The First Step to be a Mother: Pregnancy Preparation Guide

Last Updated on March 14, 2025 by monalishamund1987@gmail.com

The initial phase of your pregnancy journey:

The prenatal and planning stages are equally as crucial as the actual pregnancy and delivery!
Almost everything you eat or breathe during pregnancy will be transferred to the developing fetus. This procedure starts as soon as you get pregnant. As a result, make sure you are following a healthy diet and have stopped using smoking, alcohol, tobacco products, and illegal drugs. This holds true for both parents.

It’s a good idea to start preparing for pregnancy if you’re just considering or attempting to become pregnant. A healthy infant with a good start can be achieved by focusing on the mother’s pre-pregnancy health, diet, lifestyle, and surroundings.
Some women just need a few months to prepare their bodies for pregnancy. However, it may take longer for others. Here are some crucial actions to help you prepare for the birth, whether this is your first child or your second.

Fostering a child who is smart, healthy, and sensitive.

A. Plan your pregnancy :

Talk with your partner about the number of children you wish to have and the time you want to become pregnant in order to plan your pregnancy.

The following important details can assist you in making a better choice:

Never give in to peer or parental pressure while making decisions.
Do not become pregnant before the age of 18.
Keep your pregnancies at least two years apart as advised for the benefit of both of your children’s nutrition.

When the baby arrives, you might need to make arrangements for resources.
Prepare your spouse or yourself financially, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Get checked out holistically.
Take up and keep up a healthy diet, way of life, and habits.
Find out what your hemoglobin level is. See your doctor if the amount is less than 12 grams per deciliter.

If so, discontinue using birth control at least six months prior to beginning your planning.
If you choose to wait, find out from a doctor, ANM, or ASHA what kind of contraception is best for you and your partner. Then, use the contraception consistently and correctly until you are ready to have children.

B. Eat Nutritious Foods :

Your diet can help you have a healthy pregnancy. Physically, cognitively, and emotionally, the fetus is reliant on the mother. Therefore, even before being pregnant, the mother’s nutritional health plays a crucial role in the baby’s early growth.

Make sure to include one from each group in the mother’s diet.

Rice, wheat, ragi, bajra, and jowar in the forms of chapati, halua, idli, dosa, upma, poha, and so forth are examples of cereals. Steer clear of processed flour-based items like white bread and biscuits (Maida).

Fruits and veggies: Consume a lot of the seasonal fruits and vegetables. Two kilograms of green leafy vegetables, one kilogram of starchy vegetables (such as potatoes, beets, and carrots), and one kilogram of other vegetables (such as lady fingers, brinjal, tomatoes, beans, etc.) must all be included in your diet. A fruit or vegetable’s nutritional value increases with its color.

Protein: Select cooked meat, full-boiled eggs, and fish if you’re not a vegetarian. Choose any pulses, such as moong, masoor, tuvar, rajma, and at least two katoris every day, if you’re a vegetarian.

Milk and dairy products: You have the option of 60 grams of paneer, two glasses of milk, or two katoris of curd.

Fat: Make an effort to obtain your fat from vegetable sources such as rice bran oil and mustard oil. For sufficient amounts of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids in your diet, use a combination of mustard oil and groundnut oil or mustard oil and rice bran oil. Consuming flax seeds (Alsi) is another way to ensure that your diet has adequate amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Water: Consume 10 to 12 glasses of water each day.

C. Stay Active :

Prior to becoming pregnant, women should maintain an active lifestyle and achieve a healthy weight. For the mother and the child, this is crucial. You have a lower likelihood of getting pregnant if you are underweight or overweight before getting pregnant. Doing a job or working from home is not the same as exercising; instead, one should schedule frequent physical activities like yoga or walking.

D. Consume 400 micrograms of folic acid every day (1 tablet).

Both the mother and the child need folic acid. This keeps the infant from being born with brain and spinal abnormalities. You must begin as soon as you have made plans to become pregnant and continue for three months after the pregnancy has been confirmed. You can acquire it at a government clinic or from your ASHA/ANM for free.
In addition to eating a diet high in folic acid, you can take a 5 mg pill if a 400 microgram tablet is not available.

To determine your optimal body weight if you are expecting a child, speak with a physician or other local health care provider.

E. Steer clear of toxic chemicals and substances

Substances that can be harmful to your health include metals, chemicals, and other things. Toxic compounds, such as pesticides on fruits and vegetables, household cleaning products, and cosmetics containing lead, may be present in your daily life. Toxic substance exposure can affect you by making it more difficult to conceive, and even trace levels of these toxins during pregnancy might cause early or later-life problems in your unborn child. Here are some actions you can take to avoid being exposed to toxins:
Avoid smokers and give up smoking.

Steer clear of pesticides.
Before chopping or peeling, let fruits and vegetables soak in salt water for a while to remove any pesticides that may have been sprayed on them. Thoroughly rinse and discard the water.
Before you enter the house, take off your shoes to avoid bringing in lead-contaminated dirt from the outdoors.

Instead of using commercial cleaning products, use soap and water to clean your home.
Instead of sweeping, mop your floors. Dust is a major source of lead and can be released into the air by dusting or sweeping.

Food should be stored and consumed in glass and stainless steel containers rather than plastic ones.
Request a change in responsibilities if you are exposed to harmful substances at work.
After work, anyone handles hazardous chemicals in your family should change and take a shower.

Lead exposure during pregnancy can affect the developing baby’s brain. Steer clear of items that might contain lead, such as paint and cosmetics containing lead.
Avoid using mosquito coils in enclosed spaces. Use mosquito netting in its place.

F. Take precautions against infections.

Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially before cooking and eating, will help prevent infections.

After using the restroom, practice good hygiene.
Stay away from sick people.
Avoid sharing utensils, food, and beverages with sick people.

G. Administer the required vaccinations

Our best line of defense against many diseases is vaccination. The infant may experience severe health issues as a result of these conditions.
Unborn children can be gravely impacted by Hepatitis B and rubella/German measles. If you have not received the vaccination, see your doctor before attempting to conceive and refrain from getting pregnant for a month following the vaccination.

H. Consult with a physician or ANM.

Inform the doctor or ANM of your pregnancy attempt.
It is beneficial to get your blood pressure, blood sugar, and other regular tests and clinical evaluations completed. Tell your physician if you experienced any brief joint (rheumatic fever) pains as a youngster.

If you are taking medication for a pre-existing medical condition, such as diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, or another illness, ask your doctor if you should keep taking it. Develop improved management skills for your pre-existing medical issues. Screening for thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and sexually transmitted diseases (such HIV and syphilis) is beneficial for both you and your spouse.

I. Steer clear of narcotics, alcohol, and tobacco.

Smoking, drinking, and using narcotic medications can all lead to issues for the mother, including trouble getting pregnant, early placenta separation, and premature water breakage. The baby may have issues such as low birth weight, premature or postpartum death, SIDS, premature or postnatal death, and potential birth abnormalities. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial for the baby’s home environment.

J. Oral Health :

Get a dental examination and brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time, in the morning and right before bed, to maintain good dental health.

If you have gum and tooth disease, monitor your oral health closely and talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have.

K. Emotional Health :

Reduce and control your tension.
Any type of stress can make you feel lonely, depressed, and anxious. Your infant may have issues at delivery or in the future as a result. The father and other family members can support the mother by establishing a secure and nurturing home environment.

Opt Out of Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse may cause your child to suffer or possibly pass away. Find someone to assist you in leaving securely by calling your local Women’s Helpline number or telling a trusted person if you are a victim of domestic abuse.

Emotional support and confidence in handling the childbearing process are provided by the husband and mother-in-law’s care and support. To ease anxiousness, the mother-in-law can talk about their experience.

Dispelling Myths Regarding Obesity and Conception-

Does the mother have the responsibility for the birth of a boy or girl?
Having a boy (or girl) child should not matter in today’s environment, to start. Girls can succeed just as well in any career. Consequently, they can become skilled physicians, engineers, scientists, poets, painters, or athletes. This is only possible if they are given the same encouragement and treatment as boys. Some of us, however, still undervalue a girl child’s potential and hold the mother responsible for her birth. The complete cognitive capacity of our girls is lost to society in the process.

The father chooses a child’s sex, yet he has no control over it. Here’s why:

Chromosomes are inherited from both the mother and the father. These chromosomes determine the child’s sex. “XX” is the name of the mother’s two sex chromosomes. Though they are distinct from the mother’s, the father’s two sex chromosomes are known as the “XY” chromosomes. The Y chromosome, which a youngster inherits from their father, defines their male sex. The father cannot, however, predict which chromosome will be inherited by the child! The genetic composition of a primitive infant cannot be altered after XX or XY is chosen on the first day of life.

Can a child’s sex be chosen? Is it possible to alter the sex inside the womb with medication or treatment?

Does a medication or treatment exist to alter a fetus’s sex?
The answer is no, you cannot select a child’s sex. The father has no control over which chromosomes a given sperm will carry or which sperm will fertilize the egg, even though his chromosome determines the child’s sex.
There are no pills or medications that can alter your child’s sex. Any medications that make such claims run the risk of damaging the child’s brain and other organs.

The Decision to have a Baby  should be made mutually  between husband and wife.

Thanks and Regards

N.B. This information is suggestive only.