Lifestyle: Things to consider when planning a babyPreparing for pregnancy involves a holistic approach to you and your partner’s well-being. This includes eating a balanced diet, addressing any medical and psychological conditions, watching your weight, incorporating an exercise program into your life, and avoiding or reducing toxic substances such as alcohol and smoking. A healthy lifestyle that includes all of these elements will help to ensure that you and your partner mentally and physically prepare for the joy and challenges of pregnancy. Nutrition and a healthy weight Maintaining good nutrition is essential in boosting fertility, since the health of eggs and sperm rely on having enough nutrients. For more information on dietary requirements to help you conceive, go to the Nutrition section. Your weight can affect your fertility. Women who are overweight or underweight can have difficulty conceiving or encounter problems during pregnancy. Being overweight can increase your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, which in turn will decrease your baby’s development. On the other hand, women who are underweight can have problems in ovulating, due to not enough nutrients to support herself and her baby through pregnancy. Physical activity Regular exercise is good for you and your partner’s reproductive health, not to mention overall health. Exercise will improve your circulation and energy levels, which in turn will give you the strength and stamina to cope with pregnancy and birth. It is a good idea to choose exercise that you can continue to do throughout your pregnancy. Examples include walking, swimming, and water aerobics / aquarobics. Always remember to warm up before exercise and allow time to cool down afterwards. If you have an active exercise program in place already, you may wish to discuss your needs with your healthcare professional, physiotherapist, or a qualified fitness instructor. Exercises that strengthen your pelvic floor muscles are also recommended. The pelvic floor muscles stretch from the tail bone at your back to the pubic bone in front. They are involved in bladder and bowel control and sexual sensation. The pelvic floor muscles are stretched and weakened by pregnancy and childbirth, and can cause urine leakage or incontinence. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles will help with the delivery of your child and help speed your recovery afterwards. Detoxification You and your partner’s reproductive system, particularly your eggs and sperm are susceptible to damage by tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, and recreational drugs. These substances lower both male and female fertility and increase the chance of miscarriage and low birth weight. Alcohol can also cause your baby to develop abnormally. It is best for you and your partner to minimise, or even better, eliminate your intake of tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine when trying to conceive. As with good nutrition, you should make these changes at least 3 months prior to conception to build up your fertility and health. You and your partner should consider whether either of you may be exposed to toxins in the environment, or workplace that can affect fertility and your unborn baby. These include:
Radiation from medical imaging (such as X-ray), communication facilities, and some computer equipment can be harmful to pregnant mothers. Heat stress from certain workplaces (such as foundries and bakeries), tight-fitting underwear, saunas/spas, and electric blankets can reduce sperm fitness before conception, and harm your baby during early pregnancy. Speak to your healthcare professional about possible sources of toxins and other risk factors in your workplace, home, and other places that you visit regularly. You may not realise it, but certain prescription and over-the-counter medication can be considered “toxins”. When you have identified these sources, you may need to minimise or eliminate exposure to these toxins for some time before you try to conceive. During pregnancyPhysical activity As a general rule, you should not over exert yourself while pregnant. Let your body guide you and stop exercising if you experience discomfort or pain. Make sure you warm up properly before you do any exercise, and allow time to cool down when you have finished. Avoid getting overheated as heat stress can be harmful to your baby. Good posture is important throughout your life, particularly during pregnancy. Incorrect posture can put additional strain on your spine because of the extra weight you carry while you are pregnancy. Exercises that tone and strengthen your back and leg muscles will help you to maintain good posture, and reduce problems such as backache. Exercise can also help with poor blood circulation, which can lead to problems such as varicose veins and leg cramping. Walking, and gentle aerobics are good choices to improve your blood circulation. Swimming and water-based exercise like water aerobics / aquarobics are ideal for pregnant women. Water provides good resistance to build up your strength. It can also lessen the stress placed on your joints, back, and circulation that you may be experiencing due to your growing baby. And importantly, don’t forget to practice your pelvic floor exercises!
Protecting your baby against toxins Drinking coffee, alcohol, and smoking will expose you and your baby to risk of ill-health, so if you have not reduced your intake or given them up completely, you should consider doing so. Your healthcare professional can give advice and support about coming off these habits. Caffeine, contained in coffee, can cross the placenta. Whilst moderate caffeine intake does not seem to cause problems in pregnancy, higher amounts of caffeine are best avoided because it can increase blood pressure, which is linked to lower birth weight or worse still, miscarriage. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause birth defects, including mental retardation. The harmful effects of alcohol is dependent on the amount you drink, but the only way to be absolutely certain that your baby will not be affected is to avoid alcohol altogether while you are pregnant. If you are to drink, limit it to one or two drinks, and drink this over a longer period of time. This will keep your blood alcohol level to a minimum, in turn minimising any potential risk to your unborn child. Smoking puts you at risk of miscarriage and having a baby with low birth weight which can cause health problems later in life. Passive smoking during pregnancy can also harm your baby, so it is best to stay away from people that smoke, or ask that they do not smoke around you. It is also important to note that the combination of caffeine and smoking can cause serious damage to your baby’s normal development. During your pregnancy, you should also not take recreational drugs since all of them can potentially cause damage to you and your baby. Some of the harmful effects include: • Premature delivery, bleeding, miscarriage and stillbirth Your workplace may contain certain chemicals, metals such as lead, anaesthetics or X-rays that can harm your unborn baby. Speak to your healthcare professional if you have any concerns. Interestingly, computers and copying machines do not seem to pose a risk to pregnant women, despite popular myths. So if you work with computers, copying machines, and other visual display units, there is not need to take any special precautions when you are pregnant. Some prescription medicines can also cross the placenta and affect your baby during pregnancy. Consult your healthcare professional for advice
What is thrombosis? Thrombosis is simply a blood clot. The type of thrombosis that causes concern during pregnancy often occur in veins that are deep within your leg muscles, also known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT for short. DVT can cause problems when part of the clot breaks off and travels to other organs where it can block blood vessels. A dangerous situation can arise if DVT reaches your lung, potentially causing death. So it is important to try and prevent DVT or treat DVT immediately before it becomes life-threatening. Your risk for DVT during pregnancy is increased if the following factors apply:
The signs of DVT are usually leg pain and swelling, however, women at low risk of DVT can also experience such discomforts. If in doubt, ask your healthcare professional. Pets If you are an animal lover, take heart in knowing that your pregnancy need not exclude your cherished companion. In general, dogs and cats do not pose a risk to your pregnancy. You may, however, encounter problems after your baby arrives. Never leave a dog alone with your baby or young children. Also, your pet may get jealous over the attention you give to your baby, so make sure you remember to spend some time with them as well. Talk to your vet about ways to introduce your pet to your new baby. You may have heard that keeping a cat can be dangerous in pregnancy. The truth is that cat litter, rather than the cat itself, can cause problems. Cat faeces can contain a parasite called toxoplasma, which can cause your baby to be born prematurely, or experience fever, mental retardation and vision problems. It may be worthwhile to undergo a test for toxoplasma if you are a cat owner planning to get pregnant. You should also avoid changing cat litter while you are pregnant, and wear gloves if you continue gardening. See your vet for advice about handling other pets or animals such as birds, reptiles, and farm animals. In general, you should not let animals near foods and food preparation areas, avoid contact with animal faeces, and remember to wash your hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling animals.
Travel during pregnancy Air travel is not usually a problem in pregnancy, but you should check with the airline and your health practitioner before you fly. Airplane travel, especially long-distance ones, can cause leg swelling and increase your risk of deep vein thrombosis. To prevent deep vein thrombosis, you should try the following:
If you are carrying twins, are overweight, or have certain medical conditions such as diabetes, you should talk to your healthcare professional because you may need to take medication as an additional health measure. Car travel is not a problem for most pregnant women. You can continue to drive up to your expected date, but it’s best not to drive alone or keep your distances as short as possible in case you go into labour. When traveling in a car, make sure you wear your seat belt, although you may need to make some adjustments to make room for your growing baby bump. You should make sure that the lap belt sits as low as possible. The lap belt should be under your tummy, over your upper thighs and across your pelvis. The shoulder belt or sash, passes above your tummy and between your breasts. After pregnancyProtecting your baby against toxins It is important not to smoke even after the baby is born. This is because cigarette smoke can cause breathing problems for your baby, and increases your baby’s risk of cot death. Physical activity Many women ask how soon after birth they can resume exercise. There is no easy answer, and this depends on many factors such as: the type of birth you had, how long and how tiring your labour was. Your body is once again undergoing enormous changes after delivery, and you should give your body time to recover. You can start doing gentle exercises as soon as you feel fit enough. Most breastfeeding women can participate in some exercise program without affecting their lactation. As with other times around pregnancy, you should avoid vigorous exercises, and do not exercise if you feel very tired. If you have had a Caesarean section, speak with your healthcare professional about the type of exercises that are suitable for you. During the postnatal period, toning the stomach is high on every women’s priority list. Check with your healthcare professional that your uterus is shrinking back before you attempt to exercise. Other parts of the body, such as your lower back and legs will also benefit from exercises as well. Toning up your whole body will improve your blood circulation and your stamina, so that you can cope with the demands of looking after your baby. Don’t forget to exercise your pelvic floor muscles too! Pregnancy and childbirth can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, which can cause incontinence. Now is a good time to start strengthening your pelvic floor muscles if you have not done so already. Remember that your exercise program should complement with a healthy diet and other lifestyle choices. Keep up your fluid intake, especially if you are breastfeeding. Try to relax and enjoy the time you have with your baby.
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