Author Bio: Krishma Patel is the Co-founder and the Superintendent Pharmacist at MedsNow, an online pharmacy in the UK that provides health and wellness products and treatments along with free online consultations. She is passionate about showcasing the integral function community pharmacies can play in supporting the healthcare system and the NHS by providing patients with high quality, safe and discreet access to healthcare at their convenience. Along with being the co-founder of MedsNow, Krishma is also the Director and the Superintendent Pharmacist of Enimed Ltd., an independent pharmacy group comprising 32 branches.

If you are ready to have a baby and are wondering what to do before trying to get pregnant, what precautions to take, or looking for pre-pregnancy planning, you have come to the right place. Whether it’s your first or third child, you should always be cautious and follow pre-pregnancy health care preparations religiously to have a healthy baby. 

What to do before attempting to conceive?

Here you will find a brief note on everything, including plan formulation, diet, preconception checkup, lifestyle habits, and fitness. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Prepare a Strategy and Implement It

Just like when you make a checklist of every crucial aspect of your life, pregnancy is one of them. So you should start by formulating a plan, listing down all the strategies that might work well for you and implementing your plan accordingly in your attempt to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby. Additionally, it’s important to consider your dietary choices during pregnancy, such as whether can I drink horchata while pregnant?.

Let go of your birth control

While it is easy to get off other forms of contraception like condoms or diaphragms, letting go of hormonal contraception like birth control pills may necessitate a little more preparation. Fertility returns for many women soon after they stop using birth control treatments. The regularity of your menstruation will indicate that your ovulation has returned to normal.

Determine when your ovulation occurs

When ready to get pregnant, several women just quit using birth control and leave it to nature to decide when they’ll conceive. Ideally, you should keep track of your cycles and symptoms to mark the fertile days each month. You can rely on ovulation prediction kits or ovulation calculators as well to track your high fertility vs peak fertility.

Make an appointment for a preconception check-up

Scheduling a preconception checkup with your ob-gyn, midwife, or family practice doctor right away will help you a lot to be prepared for future uncertainties. During your appointment, your healthcare provider will most likely look for and give you the following advice:

• Examine your own and your family’s medical history.
• Examine your current health status and any medications or supplements you’re taking.
• Check your immunization status and test immunity to childhood diseases.
• Discuss your diet, weight, exercise, etc.
• Perform a pelvic check and a Pap smear.
• Conduct tests for sexually transmitted infections.
• Respond to any queries you may have.

Remove unhealthy foods from your diet

To put it simply, the healthier you are physically before getting pregnant, the better the environment for a healthy pregnancy. For better nourishment of your body, consume organic and GMO-free food items.

Quit drinking alcohol, smoking, and using illicit drugs

Avoid indulging in any habit involving the consumption of alcohol, drugs, or smoking. Consuming these most often give rise to premature birth, infant death, or certain birth defects.  

Start taking prenatal vitamins, make a fertility smoothie, and maintain a healthy diet

Folic acid is perhaps the most important vitamin to take when planning a pregnancy. Your body also needs vitamin B for cell growth and development. Make sure you buy these from trusted online pharmacies like MedsNow. The food you eat plays an integral role in fulfilling your nutrition needs. If you’re not too keen on vegetables, smoothies are a great way to incorporate them into your diet, especially green leafy vegetables. 

Reduce stress and relax

Stress increases cortisol levels in the body and cortisol is known to suppress ovulation, lower sperm count and libido. It also tightens your body, which can cause your energy to deteriorate and your blood flow to be restricted. I suggest you try:

• Exercising
• Meditating
• Having proper sleep
• Taking a relaxing bath
• Taking up Yoga
• Reading
• Writing
• Performing breathing exercises
• Relaxing in nature

Improve your mental health and get enough sleep before trying conception

Taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health during pregnancy. Depression can affect your body at any time, but it is additionally harmful during pregnancy. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep to ease your conception.

Focus on a healthy weight and exercise regularly

A low or high body mass index (BMI) makes it more difficult for some women to become pregnant. Aiming and working for a fitter body can help you get a good kick start on your pregnancy. You don’t have to pressure yourself too much but simply begin by walking for 10 to 20 minutes daily. 

Pregnancy is a beautiful journey and an immensely special time for every woman. So, we hope you found the information useful and that it will aid you in your pregnancy preparations. If you are unsure about what to do next, you can always return to this post and find the answer you seek.