This
article aims to give you some of the do's and don'ts' that help
to reduce any possibility of things going wrong..
What is pre-conception care?
By the time that you realise that you might be pregnant,your
baby is already growing at an enormously rapid rate.At this stage
the baby is vulnerable for anything that can cause harm: so plan
to get any health problems sorted out before you become pregnan.It
is as important not to be underweight as it is to be over.
What you eat matters
Your diet may be fine for you,but is it ideal for your baby?You
should try to ensure that you eat a 'good,mixed diet',that means
plenty of protein foods, carbohydrates, especially things like
bread (whole meal), potatoes , lots of fresh vegetables and fruits
(at least twice a day) and only a small amount of fats.Cut down
as many of the 'empty calories such as sweets ,biscuits ,fizzy
drinks etc as you can.YOu will need to drink a pint of milk(skimmed
is fine) a day when you are pregnant -or its equivalent of calcium
rich foods. Grean leafy vegetables should be eaten3-4 times a
week as they are excellent source of folic acid which helps prevent
Spina Bifida. Vegeterains may miss out on some of the essential
vitamins,especially vitamin B12.
Keep your baby safe
Stop smoking all together or at least cut down to the lowest
number of cigerettes possible.Whilw an occasional alcoholic drink
will do no harm,it is very sensible to make sure that this is
also very restricted during pregnancy.'Recreational' drugs can
be very dangerous in pregnancy , so see your doctor if you use
these.
As lead is also dangerous ,avoid dense traffic whenever possible
and check that any paint you buy for decorating is lead free.
What about my illness?
If you have diabetes ou should tell your doctor that you are
trying to become pregnant as your diabetes will need very careful
monitoring and control before and during pregnancy.If you are
on any medication,discuss this with your doctor.
What about the father's health?
There is no doubt that heavy smoking and heavy drinking can damage
their sperm, and therefore potentially cause harm to their babies.Also,there
are certain occupational risks, eg with certain chemicals and
not using protective clothing.Check with occupational health at
your work.
How long does it take?
It takes an average of six months for a couple to conceive, even
there are no problems, and this means for many healthy couples
,it will still be a year before they find that they are expecting
a baby.If you are under 30, then you can wait a year before you
see a doctor and ask for help.If you are more than 35 ,it is a
good idea to seek a doctor's hel after you have been trying for
about 6 months.
Courtesy :Croydon Community NHS trust