When Is It Time to See My OB/GYN About Pelvic Pain?
Don’t let chronic pelvic pain persist without treatment for relief. Read more to learn when you should reach out for care if you suffer from pelvic pain.
Preconception Planning: 4 Expert Tips to Get Your Body Ready for a Healthy Pregnancy
When you decide it’s time for your family to welcome a new baby, you have a lot of planning to do! But, before baby names and nursery décor, you need to prepare your body for conception and pregnancy. What’s the focus of your preconception planning?
Dr. Leonardo A. Longoria and our team at Longoria OBGYN in El Paso, Texas, provide expert advice and support before, during, and after your pregnancy. In this blog, Dr. Longoria shares some of his top tips for preparing yourself and your body for a healthy pregnancy.
1. Get in shape
Being overweight or obese can create complications for your pregnancy, including putting you at higher risk of developing gestational diabetes. So, if you’re planning to try for a baby soon, it’s time to get in shape.
When you start trying to conceive, focus on healthy weight loss and building up your core muscles. Losing too much weight too rapidly can disrupt your menstrual cycle, making it harder for you to become pregnant. Eat lean protein and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and cut back on processed fats and sugars.
2. Take prenatal vitamins
Healthy foods supply many essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, and improving your diet is part of preparing for pregnancy. But your diet may not provide you with sufficient amounts of folic acid. This nutrient is essential for your baby’s development. Without enough folic acid, you and your baby face higher risks of pregnancy complications and birth defects.
The best way to ensure you get enough folic acid is to start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you start trying to conceive. Look for daily vitamins containing at least 400 micrograms.
3. Reduce your alcohol consumption or quit drinking
During pregnancy, you need to abstain from alcohol or drink very lightly and only occasionally. Exposure to alcohol in utero creates risks for your growing baby, including heightened possibilities of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and Down syndrome. Consuming alcohol can also interfere with your hormones, potentially making it more difficult for you to conceive.
As you start planning for a new arrival, reassess how frequently and how much you drink. Cutting back on alcohol now makes for a smoother transition into healthy pregnancy habits.
4. Quit smoking
If you smoke, now is the time to quit. Here’s why. It’s not just that your developing baby will be affected by cigarette smoke. Smoking also negatively impacts your vascular health.
After you become pregnant, your veins and arteries have to provide more blood to your body. That means you need your vascular system to be at its best before your pregnancy begins.
You’re more likely to quit smoking successfully with the right support. Ask Dr. Longoria about smoking cessation aids and effective quitting strategies as soon as you start thinking about expanding your family with a pregnancy.
Planning your pregnancy reduces risks for mother and child. The right prenatal preparation makes the arrival of your bundle of joy less stressful and makes you and your baby less likely to deal with health complications.
For personalized preconception and prenatal advice, contact Longoria OBGYN today. Schedule your initial consultation by calling our office or scheduling online.
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