How to Prepare for Pregnancy With Confidence in 3-Months

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Let's be real honest, are you struggling to understand how you can prepare your body for pregnancy? Are you wondering what changes you need to make to your lifestyle for a healthy pregnancy?

I've been there.

But with the right mindset, knowledge, and tools, you'll crush your goal of getting pregnant and leave your anxious thoughts behind.

As women who want to get pregnant for the first time, there is A LOT on our minds. Should I stop drinking immediately? How long will it take to conceive after birth control? What risks are there? And so on.

These are important questions about pregnancy planning that we don’t necessarily know the answers to off the bat.

In this post, I’ll highlight how you can plan and prepare for pregnancy. I’ll also offer some tips and suggestions along the way.

Do you need to completely overhaul your uncertainty and feel more confident in your pregnancy plans and choices?

Let’s dive in!

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Why Does Preparing Your Body for Pregnancy Matter?

When it comes to pregnancy, we may need to make some tweaks to our lifestyle that we’re not ready for.

Many women tend to be motivated to plan for pregnancy, but don’t know enough about their preconception health and if they need to make any changes.

But if we don’t know what these necessary changes are in advance, we can end up harming the baby and ourselves unknowingly.

In fact, moms who make healthier choices during the 3-month period before conception are more likely to have healthier pregnancies and their babies are generally born healthier as well.

Armed with the knowledge of what a healthy pregnancy entails, we can be sure to be in the right headspace before trying to conceive.

There are a number of ways you can prepare for pregnancy. The best time to start preparing for pregnancy is 3-months in advance.

Whether you have children already or are still pregnant, chances are you experience some guilt that is challenging to cope with. Grab my FREE Letting Go of Mom Guilt Journal and say hello to more confidence and assurance in motherhood. Sign up below:

How to Prepare for Pregnancy: Month 1

1. Book a doctor's appointment

The first thing you’re going to want to do is to book a visit with your doctor to let them know that you’d like to have a baby.

This is a great opportunity to ask your questions and learn about any risks related to your current health conditions and lifestyle choices.

During this appointment, you can ask your doctor about

• Your vaccination status
• How long it may take to get pregnant after you go off birth control
• If you should continue using any medications/vitamins/supplements
• If genetic testing is necessary depending on your family’s medical history

Of course, you may have more specific questions based on your circumstances, but these are good questions to start off with.

Oh, and make sure your partner visits with his doctor as well so he knows his health status and steps he needs to take. After all, it takes two to tango!

2. Reflect on Your Lifestyle Choices

Next, you should reflect on your current lifestyle choices and make some adjustments.

Are you a smoker? Do you frequently go out to parties and have drinks? Gradually reduce these activities now so that by the time you’re pregnant, you’ve already quit or are ready to.

Don’t worry if you find out you’re pregnant and have been doing these activities still.

I was still smoking when I first found out I was pregnant and stopped immediately. It would’ve been an easier adjustment if I started to quit as soon as we decided to have a baby.

So, just be transparent with your doctor and do your best to stop when you find out.

Already pregnant? Check out these blog posts:

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY FOR A HAPPY PREGNANCY

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN GOING INTO LABOUR: A NEW MOM'S GUIDE

10 WAYS TO RELIEVE MORNING SICKNESS: TIPS AND REMEDIES

3. Book an appointment with the dentist

It’s a good idea to see your dentist before pregnancy.

This is so that you can get any X-rays done without your baby getting exposed and so your dentist can address any concerns, like gum disease.

Gum disease puts your baby at risk of being born premature or with a low birth weight.

So, go to the dentist mama!

How to Prepare for Pregnancy: Month 2

1. Continue (or start) to eat healthy

You'll want to start now if you don’t already reach the daily recommended dietary intake.

Changes in nutrition are a long-term game when having a baby so you might as well get used to it now! Here are some suggestions:

• Start prenatal vitamins as soon as you and your partner are trying to conceive. This way, your body will have enough folic acid, calcium, and iron necessary for the health of your and your baby.
• OK, this one is hard: reduce your caffeine intake. It’s generally considered safe to have about 300mg of caffeine per day (including chocolate, coffee, tea, etc.) while pregnant and breastfeeding. But, again, if your intake is much higher than this, reduce it now so it’s easier later.
• Treat meat like a side dish and make sure half your plate consists of veggies.
• Limit sugary and processed foods. In other words, cave into your craves in moderation.

Do these recommendations sound familiar?

The bottom line is that you need to eat just as you should even if you weren’t trying for a baby.

Lots of water, protein, complex carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals can go a long way to complement your fertility.

If you’re in a circumstance where some of these foods aren’t good for you, your doctor will let you know.

2. Don’t stop exercising now

Continue to get your daily exercise (I don’t think you need me to tell you this!).

However, you might want to consider changing your exercise routine so that it’s something you can continue throughout pregnancy.

This means steering clear of heavy weight-lifting and sports where your belly can get hit, for example.

Start exercising now, if you aren’t already, especially if you’re overweight or obese.

Obesity puts you at a higher risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

Keep in mind though, that these conditions can happen despite your weight, so don’t let your body deter you from having a baby.

I’m overweight myself and still successfully had a healthy baby, even with a gestational diabetes diagnosis.

3. Ask yourself if you’re financially ready

When first having a baby, expenses increase significantly.

Discuss with your partner what budget cuts you’ll need to cut, if any, and determine if you’ll need additional income streams.

The last thing you’ll need is to be financially stressed when your baby arrives.

If you’re only in the planning stage, you have lots of time to sort your finances by starting now.

A fun way to start budgeting is by using a budget planner. I don't know what I'd do without one!

How to Prepare for Pregnancy: Month 3

1. Consider your workplace conditions and policies

Does your workplace offer maternity leave? What kind of benefits can they provide? Will you be safe from any toxins while you’re pregnant?

These are some questions to think about when it comes to your workplace.

Knowing if you’ll have maternity leave benefits will help you and your partner financially plan for your baby.

Knowing if you’ll be safe from toxins will keep your baby safe when you’re pregnant.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your boss about these things. They’ll most likely have policies put in place for their pregnant staff!

2. Address your emotional well-being

The main factors that impact women’s mental health during pregnancy are stress and social support.

What does this mean for you?

Well, if you’re very stressed or lack any support, you need to address these as soon as you can.

Stress and lack of social support are linked to poorer fetal development and health outcomes.

So, please do yourself a service and implement daily stress reduction techniques like journalling, yoga, meditation, and exercise.

If you really need help and feel like you need social support beyond your partner, then consider seeing a therapist or joining a support group or online community with other moms who are trying to conceive.

These strategies before, during, and after pregnancy will go a long way for the health of you and your little one.

Helpful Reminders for Preparing for Pregnancy

I know this might be a lot of information for you to soak in, especially if you’re new to pregnancy.

Preparing for pregnancy boils down to this:

• Book visits with your doctor and dentist
• Quit smoking and abstain from alcohol
• Continue to exercise and follow food guides
• Plan out your finances and ask your boss about accommodations and maternity benefits
• Practice stress-reduction techniques

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By following these steps, month by month, you’re body (and mind) will be well prepared for pregnancy.

Feel free to change the order of these steps based on your needs and desires - I just wanted to reduce overwhelm and offer recommendations closely aligned with what I did.

Preparing for pregnancy takes time and remember that we’re all different, what worked for one woman might not work for you.

If you want to learn more about the prenatal and postpartum period, you can read my blog post about peripartum depression (commonly known as postpartum depression). It will shed some light on why you must be in the right emotional state before getting pregnant.

To help you even further in your motherhood journey, I’ve created an amazing and FREE Letting Go of Mom Guilt Journal . This journal will help you let go of the guilt and shame that many of us experience whether we're pregnant or already have a baby. Many of us moms are quick to blame ourselves for our outcomes in pregnancy and motherhood without taking a closer look at our thoughts and the evidence. Stop this today and grab the journal by signing up below: