Selfcare and healthy habits shouldn’t wait until after you find out you’re pregnant. In a previous blog, we explained the correlation between healthy food and fertility benefits, including improved egg quality and healthy ovulation. Still, there are many steps you can take to prepare your body for pregnancy. In this blog, we’re taking a closer look at specific areas of the body to focus on, nutrients to pay attention to, and other ways you can optimize your body for pregnancy. Pregnancy is a time of significant change, so read on to learn how you can prepare your body for pregnancy and all of the changes that come with it.
Quit Your Vices
If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or even just thinking about how to prepare your body for pregnancy, one of the most important steps to take is to cut back on drinking and quit smoking. Not only can alcohol and tobacco use lead to problems with fertility and getting pregnant in the first place, but they also increase health risks for you and your baby. In short, if you’re planning on getting pregnant anytime soon, you should avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
Exercise and Strengthen
Getting into shape doesn’t just help you look and feel good; it can also help prepare your body for pregnancy. Staying active provides cardiovascular benefits, decreases stress, helps maintain a healthy weight, and boosts your overall health, all of which contribute to your reproductive health. There is no need to commit to anything too challenging or strenuous, as too much vigorous exercise may negatively impact ovulation, so just aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity three to six days a week. When you work out, look for specific exercises that contribute to a strong core and pelvis, both of which can build stamina for birth and better tolerate the bodily stress of pregnancy and childbirth. These specific exercises, combined with other mood-boosting and stress-relieving workouts, are some of the best ways to prepare your body for pregnancy.
Eat Well
Eating healthy is essential to pregnancy, but getting into the habit of eating well prior to conceiving can help get your body ready for pregnancy in more ways than one. Not only can nutrition improve fertility, but healthy eating also ensures your baby will have all the essential nutrients for development right from the first moment of conception. Instead of the old belief of “eating for two,” doctors have suggested eating “twice as healthy” when pregnant, so in order to achieve this goal, it’s important to establish a healthy eating routine before conception.
Take a Multivitamin
While taking prenatal vitamins containing folic acid and other essential nutrients is a well-known recommendation, you may not know that taking a prenatal vitamin can also help prepare your body for pregnancy. There is no harm in taking prenatal multivitamins before conception, so by taking these vitamins while trying to become pregnant, you’re creating a healthier body for your future baby.
Know Where You Stand
Before trying for a baby, check in with your own health first. Scheduling a visit to your doctor, a fertility specialist, or both can allow you to get the right exams, testing, and information before you conceive. If you have been trying to conceive for over a year without success, our fertility testing at Carolinas Fertility Institute can help provide you with valuable insights and guidance on what your next steps should be.
Talk to A Fertility Expert
If you have any questions or concerns about fertility, pregnancy, or infertility, including how to prepare your body for pregnancy, reach out to Carolinas Fertility Institute today. Our knowledgeable and dedicated staff can help answer any questions you may have about fertility testing. We also offer a wide variety of services, from fertility evaluations to In Vitro fertilization. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation by calling our Charlotte office at (844) 686-2233 or our office in the Triad at (336) 448-9100.