to get enough nutrients just from
the food they eat.
For example, a fetus requires calcium.
If you don't eat enough calcium during pregnancy, you will actually
use the calcium stored in your bones and teeth to support your own
needs and the needs of the growing baby. Your bones weaken as a
result. Taking a prenatal vitamin helps to protect you from
deficiencies.
If you plan to conceive soon, you don't
have to wait until the pregnancy test comes back positive before you
begin taking prenatal vitamins. These vitamins provide enough extra
nutrients for both you and your growing baby, including essentials
like folic acid and vitamin D.
The needs of a growing baby are
immediate, but a pregnancy test takes a few weeks before it will show
up positive. If you're already taking vitamins, this period of growth
time is covered.
3. Establish a Routine Pattern of
Activity
In times past, pregnant mothers were
not encouraged to do any sort of exercise. However, now medical
professionals know that exercise is helpful for a healthy pregnancy.
It can help preserve the strength of the mother, make labor easier,
and prevent excessive weight gain.
However, the beginning of pregnancy is
not the time to start a new workout program. Instead, try to
establish a pattern of active living before pregnancy. You can then
continue this pattern as your pregnancy begins.
You might decide to exercise in a way
that you can maintain while pregnant. For example, you might join a
water aerobics class or begin swimming, as both are great exercises
that you can do throughout pregnancy.
4. Consider Your Birth Control
Method
Finally, talk to your OBGYN about what
birth control you use. Some forms of birth control, like the IUD, can
be removed and you could become pregnant the next day. Others, like
the pill or the shot, take time to wear off. If you plan for
pregnancy, ask your OBGYN which birth control is best for your
timeline.
For more information, contact Jack
G. Faup M.D. to answer your questions about how to prepare for a
healthy pregnancy.
