Expecting to Expect: How to Get Your Body Ready for Pregnancy

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• Week-by-week Pregnancy Guide

Seven doctor approved ways to get your body for conception

By Leigh Doyle

Having sex isn’t the only thing you need to do to get pregnant. Sure, it’s the most important (and fun!) part, but Dr. Douglas Black, a gynecologist in Ottawa and vice-president of the Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology in Canada (SOGC) says preparing your body for conception will increase your chances of getting pregnant and help you have a healthy pregnancy. He advises doing these seven things to get your body ready for a baby:

Make friends with folic acid

If you want to get pregnant start taking folic acid now. It’s a B vitamin that’s essential to the healthy and normal development of a baby's spine, brain and skull, especially in the first trimester. Dr. Black recommends 5 mcg a day while trying to conceive and throughout the pregnancy. Be sure to check the label on pre-natal vitamins since some only have 2.5 mcg of folic acid. If you’ve got questions, ask your pharmacist for help.

Date with a doctor

“A pre-pregnancy visit is a great idea,” says Dr. Black. “Your doctor will make sure your pap is up to date, check your overall health, and maybe do blood work to check blood glucose levels and iron stores.” (Having good iron levels will ensure you aren’t exhausted all the time when pregnant.) This is also a chance for you to discuss concerns you might have about conception and pregnancy.

Balance your BMI

“Being severely over or under weight can affect your chances of getting pregnant,” says Dr. Black. Being over 30 or under 20 on the BMI scale keeps your body from ovulating regularly – a crucial part of conception. If you’ve got a few kilograms to add or drop, it’s time to get committed to a diet and exercise plan to help you achieve an ideal weight.   

Eat better

One way to get your weight into a healthy range is to eat a balanced diet, says Dr. Black. It will provide the nutrients and minerals your body needs to grow a healthy baby. So add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet, choose lean meats and increase the amount of fiber you eat to 25 to 30 grams a day.

Get active

Exercise not only helps keep your weight in check, but it will boost your testosterone levels so you’ll want more sex. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity daily, which can be as simple as a brisk walk. If you’re already active, take up yoga and stick with it through your pregnancy. A 2008 study showed that as little as six one-hour sessions reduced labour by about two hours.

Sip less caffeine

Studies on caffeine and conception are not entirely clear but it’s generally understood that high doses of it can reduce the chances of getting pregnant. Cutting it out entirely isn’t a bad idea, but for those who need a morning buzz limit your intake to one 250 mL cup of coffee a day. Tea drinkers can have two 250 mL cups.

Take care with toxins

“Since you never know exactly when conception happens, women need to be careful around toxins,” says Dr Black. This is because they can interrupt the normal development of the organ systems that form in the first eight to 11 weeks of a pregnancy. Dr. Black says women should quit smoking and cut out alcohol. When it comes to environmental toxins – think cleaning products or paint – he says only use such products in a well-ventilated area. If a woman feels light-headed, stop using the product get some fresh air.