Thinking of starting a family? Here are seven things to consider to achieve a successful and healthy pregnancy.
1. Balanced diet
Include a variety of foods from all the food groups in your diet when trying to conceive. Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, protein rich foods, whole grains, healthy sources of fat, etc. It is also a good idea to take a multivitamin that contains folic acid and other nutrients.
2. Quit alcohol and smoking
When trying to conceive, it is advised to stay away from alcohol and smoking. They both can affect your fertility. Apart from this, go easy on caffeine. Make sure you limit your caffeine intake to less than 200 mg per day.
3. Maintain a normal weight
Keeping your weight under the normal range can keep certain ovulation disorders at bay. Being underweight or overweight can cause instability in hormone levels and menstrual cycle, and is also known to affect the quality of eggs.
4. Make exercise your daily routine
Besides maintaining a healthy weight, it is also important to exercise daily for your overall well-being. But, make sure you find a balance as too much exercising could interfere with ovulation, so do it in moderation.
5. Know the best time to have sex
For a typical 28 day menstrual cycle, your ovulation will occur around two weeks before your period (you can use ovulation kit to know your ovulation status). Having regular sex during your fertile period, which is around a week before the ovulation occurs, is the best time to ensure the released egg to be fertilized by a sperm cell. You can use ovulation kit to know if you / your partner’s ovulation status.
6. Stress less
Trying for a baby can be stressful but, fretting about it isn’t good for you. Starting a family requires you and your partner to be patient and calm. Try yoga, meditating and relaxing exercises to keep your mind stress free.
7. Pre-pregnancy check up
Once you have planned your pregnancy, you should get a check-up done. Your doctor might suggest prenatal vitamins like folic acid and update you about the important vaccinations. In addition, your doctor may suggest a few tests for you and your partner to make sure neither of you have any medical condition that could affect your chances of conceiving.
Do not get upset
While you’re trying to conceive, be prepared to accept a few failures in the start. It’s normal; majority of couples face it. It’s important to be patient and relaxed while you try and apply the above tips to get the good news.
Most of the healthy couples conceive within a year of trying to get pregnant. If you are unable to conceive within a year and if you are below 35 years of age you should consider visiting a fertility specialist. But if you’re over 35, you should wait for 6 months before visiting a fertility specialist.
Disclaimer: Indian Health Bureau does not claim any responsibility for the information contained in this article. The information may not hold good for everyone. The post is for general awareness only and should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Please consult your doctor to know what is good for you.
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