Pre- Pregnancy Health
You know you want to have a baby. So it’s best to make sure you can have the healthiest baby possible, by taking careful stock of your own health! Creating the best circumstances for your pregnancy should start well before getting pregnant if you want the best possible results!Healthy Goals
Just knowing your intentions ahead of time will help you to set and keep personal health goals, such as:
- Improving your nutrition.
Pregnancy can take a lot out of a woman! The fetus will “steal” essential nutrients right out of your body if you don’t provide them in your diet. A good way to counteract the danger of calcium loss, and other problems, is to start getting a nutrient rich and healthy diet going now. Then maybe you can avoid the pitfalls of an all ice-cream and pickles regimen and it’s aftermath!
- Maintaining a healthy weight.
Women who find themselves extremely over- or underweight, can have pregnancy, or even fertility problems arise out of their situation. Now, this only pertains to extreme high and low weights! Just because you perceive yourself as too heavy, does not mean it endangers your health, or the baby’s, in any way. And though few women would complain of being too thin, unless it is absolutely your genetic body type, there have been reports of it creating difficulties with conception and pregnancy. Your doctor will advise you if you fall into one of these categories, and what steps you can take to attain a healthy weight for pregnancy.
- Taking pregnancy related vitamins and supplements.
This is, of course, different for every woman. There are some tried and true supplement regimens that your doctor can recommend, and many, many homeopathic and other traditional remedies and tonics available on the market. Always let your doctor check the ingredients of any supplements you may be taking, so that he/she can be aware of any possible interactions or side effects, should they occur.
- Avoiding certain medications and alcohol.
Alcohol and certain drugs have their greatest effect on a fetus in the first few weeks of its life, a time when most people don’t even yet realize that they are pregnant. This is part of why planning for pregnancy is so important!
- Diagnosing and planning for your health during pregnancy.
There are many pregnancy related health issues that are of no consequence until you get pregnant. Together with your doctor, you can reassess the medications you take, the risk of such health issues as high blood pressure, kidney disease, and diabetes on your pregnancy, and you and your baby’s immunity to certain virus types.
All of these factors must be weighed for optimal preparation and timing to give your pregnancy, and baby, the best start possible!
