Prenatal Check List

When you're hoping to get pregnant, you certainly want to make sure that you've created the best environment for the potential baby. The baby is going to develop inside your body - and you want to ensure that your body is ready for the task ahead. Creating the best physical location for the baby will help to ensure its healthy and safe development.

Get Moving!

Doctors recommend at least three 20 minute workout sessions each week. These can be anything from walking and swimming to basketball and tennis. Once you know that you are pregnant, you should use low impact workouts and avoid vigorous aerobics or other high impact activities. Tell both your doctor and your exercise teacher as soon as you know you are pregnant, so that you can alter your exercise routine accordingly.

Relax

Try to reduce the stresses in your life as much as possible while trying to get pregnant, and once you are pregnant. Stress and anxiety can negatively affect both fertility and pregnancy. So, try not to stay up late working hard, stay out late, constantly feel pressure with deadlines, and the like. Try to eliminate stress from your life and think of creative ways to relax. You may want to start to take prenatal yoga, enjoy relaxation tapes, go get massages and more.

Healthy Eating

Even before you are pregnant, you should try to eat healthy. Your diet should include fruits, vegetables and proteins. Try to avoid junk food, alcohol and processed carbohydrates as much as possible. Meet with a nutritionist or a doctor for suggestions for healthy foods if you are unclear about what you should be eating. Once you get pregnant, you do need a bit more food each day - but you don't need to eat as if you're "eating for two" as people often say.

Vitamins and Minerals

Start taking folic acid supplements when you start trying to get pregnant. Certainly, don't wait until you are actually pregnant to take these! They are very important for the baby's early development and should be taken, even during the time when you don't yet know that you are expecting.

Smoking

Certainly, if you smoke, the best thing that you can do for yourself and a baby is to quit now. If you can't get yourself to quit, try to significantly cut down on your cigarette use. There are many support groups that you can find to quit smoking, and there are also many products on the market today that try to help you to quit. Smoking creates significant issues with pregnancies and with babies - quit now for a safer tomorrow!

Drugs and Alcohol

You should avoid all drugs while trying to get pregnant, and once you are pregnant. In addition, you should keep your alcohol consumption to a moderate amount. If you are hoping to get pregnant, make sure to tell your GP and to get off of any medications that might hurt your chances of getting pregnant, and your future baby.

Work Environment

If your work environment is either highly stressful, or hazardous to your physical health, consider changing jobs or moving to another area within the company. While you may be nervous to make a change, it can really help both your stress level and your physical health and can make the difference in your fertility and pregnancy.

You have a big task ahead, as you get your body ready to cradle a baby for nine, healthy months. Consider all of the factors in your life that create a healthy environment for your fertility and pregnancy; work to change those areas of your life that may impede your future goal of welcoming a beautiful, healthy child into the world.

 

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