During pregnancy, your body is bound to undergo numerous changes along with the fast-growing baby inside your womb. From raging hormones that cause nausea and mood swings to a growing belly; all these can cause fatigue and eventually take a toll on you! Thus, both physical fitness, as well as psychological well-being, is essential. You can either choose to do nothing about it and remain grumpy and miserable throughout your pregnancy; or make certain lifestyle changes before getting pregnant to make your pregnancy journey safe and pleasurable.

The first and foremost important thing to remember when trying to get pregnant is that it is absolutely okay to take up to 12 months to conceive if you are below 35 years of age and up to 6 months if you are above 35 years. If you are unsuccessful in conceiving in this time frame, it is best to see a fertility specialist to investigate and treat further, if necessary.

I have put together a list of things for couples to check when they start thinking about having a baby. The list concentrates on health and lifestyle factors that can impact both the partners and later the baby’s well-being.

1. See your General Practitioner: A quick checkup and meeting with your general practitioner will give you an estimate of your vital health. Your doctor will also be able to do primary blood tests like hemoglobin and thyroid hormone to determine your overall health. Also, ask him to start you on essential prenatal vitamins like folic acid, etc. It will not only avoid any possible health problems for your baby but also save you from any deficiencies.

2. Check your Diet: Being underweight or overweight and also certain micromineral deficiencies can impact fertility, thus, delaying conception and may even cause health complications during pregnancy. If in doubt, see a nutritionist and learn what all you should eat and what all you should avoid. The best foods to avoid are sweetened drinks like packaged juice and soda and processed food with high salt and preservative content. You should also watch out when eating Chinese food outside due to the common use of Ajinomoto and MSG.