Tips for getting body ready for pregnancy!

[starry123]

Hello!

I'm new to MumsNet and joined today because my husband and I are hoping to start trying for a baby in a year and a half and I wanted to know what are the best tips for preparing my body for the pregnancy, birth and the time afterwards.

I know a year and a half is a fair old way in the future, but I figure it is best to start planning things as early as possible! I do have PCOS which means it will probably more difficult to get pregnant than for some others, and that is part of the reason for starting to prepare early.

My mother and grandmother had really bad tearing when they gave birth (GULP!!!) and I also wondered if there is any way at all to help prevent that or at least limit it as much as possible?

So, if anyone has any tips on any aspect of body preparation at all that they would like to share with me, I'd be really very grateful indeed!!

Thanks so much!

xx

Best advices i can give, is to relax and try and not make a big deal about making a baby until maybe after 6 months of TTC. Then speak to a doctor. If you are concerned about PCOS, maybe speaking to your GP now and having a few test done won't be a bad place to start.

Are you on the pill? If so i'd come off it several months before TTC and have a few normal cycles and use a condom. Also i'd get yourself into a good fitness routine like Yoga or Swimming. I'd wish i'd been a bit fitter but such is life.

Book a hoilday...

Do all the house stuff you want to do before baby arrives (money permitting)

Seriously please don't worry about the birth. It's such a small part of the bigger picture. I was so scared about giving birth but it's one or maybe 2 days out of your life. Don't overthink about it until it's too late ie at 39 weeks

Finally, don't tell people you are TTC. It will make it ten times worse as everyone will keep expecting news. Tell us naturally!

Good Luck

*wouldn't be a bad place to start

Thanks very much for your reply! All of that was really helpful and especially the bit about getting fitter beforehand - I have recently started doing pilates which I hope will help not only for pregnancy but in general as well. Actually, sorting out various bits and bobs around the flat didn't even occur to me - but how sensible!

xx

You are very welcome.

Bumping back up to top of thread for more helpful tips

Start getting into any good habits you want your children to have now (eating healthily, meals at tables, less TV, more exercise etc) so that it's second nature by the time they come along.

Get your body healthy, find out your BMI and if it is low then try to gain a little (sensibly) or if it's high then speak to your GP/Practise Nurse about healthy ways of reducing it.

Do anything that will be a pain after you have kids to take care of - romantic breaks, redecorating, etc.

Keep your relationship with your partner strong and fun. Trying for a baby could make him feel like a sperm donor (timing sex at the 'right' time etc).

You might want to speak to your GP about your PCOS and anything you can do between now and then to improve your chances.

Good luck

Hello.

I would definately say go to your GP now and have a few tests. Coming off the pill early is a definate too.

I didn't know that I had PCOS. I came off the pill in August 2010 and started trying for a baby straight away. I rarely had periods, and when I wasn't getting anywhere by January 2011 I went to visit my GP. He sent me for rountine blood tests which showed I wasn't ovulating, then a scan showed PCOS. Enter a long year of hospital visits, operations, blood tests.. the pressure it put DH and I under was intense. Eventually my consultant prescribed me Clomid in September 2011, and just as I was about to start taking it I found out I was pregnant.

It's well worth having a blood test at least just to make sure your body is working as it should, and also if you can come off the pill and get your cycles regular you wont have to waste months like I did.

Good luck!! :)

My tip is: don't obsess over it now, a year and a half ahead of the TTC. Yes, think about the TTC, but don't get yourself bent out of shape worrying about tearing, preventing tears and raising a child 18 months before you've even started trying for a baby.

TTC is meant to be fun, not a military planned operation, so for now just enjoy having sex with your DH. When you do decide to start TTC in earnest then try to enjoy that too and don't plan times, dates too much too early. If you haven't conceived after about 6 months then I'd say to start thinking about going to a Dr, but don't be faffing around with thermometers, charting and the like from the very offset.

Others might well disagree with me, but each to their own.

By the way, OP, what age are you?

I was terrified about tearing and about labour in general, but please believe me, once you are pregnant, getting close to the end, and ready to meet your baby you won't care any more you will just want baby out by any means available

I had an episiotomy and it wasn't as bad as I expected, was making love again with dh within 3 weeks, all eventually went completely back to normal 'down there.

Agree with other posters, get your body as healthy as possible for the time being, also get your dh to do the same particularly with his diet as this will affect his sperm.

Good luck, I hope things go well for you!

Thanks all so much for your replies - it really is all very much appreciated! This is all the stuff that people don't tend to talk about and the focus, among my friends/acquaintances at least, is on what sort of stuff to buy and all the other frankly rather superficial (although fun!!) things. In all honesty, I'm more concerned with my body and my capacity to deal with a pretty big change.

I have been to see my GP who referred me to a gynaecologist re: my PCOS. She (the gynaecologist) has recommended that I continue to improve my overall health and fitness and also lose another few kilos. She said that this is usually the first thing she recommends for people with PCOS and that I ought to start preparing my body/sorting out my hormones and all the rest of it now, if I want to TTC in a year or so.

NeedlesCuties: I'm 31 (32 this year!) and will be c.33/34 when I, hopefully, conceive. I guess being in my thirties doesn't do me any favours in terms of TTC but, well, I guess that's just how it has worked out for me!

xx

My tip is get to know your cycle. My DH and I tried for over a year, but really seriously for 6 months to get pregnant. Knowing my cycle lengths etc helped to 'time it right' so to speak. But also stopped me thinking "oh I'm late I could be pregnant," when I was just not counting correctly.

I second what everyone says about getting fit and losing a bit of weight, if you need to. it's especially important when you have PCOS as getting your weight down can really help with the hormonal balance (it's something to do with insulin resistance, can't remember exactly what although was expert when we were ttc!). I recommend the PCOS diet book - I found it really helpful.

Other thing worth doing is to check that your immunisations are up to date, especially rubella.
Good luck with it all.

Agree with LauraSmurf... Get to know your cycle! I would start doing this 6 months before TTC. I read Emma Cannon's 'Baby making bible' and also used Toni Weschler's 'Taking charge of your fertility' as a reference. I charted temperatures and fertility signs for a few months beforehand. I was 35 so wasn't leaving it to chance! We conceived on the second month of trying, and although I think it's partly down to luck I also think a little bit of knowledge and preparation beforehand doesn't go astray!

The getting to know my cycle bit has been a bit challenging to say the least! I've only had 2 periods over the last 6 months but I'm hoping that with losing more weight that I'll have more... lol - never thought I'd be looking forward to periods with this much hope anticipation(!) I'm actually quite enjoying the getting fit and losing weight part of this process... especially being able to get into nice dresses again!!

Gooseysgirl - I've just had a peek at those books on Amazon and they look really good - thanks! I'm really impressed that you conceived in the 2nd month of trying!! Yes, absolutely, having more information available is always good - definitely something that I follow.

I have to say, I'm slightly less worried about this whole process than I was even just a few days ago - thanks everyone!!!

To be honest you might still have irregular periods even when you do lose weight. I'm not overweight with my PCOS, in fact I'm a skinny minnie.. yet mine were either non-existant or lasting for 3 weeks.

It'd be worth having blood tests for ovulation if they don't regulate, because my consultant said that was what was causing my periods to be all over the place. I wasn't ovulating, so my body didn't need a period until it got too much.

:)

Start taking folic acid before you start thinking of trying to conceive. It is a very important vitamin which should be taken, if possible, before you conceive.

Just wondering what are people's reasons for suggesting coming off pill early? Is that to get to know your cycle? I'd probably suggest the reverse - I've heard you can be extra fertile after coming off the pill, which was also our experience... Got pregnant in the first week! And we know at least two others in a similar position. It did cause some confusion for us trying to calculate the due date initially though!

The folic acid is now at the top of my list - I had heard of it and knew I had to take it, but wasn't sure exactly why. Having done a bit more research into it, I know how important it is now!

Erm, I'm not sure of the exact reasons why I was told to come off the pill sooner rather than later. I'm assuming because it would allow my body to re-balance itself hormonally and also allow me to keep track of my own ovulation... I have to say, I have been feeling a lot better off the pill than I was while on it. I didn't realise there would be much of a difference and now I'm wondering whether I will go back on it at all!

I have been doing a bit more general research and wondered if any of you have come across something called perineal massage? Apparently quite a few midwives/women who have given birth have suggested that it is a very helpful thing to do to help prepare for the birth. Do any of you have any experience of it or heard of it? Obviously it isn't something you'd need to start ages in advance of the birth!

xx