Preconception Care: What To Do To Be Healthy Before Getting Pregnant

If you are thinking of having a baby in the near future, you need to focus on preconception care. Here is what you need to do to before you decide to get pregnant.

Preconception care simply means the things you do to help yourself get healthy both mentally and physically before you actually conceive your baby. Some women may not have had the opportunity to focus on preconception care before they realized they were pregnant. If, however, you are planning for your child and have not yet conceived, here are some items you may want to think about before you actually decide to start trying to have a baby.

* You may want to schedule your yearly physical exam with your primary care physician to get your basic blood work done, as well as your basic vitals like your blood pressure. This will give you a stepping off point to see where your health currently stands and what things in your life you may need to take care of to get your health up to par.

* One of the first things you will want to do after getting your yearly physical exam is to schedule a preconception visit with your physician or ob/gyn. Here you can discuss any risks you may have that would hurt your chances at having a child. You can discuss your test results from your physical, your health problems (for example, diabetes or high blood pressure) and how they may affect your pregnancy and your family history of health and how this may also affect your baby.

* Make sure that all of your vaccinations are up to date. This is something you will want to discuss with your doctor.

* You will also want to discuss any past pregnancies you may have had. This will give your physician a good indication of potential risks you may face in an upcoming pregnancy. If you had a miscarriage or abortion, you will also want to divulge that information. Be open and honest with your physician at all times. It is in your best interests to divulge any information that you deem necessary to a potential pregnancy.

* If you are unfit, do your best to start a moderate exercise program and adopt a more active lifestyle. If you work out before and during your pregnancy, your pregnancy will be that much healthier. However, if you were not performing strenuous activities or exercises before you got pregnant, now is probably not the best time to start. Swimming and walking are two excellent ways to stay in shape before, during and after a pregnancy.

* You will also want to focus on your diet and nutrition. If you are eating unhealthy foods, now is the time to stop. Start focusing on eating nutritious foods and maintaining a healthy and well-balanced diet.If you are already on a radical calorie reduction diet, or a fad diet, to control your weight, you will probably want to go off the diet and replace it with sound healthy eating habits.

* Many doctors will recommend that you take a prenatal vitamin daily in order to get all the vitamins you need to help conceive and maintain a healthy pregnancy.

* If you smoke or drink heavily, stop now. Both of these vices are extremely dangerous to a fetus as well as to yourself, so now is the time to quit so that both you and your baby will be healthy.

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