Even before you plan a pregnancy, you can prepare your body for the baby. This is the ideal time to pay attention to your diet and health and perhaps develop a few good habits for life.

 

A woman trying to have a baby should take care of her health even before conception, not just for the baby's sake, but for her own. It is advisable to keep physically fit and, depending on the course of the pregnancy, to exercise regularly in a way that is suitable for pregnant women. Giving birth is a physically demanding process. Many women feel exhausted during the labour process and have to do their utmost to push the baby out. Those who are physically fit will last longer. To prepare for pregnancy, women should jog, cycle or swim five to six days a week.

Exercises to prepare for pregnancy

Each of these four exercises should be practised for two minutes a day to train the muscles that are used during pregnancy and labour.

1. kneel on the floor, touch your heels with your buttocks and tilt your upper body forwards. In this position, roll a medicine ball forwards, backwards and to the sides and then lift it upwards.
2 Get on all fours on the floor. Raise one arm and the opposite leg at the same time, keeping your torso straight. Remain in this position for a few minutes and then raise the other arm and leg.
3. stand with your legs wider than shoulder-width apart and your knees and toes pointing slightly outwards. Bend your knees with a straight back until your thighs and calves form a right angle. Hold a medicine ball with both hands against your upper body. Hold this position for a few seconds, then use the strength of your legs and glutes to straighten your legs again.
4. run up and down a flight of stairs with a medicine ball in your hands.

A healthy diet is the basis for a healthy pregnancy. A healthy diet includes wholemeal products, fresh fruit and vegetables, calcium-rich dairy products, lean meat or tofu and pulses. Preparation before pregnancy is particularly important to prevent possible deficiencies that can occur during the first trimester due to morning sickness.
It also makes sense to take vitamin supplements. The diet should contain folic acid, choline, calcium and iron.

It is not only important to eat well, but also to avoid certain foods and stimulants. It is best to start before pregnancy to get used to avoiding certain things. These include raw fish and meat, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Prohibitions during pregnancy (Part 1),Prohibitions during pregnancy (part 2)

You don't need a diploma for pregnancy and motherhood. Switching to a good diet, staying fit and adopting healthy lifestyle habits will give your body and future baby the best chance of a healthy life A woman should be within a healthy weight limit before becoming pregnant to prevent complications later on. The more overweight the woman is, the greater the risk. The normal body fat index (BMI) for a woman is between 18.5 and 24.9.

Physical fitness helps to reduce weight, prepares the body for the rigours of childbirth and reduces stress, which plays an important role in a woman's fertility. Sufficient sleep, plenty of time in the fresh air and a positive attitude to life also help. By adopting healthy habits, a woman becomes more relaxed and self-confident; factors that are conducive to conception.