Getting your body ready for pregnancy is a crucial step in your journey to becoming a parent. A healthy pregnancy requires a healthy body, and that’s why it’s essential to prepare yourself both physically and mentally for the changes that come with carrying a child. Here’s a 30-day plan to help you get started:
Days 1-7
Day 1: Abandon all birth control methods.
If you wish to start a family, you’ll need to stop using any birth control you’re currently on. Some methods of contraception, such as birth control tablets, can cause you to become pregnant right away if you stop using them. In fact, many women experience their first period just two weeks after stopping taking the pill.
Your first cycle of attempting to conceive begins when your period begins. Some women become pregnant right away, while others take several months.
Day 2: Begin taking a multivitamin.
The nutritional resources of the body are depleted during pregnancy. To fill any gaps, give yourself a boost by taking a multivitamin. Prenatal vitamins, on the other hand, are specially created to provide your body with the nutrients it need throughout pregnancy.
Starting a prenatal vitamin regimen now will help you avoid nutritional deficits during your pregnancy. You’ll also have the opportunity to try out a couple different brands to determine what works best for you.
Day 3: Add Folic Acid
To avoid neural tube abnormalities during early pregnancy, you may require an extra folic acid or folate supplement in addition to your prenatal vitamin. Make sure you’re getting 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid every day. This amount is already present in several over-the-counter prenatal supplements. Always double-check the label.
Your doctor may prescribe prenatals with a higher amount after you’re pregnant.
Day 4: Make Healthy Food Choices
A healthy, balanced diet can also provide you with many of the vitamins and minerals you require. Choose whole foods over processed foods. To reduce your exposure to pollutants, you may wish to include more organic fruits and vegetables in your diet if your budget allows.
Day 5: Workout
Another fantastic strategy to prepare for pregnancy is to move your body at least four to five times per week. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every week, for a total of 150 minutes.
Why not start from the couch? Choose a light activity, such as walking, that you can do right outside your front door. Begin with 10 to 15 minutes at a time and gradually increase to larger periods.
Try intense exercises like jogging, cycling, or mountain trekking if you want a greater challenge. More activity provides greater health benefits. If you’re currently reasonably active, aim for 150 to 300 minutes of movement every week.
Day 6: Schedule a physical examination
Having regular physicals will allow you to catch health concerns before they become serious. They’re especially vital while you’re preparing for pregnancy. Your doctor will evaluate you and may order blood tests to assess your cholesterol levels and other factors. You can also discuss any other health issues you may have at this session.
Day 7: Check Vaccinations
Your physical exam is also an excellent time to catch up on any vaccines that may have expired (tetanus, rubella, etc.). Vaccinations can help you and your baby stay healthy and safe.
Days 8-15
Day 8: Make an appointment for a preconception visit.
You may also wish to plan a specific preconception visit with your obstetrician, depending on a variety of circumstances (age, past reproductive concerns, etc.). Because certain aspects of this test may overlap with your physical, bring any particular reproductive questions you may have with you.
From sexually transmitted diseases (STD) screening to pregnancy readiness screening, your visit should cover everything you’re concerned about.
Day 9: Keep a Record of Your Cycle
It’s time to get to know your menstrual cycle, whether you’ve been on birth control or not. You’ll be able to get pregnant faster if you narrow down the window of time when you’re most fertile.
Plus, knowing your cycles can help you figure out if something is off and needs to be addressed (spotting, irregular lengths, etc.).
Begin by keeping track of when your period begins and finishes each month to see how the length of your cycle changes month to month. You might also take note of irregular bleeding and spotting. The usual menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, although it can last anywhere from 21 to 35 days and still be considered normal and healthy. There are numerous apps available to assist you with tracking.
Day 10: Keep Toxin Exposure to a Minimum
Toxic exposure at high levels might be harmful to a developing foetus. Reduce your vulnerability to common criminals by:
- Synthetic perfumes should be avoided.
- avoiding the use of Bisphenol-A (BPA).
- Choosing chemical-free goods for your home and personal care.
- avoiding certain kind of beauty treatments.
Here are a few more things you can do right now:
- Make your own cleaning products with vinegar and water.
- consume organic foods
- Laundry detergents that are fragrance-free should be purchased in large quantities.
- Parabens, sodium laureth sulphate, and mercury-containing cosmetics should be discarded.
- Fresh foods are preferable to canned foods, which may contain BPA.
Day 11: Relaxation Techniques
Establishing good stress relief sources now will benefit you during your pregnancy and your baby’s first year of life.
Do you have a stressful situation? Take a calming walk, try some deep breathing exercises, or do something else that makes you happy.
Day 12: Experiment with Yoga
Yoga offers a lot of fertility-enhancing properties. Practicing yoga on a regular basis may help you cope with the emotions and worry that come with the conception process. In preparation for pregnancy, you’ll also strengthen and extend your body.
Look in your region for yoga for fertility or other yoga sessions.
Day 13: Visit the Dentist
It’s a good idea to have your teeth examined while you’re receiving your regular exams. Hormones in your body may alter your gums and teeth during pregnancy. Brushing your teeth properly before getting pregnant can help prevent pregnancy gingivitis and cavities.
Day 14: Stop Smoking, Drinking, and Using Drugs
Tobacco use, drug use, and alcohol consumption can all harm an unborn child in various ways. Smoking exposes your baby to toxic chemicals, reduces blood flow, and can even lead to premature delivery.
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in which a baby is exposed to alcohol when the mother is pregnant (FAS). Drug usage (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, marijuana, and so on) is not only prohibited, but it can also result in birth abnormalities, miscarriage, and stillbirth.
Day 15: Have Sex
From the start, avoid making sex a chore. It’s a good idea to do it frequently and for fun. Be impulsive and enthusiastic. After all, it’s sex that’ll make you pregnant. Developing good lovemaking habits now will help your relationship become stronger.
Don’t worry about sex time at first if you don’t have any known fertility concerns. Instead, have unprotected intercourse frequently throughout your period.
Days 16-23
Day 16: Achieve Your Ideal Weight
Do you know what your BMI (body mass index) is? During your physical, your doctor will most likely calculate this figure. If your BMI puts you in the higher weight category, talk to your doctor about how to lose weight in a healthy way. Consult your doctor if your BMI puts you in the underweight range.
Day 17: Compile a medical history of the family
Genetic variables with roots in your family tree will also have an impact on your baby’s health. Before getting pregnant, check with your parents or other relatives to see whether any genetic problems run in your family. Your partner is in the same boat.
Is it possible to discover something? You can meet with a genetic counsellor to talk about your concerns and receive additional testing.
Day 18: Talk about Prescriptions
Make sure your doctor is aware that you’re trying to conceive so that they can review your prescriptions, medications, and any other supplements you’re taking. Some of these medications may not be suitable for use while pregnant.
Day 19: Seek Domestic Violence Assistance
If you’re dealing with domestic violence that could jeopardise your health or that of your unborn child, the Domestic Violence Hotline can help. The services are kept private.
Day 20: Get a Good Night’s Sleep
In the days following the arrival of their bundles of joy, many parents are concerned about sleep. However, sleep during pregnancy might be just as difficult to come by. Take advantage of the opportunity to catch up on your sleep.
Day 21: Caffeine should be limited
Do you consume large amounts of coffee or other caffeinated beverages on a regular basis? For pregnant women, 12 ounces of coffee per day is the recommended daily dose. If you’re currently consuming more than this, try tapering off gradually.
Day 22: Guzzle Water
Water makes up 60 percent of your total body weight. Maintain maximum health by staying hydrated. Every day, women should consume 9 cups of water. You may wish to increase this dosage if you become pregnant. Consult your doctor for advice.
Day 23: Understand the Process of Conception
By learning the fundamentals, you can improve your chances of becoming pregnant. Planned Parenthood is an excellent resource for learning about pregnancy.
To begin, you must have intercourse during your fertile window in order for the sperm to reach the egg before or shortly after it is discharged into your body. Fertilized eggs then travel down the fallopian tubes and must implant in the uterus in order for the pregnancy to be successful. Half of all fertilised eggs do not implant and are washed away during your period.
Days 24-30
Day 24: Arrange for him to be checked out.
Though the woman is responsible for the majority of a healthy pregnancy, it’s also a good idea for your partner to get checked out. Male factors are responsible for about 30% of infertility cases.
Make sure he:
- arranges for a physical examination.
- he eats well
- exercises.
- Stop smoking and abusing other substances.
- Alcohol consumption is restricted.
Day 25: Immune System Booster
Colds, the flu, and other ailments are more common during pregnancy. Eat a nutritious, antioxidant-rich diet, get plenty of vitamin C, and get plenty of rest to improve your immune system.
Day 26: Learn the Do’s and Don’ts
There will be a lot of conflicting information regarding what is safe and what is not throughout pregnancy. Some of this isn’t entirely accurate. Other goods are critical for your baby’s health as they grows. One of the most hotly debated topics? What foods should avoid while pregnant.
Pregnant women are ten times more likely to get listeria from contaminated foods than other healthy people. Start checking the labels on your favourite items right away to see if they’ve been pasteurised.
Day 27: Working Around
Your profession could be physically demanding or necessitate some risky manoeuvres. Heavy lifting, lengthy periods of standing, and bending at the waist, on the other hand, might cause menstruation problems, reproductive concerns, and miscarriage.
Consult your doctor about your problems and the lifting advice. If you get pregnant, avoid moving heavy objects from the floor, lifting high, and bending or stooping over repeatedly.
Day 28: Try Something Outlandish
There are a lot of activities that aren’t safe for you or your growing kid while you’re pregnant. Get in one last skydive or roller coaster ride before you start trying to conceive. A placental abruption can be caused by the abrupt starting, pausing, and other jarring impacts of more intense activity.
Day 29: Check Your Insurance Coverage
Before you get pregnant, make sure you understand what your health insurance plan covers. Every year, around 1 million women give birth without receiving proper prenatal care. Their babies are three times more likely to be delivered with low birth weights and five times more likely to die than babies born to women who attend prenatal appointments on a regular basis.
Day 30: Communicate
You might conceive in your first few cycles of trying, but it takes a long time for couples to receive a positive indication. Make sure you’re being open and honest with your partner before you start trying to conceive. The key to keeping your relationship healthy is to talk about any challenges or frustrations you’re having on your way to having a baby.
Conclusion
Getting your body ready for pregnancy is a crucial step in your journey to becoming a parent. By following this 30-day plan, you can prepare yourself physically and mentally for the changes that come with carrying a child. Remember to consult with your doctor throughout your journey and to always prioritize your health and the health of your baby.
FAQ
- How should I prepare my body for pregnancy?
Planning for Pregnancy
– Make a strategy and put it into action.
– Consult your physician.
– Every day, take 400 micrograms of folic acid.
– Drinking alcohol, smoking, and using certain drugs should all be avoided.
– Avoid Toxic Substances and Pollutants in the Environment.
– It is possible to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
– Get help if you’re dealing with domestic violence.
– Learn about your ancestors. - How long does it take to prepare your body for pregnancy?
If you’re considering becoming pregnant, begin focusing on your health at least three months before you begin trying to conceive. You may need more time to make your body ready to have a baby if you have health issues that could impact your pregnancy.
- What are the signs of good fertility?
Ovulation Signs and Symptoms
– Result of an Ovulation Test that is Positive.
– Cervical Mucus Fertile
– Increased desire for sexual activity.
– Increase in body temperature at rest.
– Cervical Position Shift.
– Tenderness of the breast
– Pattern of Saliva Ferning.
– Pain associated with ovulation. - When should I start taking folic acid?
The neural tube of a foetus begins to grow in the first four weeks of pregnancy (before the first missed period). As a result, you should begin taking folic acid as soon as you begin trying for a baby.