Preparing For Pregnancy: Introduction

In the next couple of months I will be doing several articles titled “Preparing For Pregnancy”. The road to conception is best started off with much preparation. That’s not to say that if pregnancy just happens – when you didn’t prepare for it – that everything won’t be okay, because chances are you can deal with it at the spur of the moment. However the best-laid plans make for a smoother ride on the road to conception.

In this series of articles I will cover a number of topics in preparation for pregnancy. Sometimes it’s in preparing for pregnancy that you find you’ve already reached your goal. This is when you put the final preparations into high gear. These are the topics I will cover – though not necessarily in this order:

COST OF PREGNANCY – This is an area that certainly deserves some attention. Prenatal care costs have almost tripled in the past 6 years. Some insurance companies do not cover maternity unless a medical emergency arises out of the pregnancy. If insurance does cover it – the majority have deductibles and co-pays that must be met before the birth of the baby.

HEALTH AND EXERCISE – It is optimum to be in the best possible shape physically before the pregnancy occurs. It is advisable to start a good exercise program before conception in order to continue it throughout the pregnancy.

PREGNANCY NEEDS – Even though pregnancy is a mere 9 months – give or take a few weeks – there are items that are definitely needed during this time of bodily expansion.

POSSIBLE HIGH RISK FACTORS – Are pregnancy problems inherited? Could you be at risk for preterm labor or a premature birth? You will find out this and more about what makes high risk factors.

PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS – High blood pressure, diabetes, anemia just to name a few are pre-existing conditions that will put you in a high risk category for pregnancy.

BABY’S NEEDS – Think ahead to when the baby arrives and you’ve got to realize the abundance of “things” that a baby needs. You may very well be surprised. The first year of the baby’s life requires special equipment and some thought and planning as well. It is advisable to start planning for baby even before baby is.

DOCTOR OR MIDWIFE - You will, no doubt, be contacting your healthcare professional very soon after discovering the home pregnancy test is positive. Right now is the superior time to choose between a doctor and a midwife.

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