Preparing to conceive

[Tacey]

Hello, I've posted a couple of times, but still feel very new on here. Don't know when we'll ttc yet (if it was up to me it would be RIGHT NOW!) but I wanted to know what people are doing before to prepare. I'm not overweight, but my diet is pretty awful most of the time - I just grab anything quick and edible when I get in from work, I guess I should start thinking about what I eat. Oh, and when do you start to take folic acid? How about exercise?

So, any tips for a very inexperienced poster?

 

[Refoca]

Well, I'm a pretty crap eater myself. I've tried to improve my diet since we began thinking seriouslly about it (needed an excuse anyway, as I'm sure it isn't doing me any favours in the long run either), but on the basis I don't hold out much hope for my will power when it comes to cutting out the pizzas and replacing them with brocolli(!), I have also started taking pregnancy-friendly multivitamins.

I asked my doctor about folic acid, and she suggested taking it daily from 2 months before we TTC. Online I've read loads of opinions ranging from 3 months to 1 month before, but as I understand it folic acid does not build up in the body so the important thing is to be taking it daily from whenever you could be pregnant until at least 3 months in.

I'd recommend doing a few google searches for "exercise whilst pregnant", "diet whilst trying to conceive" and similar...there's tonnes of info out there, and you'll probably feel better being in charge of your own research.

Good luck!

 

[LeaArr]

Hello, I've posted a couple of times, but still feel very new on here. Don't know when we'll ttc yet (if it was up to me it would be RIGHT NOW!) but I wanted to know what people are doing before to prepare. I'm not overweight, but my diet is pretty awful most of the time - I just grab anything quick and edible when I get in from work, I guess I should start thinking about what I eat. Oh, and when do you start to take folic acid? How about exercise?

So, any tips for a very inexperienced poster?

Welcome.

I am a little on the overweight side myself. I have joined a gym and started eating healthier in preparation for pregnancy. My DH and I have decided to start trying in September, so have a couple months left. When we were saying that we were going to start trying in the fall, I did start taking a prenatal vitamin. I read from a few different sources that if you start taking folic acid before you start to TTC, it makes it easier to conceive.
The exercise I do is resistance training. I have also read somewhere or another that resistance training is good for people who are less than healthy, such as myself, and it can be continued during pregnancy with doctor approval. That is the same for most training techniques as far as I understand though.

Good luck on your journey. WTTC can be hard, but I figure, the longer I have to wait, the more I will love my LO when he or she comes.

 

[Jewels]

Hi Tacey!

Like you and Refoca, my diet isn't the best either. My hubby and I eat well, but we don't eat nearly the amount of fruit and veggies that we really should. Part of the problem is that my hubby isn't really one for fruits and veggies, and they always end up going to waste, so I just don't bother buying them! Once I do fall pregnant, I will definitely be making sure I am eating well.

With regard to prenatal vitamins, my doctor recommended starting taking them 2-3 months before starting to TTC. I've also been doing moderate exercise - walk the dog every evening, and cardio for 30 minutes 3 times a week. I think once pregnant however, walking will need to do, or less intense bike workouts.

Hope this helps. Good luck when you TTC!

 

[porkpie1981]

My doc says in a perfect world 6 months of folic acid is best.

Im also overweigh but im sarting weightwatchers tomorrow just to try and eat a bit better for myself and if i get preggers. I hate exercise so im not doing it Its just a step to far for me at the moment

Good luck

 

[Tacey]

Thanks everyone! Just what I need to kickstart me into getting a bit more active I think...

 

[Rah]

HI

I have been taking the folic acid since i came off the pill replace one with another helps me remember
i have also done bits of reading and what you should and should eat while pg so i am trying to eat like that now so it will become habbit not a major change but easier said than done! I have the frozen veg on stand by as it does go off when we decide to have something quick which is quite often at the mo!
Im overweight so this can only help with that and i have been building the exercise into my weekly routine esp the swimming as i think that will be all i will do when pg all over workout with no strains or pulls heaven!

Sarah

 

[Chris77]

I haven't done anything. I SHOULD lose weight but I can become really obsessive/compulsive with weight and don't want to lose a whole bunch of weight and mess up my cycles and have a more difficult time conceiving. Then I think well, ok, I;m fat now so how is this going to affect my chances? So sometimes I feel like I should just leave well enough alone. I am on an anti-depressant but my doctor said that the one I'm on is not dangerous for pregnancy. I still don't want to be on it (if I can avoid it) and she told me to call her when I get my first . So that's what'll be doing so she can wean me off the drug.

DH and I are also saving more $$, but other than that that's it.