To ensure that you are best prepared, heres the checklist of 9 tips for you to have the best and memorable nine months.
Have a healthy preconception diet that includes all food groups and say no to junk
Are you ready for the second phase of your married life? Ready to get start trying?
To ensure that you are best prepared, here's the checklist of 9 tips for you to have the best and memorable nine months.
1. Be familiar with your menstrual cycle
The best chances of success in conceiving is by being aware of your menstrual cycle and track the changes that happen to your body during the menstruation. The key to tracking is to know when you ovulate. Recording the start and end of your periods and noticing the flow during each month, will help you in understanding your cycle better. To track ovulation, there are a lot of mobile applications to help make it easy for you.
2. Preconception Care
To conceive, you must ensure that your body is in good health. It is very important to have your physical, mental and emotional health in the best condition to be prepared to get pregnant. Preconception care or checkup will help you understand the areas that need improvement to ensure the conception process leads to the best chance of a healthy baby. Visit your doctor and let them evaluate you by recording your health history or past medical concerns and advise you on having a healthy pregnancy.
3. Balanced Diet
You might have heard this from anyone and everyone to have a proper diet during your pregnancy. Nonetheless, it is equally important to have a healthy preconception diet that includes lean protein, healthy fats, leafy greens, fruits and whole grains. There is no need to give up on comfort food but try to keep them in moderation.
4. Take Folic Acid
All doctors will advise you to take certain vitamins, particularly Folic Acid, which can decrease the chances of having neural tube birth defects that can develop during the first trimester of pregnancy. The doctor typically advises to consume 400 micrograms of folic acid everyday, starting at least 30 days prior to conception.
5. Maintain your body weight
Sometimes being overweight can decrease the chances of conception. It's easier to get pregnant when you have a good healthy weight and it also makes your pregnancy journey easier. Being underweight or overweight can lead to childbirth complications.
6. Prepare a QUIT PLAN
This is the best time to stop consumption of alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or any substance usage. Additionally, you must reduce the consumption of caffeine to 2 cups a day.
7. Know your family's genetic history
It is always important to tell your doctor about any close relative who has had a history of birth defects or inherited medical conditions. This gives a higher chance of you having a baby with the same challenges.
8. Don't Overdo it
When planning or trying to conceive for any length of time, most couples tend to feel that having sex everyday will help them conceive faster. However, it is not true. Most doctors advise to have sex only during the fertile window, when planning to conceive.
9. Don't stress out
Most couples do get discouraged or lose hope, when the conception time stretches on. It sometimes can take months to conceive, despite best efforts put in by both the partners. It is advisable to visit your doctor to address any medical condition, if any. Or else look for each other's support and reassurance and have patience.
(Dr. Tanveer Aujla, Senior Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospital, Noida)
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