Many women might be tempted to wait until they are pregnant in order to start an exercise program. This should not be the case. It is important to be in shape during the first days of the baby’s development. The mother’s health has a direct correlation with the baby’s start and as soon as you start, the better. More than that, if you get used to the routine, it will be a lot easier to stick with it while you are pregnant and after the pregnancy, when you will want to lose the extra pounds. In order to find the right sport or exercise program, you can choose to combine several and see which one is for you. If it is a bad day outside and you can’t go jogging, you will be able to go swimming at a pool or join a fitness center. Swimming is considered one of the best choices for women who plan on having a baby and even during pregnancy. This is because the sport is zero impact and it offers a very pleasant feeling. Once you are pregnant, the belly starts to grow, the breasts will get bigger, which will eventually cause back pains, hip pains and other difficulties in moving around. It is essential to strength some parts of the body before getting pregnant, as you will increase flexibility and face less pain later. Core training is advisable and it has a lot of benefits. It will assure a better balance and posture, very important for when you are carrying a baby.

On the other hand, it is important to know the limit. Training intensely is not recommended. You should not push yourself to the limit. Until the baby is born, all efforts should be put on hold. Exercising stresses the body at some point and anything in excess is known to cause problems, especially when you are trying to conceive. Instead, many fitness specialists recommend moderate exercising, such as swimming, hiking, walking and even working on the elliptical, but still under a normal rate. When you start exercising, you might be tempted to start losing weight more and more. But it is not the time. Your body needs to stay healthy and nutritious. This means you should continue eating regularly and healthy, not starving yourself. Cutting calories dramatically or eliminating certain foods should be done after consulting the doctor. There are some essential foods that need to be consumed, in order to allow the baby a healthy development when he is on his way. Cardio is known to have a lot of benefits for the body and you can consider 30 minutes a day, or even more, of cardiovascular exercises. It will keep you in better shape and the heart rate will be regular. When delivery is on its way, you need endurance, so you can consider the pregnancy as training for the big race. You will need a lot of energy and a good heart for the process. After the baby is born, you will go through some dramatic changes and cardio is known to help greatly.

But it is not only the woman who needs to train; the male partner should join as well. In order to have a good sperm, the man should be in good shape and health as well. You can start a fitness program together and you can encourage each other along the way. It is advisable to keep the daily exercising even after you conceive a baby. But as every woman responds differently to training, it is best to consult the doctor and have him/her approve the fitness program. No matter what, having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby matters the most.

What is more, some exercises are known to promote fertility. Among them, yoga is without question the most practiced. Yoga is considered to be gentler and it also helps the body relax and lose stress. All negative emotions that inhibit fertility can be lost thanks to yoga. Another type of exercise that is known to help those who want to conceive is qigong. It refers actually to ancient Chinese exercises to help a person achieve the complete relaxed mode.

]]> https://boyorgirl.cc/2014/10/fitness-importance-when-trying-to-conceive/feed/ 0 https://boyorgirl.cc/2014/09/preparing-for-pregnancy-what-to-do/ https://boyorgirl.cc/2014/09/preparing-for-pregnancy-what-to-do/#comments Mon, 01 Sep 2014 18:35:53 +0000 https://boyorgirl.cc/?p=796 Being healthy and fit will maximize the chances of fertility and will lead to a healthier pregnancy. It is best to prepare for the pregnancy before you start to conceive, as by the time you realise, you could already be pregnant. There are a lot of aspects to consider and it is best to start at some point. The first step is to stop contraception, in case you are taking it. Some contraception methods can make it harder for you to get pregnant, especially when it comes to the contraceptive pills or the contraceptive implant or the intra-uterine device. In case you are using the contraceptive injection, the period of fertility can take longer, even up to 12 months. In case you succeed in getting pregnant right after stopping the hormonal contraceptive, there is nothing to worry about, as the baby will not be harmed in any way.

Many are asking when it is better to conceive. Couples who have sexual intercourse at least two or three times a week without using contraception, there are more than 8 in 10 chances to become pregnant in the first year. Timing sexual intercourse to be close to ovulation is considered by many beneficial and rather productive, but it is not always the case. Regular sex can prevent stress and pressure that occurs with timing ovulation and stress is known to affect fertility. In case you and your partner have been trying for over a year to have a baby and have not succeeded, then you should see a specialist. This is available especially in case of couples who are over their 35. It is known that having a healthy weight is very beneficial for the body, but it is also quite beneficial for the baby making as well. Having a normal weight increases the chances of ovulation. The BMI (body mass index) for the adult woman is among 19-25. In case your BMI is over 29, then you should start a weight loss program in order to improve your chances of getting pregnant. In the other case, if the BMI is under 19, you might face the situation of having irregular or no periods at all. This means that you are not ovulating regularly and thus, you have fewer chances to conceive a baby. This is why it is recommended to start a dietary plan that includes healthy foods and exercising. Speaking of which, deciding to exercise or to follow a sport is very indicated for women who are trying to get pregnant. It helps the muscles develop and stay strong and during the pregnancy, it will make it easier for the woman to carry the extra weight.

Every woman sets up a goal to eat healthier at some point, but they fail to succeed in most cases. But with such a strong reason (having a baby and a healthy one), they should be more determined to do it. By eating healthy, the body will have the needed dosage of vitamins and minerals. It is essential to include healthy foods, plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, good fats, dairy products and more. Protein is needed, found in fish, meat, and starchy foods, including rice, potatoes, bread and pasta. Drinking a lot of fluids daily hydrates the body. But those who drink a lot of coffee should limit the intake of caffeine, especially energy drinks and fizzy drinks. Also, avoid eating foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat. There are certain types of foods that can increase the risk of developing bacteria inside the body, which ultimately affects the baby in a negative way. The Department of Health recommend women who are planning to get pregnant to avoid the following:

• Uncooked meat or ready-prepared meals
• Soft cheese, blue-veined cheese, such as Brie, Camembert and Roquefort
• Pates
• Raw seafood, such as oysters and large fish, like shark
• Unpasteurized cheese or milk
• Uncooked eggs or uncooked egg products, such as mayonnaise (the home-made one)

There are other foods that should be avoided due to certain substances found in them, which can cause complications and risks, such as the following:

• Large quantities of liver, supplements with plenty vitamin A (these can harm the baby)
• No more than two cans of tuna on a weekly basis, as they contain high levels of mercury
• Certain types of fish: swordfish, shark, fresh tuna, marlin, because of the high level of mercury that affects the baby’s nervous system.

Eating large quantity of peanuts while pregnant can increase the chances of your baby developing allergies. In most cases, women are advised by their doctors to take supplements with folic acid, 400 micrograms on a daily basis after they stop taking contraception, up until they are pregnant in 12 weeks. Folic acid can prevent the baby from developing serious complications to the brain and nerves. The Department of Health also advises women to take supplements with vitamin D.

If you are wondering when to get started, well, it depends on your condition and how much work you have ahead. You should allow yourself about 3 months to release the bad habits and build up on the new ones. If there is a significant weight that needs to be lost or gained, then you should give yourself more time. In case there are other disorders that come in discussion, such as eating disorder, diabetes and others, you should consult your dietician or therapist to help you overcome the obstacles. To help you with the “fight”, you can always join some clubs or groups with other future mothers to help you along the way. If your partner also needs to lose some weight or make some changes, like quit smoking, alcohol and so, then you can get a healthy program together and team up for the baby to come.

Furthermore, it might be hard to give up on junk food or sweets, but throwing them from the kitchen and around the house will help greatly. A healthy preconception diet should not include refined carbs, such as cake, white bread, cookies and so, no sugar snacks, no soda and no saturated fats like burgers, chips, fries and others. Losing all these unhealthy foods will help you track your ovulation, so you will know better when it is better to conceive. The rapid digestion of carbs, junk food, will increase the blood sugar, leading to insulin and a disruption of the balance of the reproductive organs required for reproduction. All we eat has a direct effect on our body and it can be regarded as a cycle.

Now that you know what is not good to eat, you can focus on the right things to eat. There are a lot of alternatives and a lot of easy to make, delicious and nutritious foods, so you should not worry about the lack of possibilities. First of all, calcium is very important for the mother’s bones. Eating dairy products is a must, such as cheese, milk, yogurt and more. Almond, juices, veggies and certain soy products are also rich in calcium. Having enough calcium in your bones will also make sure the baby will develop its bones healthy and normally, without future problems. Moreover, lean protein is a must. You can find it in chicken, in eggs, beef, fish (but not those types high in mercury) and seafood. Why is lean protein important? Scientists say that switching one animal protein for a plant protein can boost the baby-making process. But overdoing the protein is also not a good thing. It is a matter of keeping everything balanced. Iron is important, as within the menstrual cycle, there is much loss of iron and having disruption in cycles can make it harder for women to conceive. Iron can be found in collard, spinach and other leaf greens, in oatmeal, dried apricots. To keep the insulin levels normal and the reproductive hormones in balance, women need complex carbs, like whole grains, whole bread and whole rice. These also provide a healthy dose of folic acid, which is a supplement that many recommend taking during preparation for pregnancy. Fresh fruits and vegetables should never be out of a meal, especially those that are brightly coloured, like carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, berries, red peppers and more. These also produce antioxidants, essential for conceiving the baby. But your partner should also get a bite of them, as the sperm will swim faster to its target.

Not all fats are unhealthy, there are some essential for the body. Olive, nuts, seeds, canola, avocados are filled with healthy fats and you should choose to consume as many as possible. They increase fertility, especially fats that contain Omega 3 (walnuts, salmon and Omega 3 eggs).

The bodies should be prepared before pregnancy and this would be ideal. Women should assure they go through a proper diet, with the needed vitamins and proteins. The need for a good nutrition will be spotted in pregnancy and when it is time for breastfeeding. More than that, prenatal vitamins should be taken. Specialists recommend a dosage of 800-1000 mcg of folic acid per day in order to reduce the risk of neural tube defects that the baby can suffer. Supplements with folic acids should be taken prior to conceiving. This is because many women do not know they are pregnant, only after a few weeks, and by this time, the neural tube is already developed. In a woman’s life, pregnancy is one of the most demanding periods and it requires a proper nutrition. It is needed to support the rapid development and growth of the baby and to replace the nutritional reserves for the mother. For example, in case the mother to be does not have enough Calcium in her bones, the baby will take its needed dosage anyways and after pregnancy, the mother can face serious problems, such as osteoporosis.

Luckily, there is much information available for a healthy diet for the women who want to conceive. A diet that consists of rich foods and proper supplements can help guard the body against deficiencies during pregnancy and help the baby develop naturally, decreasing the risks of malformations and future diseases. To support the nutritional demands for the baby and the mother, more proteins, vitamins, calories and minerals are needed. Because of the high blood volume, iron needs to increase in the body. To decrease the risk of poor pregnancy conditions, the mothers should consult the health care provider and see if she needs any iron supplements. But iron is also found in healthy foods, such as fish, liver, spinach and others. Women also need extra protein to support the tissue of the foetus, maternal tissues and placenta.

For the proper function of the thyroid, iodine is needed. During the pregnancy, placenta will extract iodine from the mother and a deficiency can cause some serious problems to the foetus, such as mental retardation. On the same subject, low maternal zinc levels are often associated with low birth weight. Vitamin D and magnesium are needed for the growth of the baby. Vitamin D is needed for tooth enamel foundation and for bone ossification. Magnesium levels tend to decrease during pregnancy and luckily, oral magnesium supplements are also beneficial for treating leg cramps during pregnancy.

Staying healthy implies eating right. There are certain foods that should be consumed and certain foods that should be avoided. Foods containing high levels of vitamins, minerals, proteins and so, are needed more. After the first three months of pregnancy, the need of the body for certain nutrients increase. This refers to iron, vitamin C, calcium, folate and protein. The essential fatty acids are also needed for the healthy development of the baby. Supplements with Omega 3 (which is found especially in seafood) are recommended and Omega 6 as well. But before taking any extra vitamins and supplements, it is best to consult the doctor, as when pregnant, anything can affect the baby. It is indeed rather difficult to comply with all the requirements needed and maintain a healthy diet. But having a healthy baby is all that matters and unfortunately, nowadays we can never be too sure of what we are eating. This is why it is always important to set up a healthy diet in advance and to integrate fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and others.

Staying healthy is often associated with having an active lifestyle, meaning exercising. Before pregnancy, it is suitable to prepare the body with certain fitness programs. Walking, swimming and even yoga or breathing exercises will do wonders for your body and for the baby. Strenuous exercises should be avoided, horse riding as well, scuba diving and skiing too. Anyone looking forward to having a baby should prepare themselves with some lifestyle changes. A planned pregnancy can be dreamy and as long as everything is followed correctly, there are fewer chances of complications and of something going wrong. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Moreover, it is considered that one out of seven couples is infertile and will need medical investigation and treatments in order to achieve the purpose of getting pregnant. There are many causes of infertility and they are different when it comes to women and men. In women fertility problems can be caused by many factors. One of the common causes is Endometriosis- when the lining of the uterus becomes thick and over-developed. Another cause is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, also known short for PCOS. This happens when there is an underlying hormone imbalanced, thus preventing the eggs from maturing. These two causes can lead to difficulties when wanting to get pregnant. There are also ailments that can upset the balance of fertility, such as thyroid diseases, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, Chlamydia, fibroids and many other chronic illnesses. Sperm allergy can occur in both men and women and it can prevent couples from becoming pregnant. More than 25% of infertile couples can have this condition.

Health conditions can lead to infertility as well. For instance, overweight or underweight people, those who smoke, either drugs or tobacco, can have less chances of getting pregnant. The ability to conceive can be affected as well by alcohol and stress. As for fertility problems in men, there can be blockages in the tubes that transport the sperm to the penis. Sporting traumas to the testicles can be the source of this kind of problem and also hernia repairs, vasectomy reversals. Around 10% of men are born with the condition of blocked tubes. Genetic disorders can be the cause of the fertility problems with men. Chromosome irregularities can interrupt the sperm production and cell division and prevent couples from becoming parents. Just like women, men can also suffer from deficiencies and hormone irregularities. The hormone is the man’s center of fertility but overproduction or prolactin, can reduce fertility as well.

There are certain treatments that couple can follow in order to help fertility. Fertility drugs are the first treatments couples receive. Drugs like clomid and gonadotrophins will stimulate ovaries to produce mature eggs every month, increasing chances of getting pregnant. Another solution can be in vitro fertilization, IVF, recommended especially if one of the parents, or both, has been diagnosed with sperm production or blocked tubes. Gamete intrafallopian transfer, GIFT, is another procedure similar with IVF, but the sperm and extracted eggs are rapidly transferred to the uterus in order to fertilize in the body and not in the laboratory. Sperm extraction can be another option, if the man has problems with sperm production.