Preparing for Baby Before You Want Baby

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My husband and I knew kids were part of our plan we just weren’t sure at what stage in our marriage that part of the plan would fall into place. But when we decided we were ready to start trying we made some changes beforehand to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Eat Healthier. As a working couple we spent a fair amount of time eating out or grabbing something quick. With plans of a baby we tried to get into a healthier eating mindset as well as eating more at home. This of course didn’t harm our bottom line when it came to saving for baby gear either.

Drink Less and More. Of course pregnancy and alcohol don’t mix so I abstained and my husband supported me by not drinking either. Instead we started drinking more water, keeping a big pitcher in our fridge.

Get Fitter. Okay maybe not fit as in a regular workout routine but I wanted to make sure my body was going to be ready for the added strain. My husband and I walked regularly and I tried to incorporate some yoga stretches and breathing techniques into my daily routine.

Take My Vitamins. My doctor knew the plan my husband and I had about having kids and based on her recommendation I started to take Materna prenatal vitamins even before becoming pregnant. Like the response from most Canadian women in the Materna Prenatal Poll (91%) I knew the importance of vitamins during pregnancy but not so much during the pre-pregnancy planning stages.

Taking Materna while trying to get pregnant fit within all the other healthy pre-pregnancy steps I was making. It is even recommended that women thinking of starting or expanding their family start taking a prenatal vitamin with higher levels of folic acid and iron, like Materna, at least 12 weeks before becoming pregnant. Folic acid is important in pregnancies, especially early pregnancies, to help prevent neural tube dfects (NTDs), which often occurs in the very early stages of pregnancy and can lead to conditions such as spina bifida.

Although I may have slipped on eating healthy or drinking enough water every day, I continued taking Materna prenatal vitamins throughout the course of my pregnancy and right into the months afterwards while I was breastfeeding. Prenatal vitamins like Materna provide iron to prevent iron deficiency as well as calcium and vitamin D to help meet a new mother’s needs when breastfeeding.

Even if you already have a child and are looking to expand your family, prenatal vitamins are still important. Materna was part of all three of my pregnancies.

This post was sponsored by Nestle Materna but all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

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