Have you been thinking about bringing another life into this world? Do you wish to experience the joy that is motherhood? We understand how you feel but there a few things that have to be kept in mind when you plan something like this. This is a milestone in your life that will change your whole future for the better.

The main thing to consider before bringing another soul into the world is that you yourself are in the peak of your health game. This ensures that the little one you are considering giving life is healthy, safe and happy too! Everything from the food you eat to any sort of medications that you might be taking might in turn affect your likelihood of having a healthy pregnancy. If you are seriously considering having a baby, considering a change in your lifestyle and eating habits to ensure a healthier pregnancy should definitely be on your list.

The Doctor’s Visit

You could always pay a visit to your doctor in case you are in doubt regarding your health. A visit to your doctor becomes even more necessary if you have health conditions like diabetes, epilepsy or asthma since these diseases are one of the few that could be passed on to your little one. In case your doctor suggests that you should change any medication that you are on then give sometime for your body to adjust to the new medications before you start trying to conceive.

Remember to book an appointment with your doctor a few months in advance before you start trying. This is mainly because if you have an underlying medical condition, then it needs to be first controlled before you get pregnant, and the controlling of a few health conditions does take some time. So keeping aside a few months of time for such treatments is always advisable. Also remember not too take too many over-the-counter medications since these medicines could prove harmful during the early pregnancy stages.

There are a few things that your doctor is definitely going to ask you and you need to be absolutely honest with him regarding all the questions. Everything from your lifestyle choices and health, any issues that your might be having during your periods to what kind of exercises you do and how often you do them are up for scrutiny. Do keep in mind that all these questions are just to ensure that you are healthy enough to bring a child into this world. Even things like your emotional health would be up for questioning, so don’t be closed off when answering any and all questions during your time with the doctor.

Being over or under weight could also bring with them their own set of problems during your pregnancy. To make sure that your pregnancy is complication free your doctor will advise you to keep your Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 and 22.9. In case you are overweight and have a BMI of 23 or higher, your doctor will most probably advise you to lose weight to make sure that you have a healthy pregnancy. If it’s the opposite case with you, then the doctor would obviously advise you to gain weight. In this case, you should sit down and talk to your doctor regarding what the healthy ways are to gain weight. Being under weight could also result in irregular period cycles. As a result of this sometimes you might miss your cycle altogether in which case your body will not release an egg.

When you talk to your doctor, also remember to tell him about any genetic conditions that might be running in your and your partner’s family so that even those conditions can be taken into consideration by your doctor and accordingly he will be able to advise you further.

Tests to be done prior to pregnancy

• Blood tests would obviously be of utmost importance when you go in for getting tests done. Your blood work would let your doctor know if you are anaemic or not and treat the condition accordingly.
• Scans for STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) should also be conducted to make sure that you are at your healthiest during your pregnancy.
• Urine Tests are also routinely done in pre-pregnancy tests. The results of your urine tests would also help the doctor determine how to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Vaccinations

Making sure that your vaccinations are upto date before your think about conceiving is also extremely important since a lot of diseases that can be prevented using such vaccines can cause complications during pregnancy. Any live vaccinations that you are about to get should atleast be done a month before you try to start conceiving since the effect of the vaccination take a month to wear off completely. Getting yourself vaccinated against chicken pox is also a good idea at this stage, in case you haven’t already caught it before. This is if in case you end up catching Chicken pox for the first time during your pregnancy it could cause complications for the little one. Also basic vaccination like Hep B and TT should also be considered.

Lifestyle Changes

If you are someone who smokes or drinks or takes drugs on a regular basis, this might be a good time and a great incentive to quit them. After all don’t you want your little one to grow up healthy and happy? You could always ask your doctor to help out in this regard as he may know of support groups that could lend a hand in your journey to quit these harmful habits.

Remember, if you are healthy and treat your body preciously and take the best care of it, a healthy pregnancy is ensured and in turn a healthy baby!