pregnancy tips

If you are thinking of getting pregnant somewhere in the near future it is important to give yourself some time to prepare for the new arrival and prepare yourself to get pregnant and also to cope with pregnancy! Firstly, you need to check through any work contracts- What money will you be entitled to and for how long? What notice would you need to give your employer? How would you balance a baby and your work life/family life? How stable is your relationship? Are there any future commitments or plans having a baby would interfere with?

Before me and my wife had our baby we hadn't considered any of these facts. However, if you don't you could find yourself short of time or money or wishing you had waited just a few more months as trust me- nine months is never enough. Also it is vital to discuss your plans with your doctor, we found out after her pregnancy that my wives previous contraceptive pill can cause long term infertility if taken for long periods and she had never been informed of this.

Some women just assume that they will stop using contraceptives and get pregnant straight away, this is not the case. Some pills produce a male hormone which remains in the blood stream for significantly longer that expected.

If you are planning to get pregnant you will want to cut down on your alcohol intake and start to eat a healthy, balanced diet. There is no real proof that this helps you to get pregnant but it would stand you in good stead for when you are pregnant as it will give you and your baby the best start possible.

My wife and several of her pregnant friends could not manage healthy foods during some or even most of their pregnancy due to morning sickness and so eating healthily before and after you get pregnant for as long as possible is important. It is also vital to begin taking folic acid as this will prepare your body for pregnancy and must be continued to be taken up to twelve weeks into your pregnancy in order to help prevent birth defects such as spina bifida in your unborn child.

As previously mentioned, talk to your doctor as they will help you to plan ways to start your family.

My wife got really upset as month after month she did not fall pregnant, but actually it takes the average person several months to fall pregnant and doctors don't consider their to be problems with a couples fertility until after at least a year of trying, perhaps more for certain couples. Your age, weight, previous contraceptives and lifestyle are all factors that can all affect fertility.

Also a Woman is only fertile for a few days each month.

There are kits out there that can tell you when a woman is most fertile but also relaxing and just trying will help you to conceive. My wife had just been persuaded by me to not try and to start saving to a mortgage when out of the blue she was suddenly pregnant!

It is true there can be many setbacks when you are trying to conceive. If, after a year, you haven't conceived go back to your doctor and they can continue to support you, although bear in mind that this is common and doctors won't necessarily be worried at what they feel is still early stages. If your doctor is concerned, they will send you for more tests and you will receive help.

It is also common for couples to endure the heartbreak of miscarriage. Several of my wives' friends have suffered through a miscarriage, some after trying for long periods of time. However, this can be a mixed blessing, if you suffer a miscarriage then it shows your body is fertile and your body will be more fertile after this experience, so keep trying.

Miscarriages tend to happen because the babies are not forming correctly inside the womb or when the womans body simply isn't ready for pregnancy, so keep trying if you can and soon a healthy baby will be conceived. Again this shows the importance of trying to be healthy before pregnancy and taking folic acid. Also if you have repeated miscarriages, see your doctor and they may be able to diagnose a reason why this is happening and so will be able to support you in getting pregnant and eventually carrying a healthy child. Do not become discouraged.

Enjoy your intercourse with your partner and stay relaxed and happy. If you find you cannot have a baby naturally there are other options and by planning ahead and keeping relaxed you will eventually find yourselves happy parents. If you have any other tips or want to share experiences please feel free to comment

Good luck!