Pregnancy can be incredibly tough on your body, and because of this, it is important to prepare your body as well as you can. While this isn’t a complete list, it does include a few of the most important steps you should take.
Cut Out Bad Habits
Firstly, start quitting and cutting out any bad habits you may have. Whether it be smoking, drinking, eating too much junk food, etc, it is a must to cut these things out. This is for one simple reason: they don’t help your body, they only harm it.
Look up how to get a vape prescription, taper and quit for good, limit your alcohol consumption, and start to eat healthier. The harm these habits cause takes a while to fix; therefore, the sooner you start, the better.
Speak to Your Doctor
Next, visit your doctor and get blood tests done to see which vitamins and minerals you are lacking in. This is important to know as having the right balance of vitamins and minerals is important for both your and your baby’s health.
Plus, if you are deficient in something, it is better to get a prescription, as you know it will be enough and do the job you need it to do.
Personal Health History
Additionally, you should have a personal health history check done. There is a chance that you have the genes or predisposition to develop or pass on a condition to your child, and it is important to know what it is.
Part of this check should also include any conditions that family members may have, such as heart disease or diabetes, both of which can develop through being pregnant.
Reach & Maintain a Healthy Weight
Another crucial step before and during pregnancy is to reach and maintain a healthy weight. It is almost unavoidable not to gain weight while pregnant, but you may open yourself up to other conditions if your weight gets too out of hand.
Whether you are overweight or underweight, not being a healthy weight can lead to diabetes, birth defects, preterm births, etc. Therefore, this should be something you focus on both leading up to the pregnancy, and during.
Vitamin-Rich Diet
It is also important to eat a healthy, vitamin-rich diet. As mentioned, pregnancy can take a heavy toll on your body, and your nutrient reserves can become depleted. While you can take multivitamins and pills, it is always better to fix your nutrient levels with diet.
You may want to consult your doctor before drastically changing your diet, and then also consult a dietitian to ensure your diet is not only healthy, but also balanced.
Exercise
While exercise is not the most exciting thing to many, it is important before being pregnant, during pregnancy, and after giving birth. Exercise makes your body, muscles, and heart strong, with all three being important for pregnancy.
Exercise will also help you maintain a healthy weight, and will put your body in the place it needs to be to recover after you give birth. That last point is one often overlooked, but you must keep it in mind, as post-birth care is just as important as the care you take during your pregnancy.
Protect Yourself Against Viruses
You should also take extra care when it comes to your exposure to viruses and getting sick. Both pregnancy and viruses can affect everyone differently, and you don’t know how your body will react to something as simple as a cold when your hormones and body have been changed due to being pregnant.
Therefore, it is always best to avoid viruses and sickness when possible, and if you do get sick, deal with it quickly and efficiently. This isn’t the time to have the mindset of “it’s not that bad” or “I’ll just let it pass,” rather go to the doctor, get the right medicine, and deal with it properly.
Avoid Harmful Substances & Chemicals
Another step to take is to begin avoiding harmful chemicals and substances. This includes everything from the bleach you use for cleaning, to breathing in car fumes excessively. While there are chemicals and substances you can’t completely avoid, the next best thing is to limit your exposure.
Replace your cleaning supplies with natural alternatives, avoid smokers, get as much fresh air as possible, etc. These may seem like small changes, but they can make a huge difference.
Mental Health
Finally, trying to get pregnant and being pregnant can affect your mental health in ways you may have never experienced before. Because of this, taking care of your mental health should be right near the top of your priority list.
There are many ways to go about this, you can either visit a professional, meditate, start journaling, or a combination of methods. The goal is to simply find what works for you, and what is sustainable in the long run.
In conclusion, preparing yourself for pregnancy will take time and effort, but the reward at the end of it is that both you and your child will be healthy. Making these changes will provide nothing but great outcomes, and therefore, should be something every woman should do before trying to get pregnant. \