Pregnancy Preparation: 3 Ways to Stay Healthy

Preparing for Pregnancy

Maybe you're considering your first baby or perhaps just beginning to think about what it would be like to have another baby in the house.

The steps that you take now will help you protect your health – as well as that of your unborn child – when and if you do decide to get pregnant.

Step One: Take a multivitamin

The trick is to take one that contains 400 mcg of folic acid. Folic acid is one of the B vitamins and is important for foetal growth and development. And it's best to get plenty of it even before you are pregnant, either as part of a multivitamin or as a separate preparation.

Step Two: See Your Healthcare Provider

Schedule a pre-conception visit. This kind of visit – remember, you're not pregnant at this point – focuses on your overall health and well-being as it relates to pregnancy.

Also during a pre-conception visit, your healthcare provider can review any medication that you take routinely. She may adjust dosages or even prescribe different medication to take into account the possibility of a pregnancy.

You may need to see whether you are anaemic or have thyroid problems, which can bring on fatigue you may have attributed to the effort of keeping up with a toddler.

Step Three: See Your Dentist

Complex dental procedures add infection risks to a pregnancy, so get those pearly whites cleaned and tuned up now so your oral health is at its best.

These three steps, as well as exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet, are the best way to be sure that you're ready for any pregnancy – planned or not.