How to Get Pregnant

Once a couple has decided that they would like to start or add to a family it often comes with an impatience to conceive right away, however this does not happen in most cases and you may need to be patient. There are many things you can do that will help give you the optimum chance of conception and a healthy pregnancy.

Physically:

Check your weight; being either over or underweight not only decreases your chance of conception but also if you do conceive weight problems may lead to complications in both pregnancy and delivery, so now is the time to take action.

Strengthen up; a good exercise routine will strengthen and tone your body which will have huge benefits for the challenge of both pregnancy and delivery as well as help take off any excess weight.  Don’t overdo it though, as excessive exercise particularly if it leads to a low body weight (BMI) can interfere with ovulation and conception.

Cut down on:

Caffeine; there is no need to cut our caffeine completely as most experts agree that one or two cups of coffee a day will not cause harm but if your intake is more than this then it would be wise to cut back as excessive caffeine is not healthy for you and can interfere with your ability to conceive.

Alcohol; again an occasional drink before conception will not necessarily cause any problems, however it is well documented that a higher alcohol intake can interfere with conception and can most certainly be harmful to the baby once you conceive; to be on the safe side you may prefer to quit completely

Quit:

Smoking; as well as being bad for you in so many other ways, smoking ages your eggs and interferes with your ability to conceive. It also interferes with male fertility. Quitting now will give you the best chance to conceive and will be one of the best things you can do for the health of your unborn baby and yourself. Seek help to quit if you need to, it is worth it

Avoid:

Environmental hazards; Some chemicals particularly in high doses could potentially be harmful to your fertility. In most cases the risk is minimal however if you work in a field where you are exposed to chemicals, for example hair dressing, dry cleaning, photography, or where exposed to radiation for example dentistry or radiology then it is wise to seek advice on safe levels for pregnancy and pre-pregnancy. It also makes sense to keep your exposure to chemical household cleaning products, or paints or other toxins to a minimum.

If you require an x-ray and think you might be pregnant let the radiographer know so that they can take all necessary precautions to protect you and baby.

Relax; It is natural that once you have decided you want to get pregnant you will be impatient to conceive, however it is important to relax and keep stress to a minimum to give yourself the best chance to conceive.  It can take time but by taking care of yourself in mind and body you are doing all you can whilst waiting to conceive.