5 ways to prepare your body for pregnancy

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Preparing to get pregnant is a pivotal time in a woman’s life. There are often times unforeseen stresses that women have about getting pregnant and as time goes on these stressors increase. If you and your partner are preparing to have a baby in the next year or so, there are some things that you can do to prepare your body to be healthy enough to conceive and carry a child to full-term. This article will identify 5 ways in which you can prepare your body for pregnancy.

1. Pay attention to your diet and if you consume fatty foods or foods with preservatives on a regular basis, it is a good idea to start to prepare and eat more nutritious meals. Remove unhealthy foods from your diet and be diligent about eating healthier. This will help your body rid itself of unnecessary food related toxins and clean itself up so that it is ready for baby.
2. Visit your primary care doctor or OBGYN and have a conversation with him or her about your desire to have a baby and the timeline in which you hope to do so. Your doctor will most likely want to perform an examination to make sure that you are healthy on the inside. Some things your doctor will check for include sexually transmitted diseases as stds have a variety of symptoms, some that are even undetectable by common symptoms. The reason that this is important is that if you do have an STD, it could be passed on to the baby. Your doctor will also make sure that you are up to date on all vaccinations and will talk to you about going off of birth control and the process in which to do so.
3. Ask yourself if your current lifestyle is conducive to a pregnancy. If you are a smoker or drink alcohol on a regular basis, you may want to consider decreasing or completely eliminating these activities for the time being. While pregnant, it is healthiest for you and the baby to be smoke and alcohol free. It may take some time to do this so it is best to prepare before getting pregnant.
4. Age. As you age, infertility rates also go up. Pregnancy related complications such as gestational diabetes, preterm labor, or even premature birth defects could occur. Again, consult with your doctor to discuss age and if it is an issue for you.
5. Don’t stress if you do not get pregnant right away. Stress can deter this from happening. If you do not get pregnant right away, continue to eat healthy, live a healthy lifestyle, take your vitamins, get the proper amount of sleep, and relax. Trust that you will have a child and think positive thoughts. Before you know it, you will be with child.

There are many more tips to preparing your body to get pregnant, however these five ideas are ones that have been recommended by doctors and specialists for years. If you are pregnant and you did not do these steps before conceiving, start doing them now. The healthier you are while carrying your child, the healthier your child will be.