Prepping to become a parent starts well before you find out that you're actually pregnant. In fact, taking steps to get into the best shape possible can improve your chances of conceiving. You'll have a smoother transition to parenthood, too, if you start readying your budget — and your relationship — to life with a baby now.
Here's a look at the healthy habits you can start building to prep your body for a bun in the oven. Plus, how to get some of the other most important aspects of your life in order so the sailing is as smooth as possible when your little bundle makes her eventual entrance.
Preparing your health for a baby
Because just about every aspect of your health — from the drinks you consume to the exercise you do — can have an impact on your fertility and pregnancy, taking stock of your lifestyle habits now, before baby's on board, will make your conception easier and your pregnancy safer.
Exercising before conception
First up? Exercise. Though lots of women conceive without ever setting foot in the gym, research suggests a moderate exercise program (about 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, strength training, stretching or anything that gets your heart going) may boost your fertility. What's more, exercise releases feel-good endorphins, which can help keep you relaxed and make those baby-making efforts more productive.
Don't go too hard on yourself. Regular and prolonged strenuous exercise can disrupt the balance of hormones needed for ovulation and conception, so listen to your body and lighten the load when you need to.
An exercise routine can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which will make it easier to gain pregnancy weight steadily.
Having healthy habits before conception
Once you've got those regular workouts in place, take a look at your coffee consumption. Low to moderate caffeine intake while TTC may actually help you get — and stay — pregnant. Some studies have linked too much caffeine consumption with lower fertility levels and an increased risk of miscarriage. So try to stay under 200 milligrams per day — about two small cups (or one 12-ounce cup) of brewed coffee.
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Also, consider trading your usual drink order for a mocktail now. Heavy drinking can mess with your menstrual cycle, possibly interfering with ovulation and making it more difficult for a fertilized egg to implant in the uterus.
And because you won't necessarily know the moment you conceive, there's a chance you might be drinking when your baby has already taken up residence, which could be dangerous for your little one (especially if your drinking is on the heavy side). That's why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends abstaining from alcohol when you're trying to conceive (and during pregnancy).[1]
Quitting smoking when preparing for conception
You've very likely heard by now that smoking while pregnant is not only dangerous for you, it's dangerous for your developing baby. But research shows that lighting up also hampers your attempts to make a baby in the first place.
Quitting smoking has an instantly positive impact on your health and fertility. Some research has found that women who quit smoking before assisted fertility treatments were just as likely to get pregnant as non-smokers. In fact, the rate of pregnancy complications due to smoking decreases the longer a person has not smoked, says the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.[2]
Reviewing your medications before conception
Now is a good time to take a close look at your medicine cabinet. Some prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and even herbal remedies and supplements have an effect not only on pregnancy and a developing fetus but also on fertility and preconception.
Some drugs or supplements carry warnings about their use for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive, so read labels carefully. Better yet? If you're taking medication (prescription or otherwise) while trying to conceive, don't make assumptions. Ask your practitioner during a preconception checkup for guidance about what's safe and what's not.
If you depend on prescription drugs to treat a chronic condition (like asthma, diabetes, depression, migraines or any other), discuss any concerns with your physician and gynecologist. Together, you can come up with a plan that'll keep you healthy, fertile and ready to welcome a pregnancy. There may be some medicines you need to continue, so don't stop taking any meds thinking that will be best for a baby — your future child needs you to be healthy in order to thrive.
Getting enough sleep before conception
Make it your goal to catch a solid seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Just like a good prepregnancy diet, catching enough zzz's can help improve your chances of producing a little one (who, in an ironic twist, will be the one preventing you from getting lots of sleep once she's born). In fact, having an irregular sleep schedule may increase the odds of irregular periods, which won't help your odds of conception.
Similarly, sufficient sleep is key to staving off stress, which can also undermine your fertility (via hormonal hijinks that can delay or prevent ovulation) and complicate pregnancy. Plus, if you're charting your basal body temperature to help better understand your cycle, you need adequate, consistent slumber to get the best results.
Taking care of your dental health before conception
A preconception dental appointment gives you time to get any dental problems fixed (that crown you've been putting off, for instance). While it's safe with the right precautions to have most dental procedures done during pregnancy, it's definitely smart to have that work behind you before sperm meets egg.
Before you get pregnant is the best time to get your gums in good shape, too, since there is a link between uncontrolled periodontal disease and pregnancy complications such as premature labor.
Reducing stress before conception
Juggling all the normal stresses of modern living with the happy but huge intent of getting pregnant is enough to get anyone feeling anxious. And unfortunately, stress can hamper pregnancy plans. It can delay ovulation and increase the frequency of uterine contractions, which can prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus.
Your plan? Find some stress management techniques that you enjoy, and work them into your routine on a regular basis. Whether it's journaling before breakfast, hitting a yoga class on the weekends or taking a bubble bath before bed, you'll feel more relaxed.
Taking care of your mental health before conception
Just as depression can affect your body at any time, depression during pregnancy may lead to physical complications and increase your risk of postpartum depression. That's why it's especially important to seek help before you conceive.
If you're struggling with depression, anxiety or another mental health condition, talk to your doctor about your options. You don't have to go through it alone. And if you already take medications for your mental health, don't alter your dosage without consulting with a physician.
Preparing your finances for a baby
If you had to sum this up in two simple steps, they'd be: Calculate your baby budget and build up your savings. Once you have an idea of how much having — and raising — a baby will cost, you can start socking money away to meet those needs.
Start by using a financial calculator tool to estimate your monthly costs as a family. Then take your current monthly budget and subtract the cash you've estimated you'll spend on a baby down the road. Meet your new budget!
Try a test run now, before you even conceive. You may have to cut back on eating out and cancel a few subscriptions to make ends meet, but this effort will help you feel ready to meet your baby's needs and expenses.
And, of course, you know what to do with money you save on your test run: Add it to a savings account that you can easily withdraw from. Being financially prepared may very well alleviate stress about the unknown and provide flexibility in terms of child care, work and other choices you'll face as a new parent. And it can help support the lifestyle you've become accustomed to when extra expenses (from maternity medical bills to nursery decor) crop up.
Preparing your relationship for a baby
It might not be what you want to hear, but the truth is, the arrival of a baby can cause some real upheaval. If you have a partner, becoming a party of three can thrust the two of you into navigating new roles at a time when you're both stressed out and physically exhausted. Pair that with less time to spend together as a couple, and you've got a recipe for a potentially rocky road.
The key is anticipating this disruption and being ready for life to change. Simply knowing that every relationship goes through a natural evolution when a baby arrives can help you handle the inevitable bumps.
In the meantime, make even more of an effort to connect while you're still a duo. Take time to talk to each other every day.
And if sex is starting to feel like another chore on your prepping-for-baby to-do list, think about other ways to connect. Hold hands at the grocery store. Give your partner a kiss or a nuzzle for no reason. Reminisce about your first date or plan a second honeymoon. Keeping close now will keep you going when you're taking turns trying to get the baby back to sleep at 2 a.m. and are both feeling frazzled.
That old adage about never truly being prepared for becoming a parent … Well, there's certainly some truth to it. But you can get your pregnancy off to the best possible start by taking steps to bolster your health, finances and relationship with your partner. And that will make the transition to life with your little one that much smoother.
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