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Prepare
Your Body Before Conception -
Part
II
The nine months of pregnancy puts
a lot of stress on your body so optimising your body's health before trying
to conceive will make that period happier and healthier -
Quit Alcohol,
Tobacco, Caffeine And Illegal Drugs
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As it is not known whether there is
a safe level of alcohol consumption for the fetus, women should quit drinking
before attempting to conceive. No form of alcohol is safer than any other.
Beer and wine are just as bad for the baby as hard liquor. Some studies
suggest that women who drink before pregnancy tend to have smaller babies.
Persistent and significant drinking during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol
syndrome, as a result of which infants may be born with brain, heart, and
nervous system problems, distinctive facial abnormalities, and mental retardation.
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Smoking increases your chances of a
miscarriage during the first trimester. Mothers who smoke are also more
likely to go into premature labor; have a premature rupture of membranes;
experience third trimester bleeding; have slower fetal growth, and deliver
underweight babies. Prospective fathers who smoke should also quit, as
exposure to "passive smoking" during pregnancy is also harmful. Smoking
also impairs a woman's fertility. Smoking affects sperm and may impair
male fertility too. You can't count on quitting smoking overnight, so it's
best to start trying to withdraw from cigarettes well before attempting
to conceive.
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Pregnant women should limit themselves
to the equivalent of one cup of coffee daily. Caffeine may increase the
risk of late first or second trimester miscarriage. So start weaning much
before conception.
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Illegal drugs are bad for your health,
whether or not you are pregnant and they can only harm a baby. If you use
them, it's imperative to stop before trying to conceive.
Get Yourself
In Shape
Control
Your Weight
Overweight women have problems conceiving,
have increased chances of developing diabetes or hypertension during pregnancy
and are more likely to need a cesarean section. You cannot loose weight
once pregnant so act before conceiving. Underweight women are more likely
to give birth to underweight, premature babies. So it is important to get
as close as possible to your optimal weight before conception.
Exercise
Regimen
Women who are physically fit tolerate
pregnancy and delivery better. Ideally an exercise program should be started
1 year before becoming pregnant, but at 3 months before conception, will
give your body a chance to adjust to the additional physical activity before
facing the added challenges of carrying a child. If you haven't exercised
before, start slowly. Consult your physician before starting the exercise
regime. Likewise, see a doctor if you experience any symptoms during exercise.
Resistance exercises, in which you lift weights so that your muscles are
working against something, help strengthen your muscles, which will help
you recover more quickly from labor and delivery and give you more strength
to carry the baby after birth. Exercises to strengthen the back can be
helpful in offsetting back pain, which is a very common problem during
pregnancy.
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