Becoming baby-ready

So you want to have a baby. You and your partner have decided that you’ve had enough of lazy Sunday mornings and would far rather be woken up at the crack of dawn by a crying, demanding child. Welcome to the crazy but wonderful and fulfilling world of parenthood.

Being a parent doesn’t begin when you spot two little blue lines on the pregnancy test stick. Parenthood doesn’t begin when you first clasp eyes on that precious, tiny face seconds after she’s been delivered. It begins way before the baby has even been conceived. It begins with looking after you.

Here are some tips on becoming baby-ready

• The first and probably the most obvious thing, is to stop taking your birth control tablets. Remember, it could take some time to conceive if you’ve been on the pill for a long time. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t fall pregnant immediately.
• Visit your Gynaecologist for a pre-baby check-up. Write down a list of questions that you may have and take them with you.
• Smoke your last cigarette and have one last girls’ night out. When you do eventually fall pregnant, you want your body to be healthy and free of toxins. Also, you won’t be able to smoke or drink excessively once you have conceived – so now’s the time to quit.
• If you haven’t been seen at the gym in months, now is most certainly not the time to begin a hectic gym schedule. If you have kept yourself fit prior to falling pregnant then do continue your exercise routine as normal, however it is not wise to begin a totally new sport such as jogging during your pregnancy. If you want to maintain some fitness during your pregnancy and you do not usually exercise much or keep fit then start slowly. Make the treadmill your friend – take a brisk walk, but don’t run. The cycle machines in the gym are a good starting point also. Another fabulous way to become fit is to swim or join a water aerobics class. Water based exercise can be a wonderful form of mobility and very satisfying especially when you reach the third trimester and moving around becomes awkward and uncomfortable.
• Start eating a healthy diet. Cut out junk food. Add a variety of vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy to your diet. Keep hydrated - drink lots of water.
• You’d probably like to be at a healthy weight before you fall pregnant. If you’re underweight, start focusing on eating nutritious meals that will sustain you and your baby. If you’re carrying a few extra kilograms, dieting is not an option now. Rather watch what you’re eating. Being too heavy could present a host of problems when you’re pregnant. Also, it’ll make it that much harder to lose the baby weight once your darling is born.
• Chat to your partner about finances. Babies are expensive little creatures. Discuss the option of setting aside a little bit of money every month for baby-related necessities. It’s also not a bad idea to start buying nappies.
• While you’re getting your body baby-ready, the most important piece of advice that most will give you is simply this; relax! It won’t matter if you’re seeing the best doctor or if you’re following all the advice that your mother, grandmother and best friend are giving you. You’re not going to fall pregnant and enjoy your pregnancy when you’re stressed and when getting pregnant becomes all consuming. Relax. Breathe in. Allow nature to take its course.