For many people pregnancy is an unexpected but welcomed event.

However, planning your pregnancy can often make for an easier time and better outcome.

So what should you do……….

First of all, make the decision! You and your partner need to discuss all angles of being a parent. If this is your first baby, how will it change your lives? Are you ready to have to consider a baby’s needs before your own? No more romantic meals out at the drop of a hat, or lazy Sunday mornings in bed.

If you are planning on going back to work, can you do child friendly hours, what is the childcare provision like in your area?

You and your partner should really discuss ways that you can spend time alone. You might feel like neither of you want to spend any time away from

your bundle of joy, but you really need to be alone together- keep the fire burning!

Once you’ve decided to go ahead, great. Anyone with children will tell you what a wonderful thing it is to be a parent. Good luck on your amazing journey.

So, how healthy are you? Many things can affect your fertility. Weight being one of them. Being too light can be just as detrimental as being too heavy.

Either one can affect your periods, making them irregular, often not ovulating at all some months. In extreme cases, your periods can stop completely.

Women who are overweight when they become pregnant are at a higher risk of problems during pregnancy and labour, such as gestational diabetes and increased risk of caesarean section

Make sure that your diet provides you

with the correct daily requirement of Folic Acid. The recommended dose prior while you are trying to become pregnant and the first 12 week of pregnancy is 400 micrograms a day. This will help the prevention of problems such as Spina Bifida.

Generally, eat a well balanced and healthy diet. Get in your five portions of fruit and veg every day.

Cut down on your fat intake. Your diet before you become pregnant and those early weeks of pregnancy is very important.

Exercise is great. Swimming and walking especially. Get prepared for labour!

Both you and your partner should make a huge effort to give up smoking if you do. In men, smoking can reduce the motility of sperm, meaning that they might not make it to the egg.

In women, smoking

can increase your risk of miscarriage and premature labour, not to mention all the poisons that you pass on to your baby, meaning that your baby could have a very low birth weight. This could cause potential problems for your baby.

Alcohol in moderation is acceptable. Moderation being the recommended 1 unit a week. For example, 1 glass of wine or 1 single measure of spirit. Of course it far more sensible to steer clear altogether.

Alcohol again can have an effect on fertility, and a woman who drinks excessively during pregnancy could find that she gives birth to a baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. These babies can be born with withdrawal  symptoms and will require specialist care.

Once you have covered all this, then go ahead and enjoy the future prospect of your baby.