“I want a healthy baby.” This statement is the heart-felt wish of many young married women. They want to know how to carry out that goal. There is a great deal a woman can do to prepare for a healthy baby, even years before she marries or ready to conceive. All she needs is knowledge of what to do and encouragement as she takes the necessary steps to make her body the best possible place for conception.

Personal Story

When I was expecting my first child, I worked in newborn nursery at the hospital. I had valuable experiences there which helped prepare me for the birth of my first child. One of the most exciting workdays was the day I attended a birth for the first time. As I watched the baby being born, I was awestruck. The birth process was incredible! I watched as the infant took his first breath and let out a lusty cry. He was a healthy baby boy!  The parents were ecstatic as they counted his fingers and toes. What a blessing!

When I was expecting, I studied all I could to help me have a healthy baby. A few months later, my husband and I had a healthy baby boy in our arms. This time, we were the parents who were ecstatic.  I didn’t know it then, but choices a woman makes before conceiving can benefit her child’s health.

Before Conception

Before conceiving, a woman can make dietary choices which will affect her future children.

1. She can begin to consume nutrient-dense, whole food nutrition before trying to conceive and to continue that practice during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and beyond.
2. Lab work is done to decide what she needs in her diet to bring her body into the healthiest condition possible.
3. She may cut exposure to environmental toxins, such as drinking water from plastic water bottles, some of which can lead to birth defects.
4. She might want to decide if she has any allergies to food and avoid food sensitivities. This allows her digestive system to do its work more effectively, which leads to more nutrients making their way to various body systems and better health for mom and, eventually, her baby.
5. She could consider supplementing with a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement.

Before trying to conceive, there are other things to consider.

1. Before conception, a woman may want to do a detoxifying cleanse to help prepare her body, uterus, and blood for pregnancy. A liver cleanse can use herbs to support the liver to get rid of toxins and excess hormones. There are also nutrients and herbs that support the uterus to cleanse stagnant blood and old contents. Cleanses help get rid of toxins that could be passed to the baby in utero.
2. It is important to protect the pregnant mom’s bones before, during, and after pregnancy. One of the most important strategies is to get enough calcium. Food sources of calcium are low-fat dairy products; dark green, leafy vegetables; salmon with bones; corn tortillas; and almonds. Weight-bearing exercise also can help bones get stronger.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. What have you done to prepare your body for pregnancy? Please encourage others by writing in the comment section above.