Life
We all know about the things you're supposed to cease and desist doing when you get pregnant: stop drinking alcohol, stop eating soft cheese, no more going out for sushi during the weekend. But for those of us who aren't quite on the pregnancy train, and have the hope of getting there soon, what are the things you should stop doing while trying to conceive, even before you're pregnant? You might want to live out your last hurrahs way before you're even ready to take a pregnancy test.
There are certain habits, like cutting down on caffeine, limiting drinking, and fighting stress in your life that are believed to either boost your fertility or at least make the transition to pregnancy a little easier. And that's exactly what we need in the trying to conceive phase of life — a little increase in the odds of getting pregnant by cutting out bad habits where we can (since you have to cut many of them out anyway). These aren't guaranteed get-pregnant-quick tricks, but when you're trying to get pregnant, and especially if you've been at it for a while, every little bit helps.
So as soon as you've made decision to try to get pregnant, here are some helpful habits to adopt ASAP.
7
Stop Drinking Excessively
Like smoking, drinking can affect both your fertility and the baby's health when you are pregnant. Natural Fertility Info reported, "Women who consume more than [five] alcoholic beverages a week take longer to get pregnant." Womp womp. If you're trying to maximize your chances of getting pregnant, limiting your alcoholic beverages to less than five a week should be on your to-do list.
8
Stop Avoiding The Doctor
If it's been a while since you took a trip to the doctor for a check up, it's time to make an appointment. Obviously, we're all aware that prenatal care is critical to a healthy pregnancy, but visiting the doctor before getting pregnant can be the first step on the way to growing a healthy baby. WebMd explained that doctors will check for diseases or problems that might affect you being able to have a successful pregnancy, and can help address them early on. Doctors will also test for HIV, herpes, and other sexually transmitted diseases that can impact reproduction. Additionally, you might be due for a jab or two: "If it's time for you to update your vaccines, it's important to do so before you are pregnant."
9
Stop Pulling All-Nighters
While most of us gave up pulling all-nighters after the last college final, many women still don't get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep each night, which can adversely affect your fertility. A study published in Sleep Medical Review, called "Sleep, Sleep Disturbance and Fertility in Women" suggested that, "Sleep continuity disturbance may influence fertility," causing problems with menstrual cycle, reproduction, and menopause. Regulating your ZZZs can help prevent problems that come along with getting too little — or too much — sleep.
Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.