How to Prepare for Baby Before Pregnancy
Of course, couples who want to have a baby have some things to do and habits to change before they start the pregnancy process in order to have a healthy baby and have a problem-free birth. Here are some suggestions for pregnancy preparation for expectant mothers…
Find out if your vaccinations are complete
Infections such as chickenpox and rubella can pose a danger to an unborn baby. If the necessary vaccinations have not been made, at least 1 month before conception, a blood test should be performed to check the immunity and vaccinations.
Get information from the doctor about drug use
During early pregnancy, some drugs cross the placenta and adversely affect the development of the baby. Doctors should be informed about the drugs used, vitamins or herbal supplements. The drug used can be replaced with another drug, or it may be recommended to discontinue it before conception.
Try to solve your weight problems
A healthy weight must be reached before becoming pregnant. Being very thin or very overweight brings with it many problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, palpitations and fatigue during pregnancy. By exercising regularly, the body can be prepared for the pregnancy period.
Quit smoking
If you are planning to have children and you are a smoker, it is a good decision to stop smoking in the pre-pregnancy period. Many studies show that tobacco use reduces female fertility and male sperm count. Also, smoking during pregnancy; It can cause many health problems such as premature birth, low birth weight in the baby, placenta problems, miscarriage, stillbirth, cleft lip / palate.
Do not consume alcohol
There is no defined threshold value for alcohol intake during pregnancy. Therefore, alcohol should not be consumed before and during pregnancy. Alcohol consumption increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth during pregnancy, and excessive alcohol intake can cause facial deformities and mental retardation in the baby, which is defined as fetal alcohol syndrome.
Review your diet
It is very important to start a healthy and balanced diet before pregnancy. Eating healthy also means eating regularly. It is necessary to pay attention to nutrition with 3 main meals and light snacks daily. It is possible to take many vitamins and minerals by giving importance to diversity in edible foods.
Instead of excessively fatty, sweet and caloric foods, foods rich in protein and carbohydrates and low in fat should be consumed. Tea and coffee consumption should be reduced and instead of these, ayran, milk and freshly squeezed fruit juices should be preferred.
You can start taking folic acid before pregnancy
The neural tube that leads to the baby’s brain and spinal cord develops in the first month of pregnancy, even before pregnancy is noticed. The recommended use of folic acid before conception prevents neural tube defects (neural tube defects). All women who are planning a pregnancy should take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day in the 2 months before pregnancy and in the first 3 months of pregnancy.
Get your dental treatment
When planning pregnancy, it is necessary to make sure that the teeth and gums are healthy. Completing treatments for problems in the mouth before pregnancy facilitates this process. The risk of gum disease is higher during pregnancy, and gum disease can even cause premature birth. For this reason, it is necessary to check the mouth and teeth before pregnancy and to have good oral hygiene.
Exercise regularly and reduce stress
Regular exercise before pregnancy is important for a more comfortable pregnancy period. During and before pregnancy, especially yoga and pilates, are the most preferred exercises by expectant mothers. It not only relaxes the body, but also increases the motivation of mothers who plan a normal birth, and reduces back and waist pain as well as stress, and is of great benefit to expectant mothers before and after pregnancy.
Make a proper plan with your doctor
In order to have a healthy pregnancy, a health check should be passed before becoming pregnant. Pre-pregnancy health control is more important especially in the thirties and forties or if the mother has any chronic disease.
In the pre-pregnancy health control, family histories of the mother and father-to-be are taken and it is investigated whether there is a hereditary disease. The uterus and ovaries are evaluated by gynecological examination and ultrasonography. It is important to detect some uterine disorders (such as fibroids, polyps) before pregnancy. If necessary, smear test is applied. With laboratory tests, liver, kidney functions and the presence of chronic diseases (such as hepatitis, rubella, toxoplasma, diabetes, hepatitis) are investigated. In health control, the birth control method used so far is taken into consideration.
When a certain birth control pill is used for a long time, it may take time for fertility to return. 50% of women can only get pregnant 6-7 months after using the last contraceptive pill.
If the pregnant woman has any chronic illness, a chronic illness such as obesity or diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, it should be ensured that these are under control before becoming pregnant. In some cases, doctors may recommend certain treatments during pregnancy.
In addition, physicians inform the pregnant woman about what needs to be considered for chronic diseases that exist during pregnancy. Likewise, pregnant women who have a genetic disorder in their family history should inform their doctor about this as well.