10 Things to Do When Trying for a Baby Leigh

1. Stop contraception!
Of course this sounds obvious, but its not always straightforward! If you are using condoms, the cap or a diaphragm, then its obvious how to go about it and what to expect. If you have been using the pill, then its best to stop at the end of a packet to help avoid irregular spotting. If your periods before you started the pill were irregular, you may find that it takes a few months to settle down again to a normal cycle. If this hasn't happened by 6 months its is worth seeing your GP to see why this might be happening. Some doctors suggest leaving it a few months to allow your cycles to get back to normal and this will help with dating of the pregnancy. It isn't strictly necessary, however.

If you have a coil in, this can be taken out at any time of the cycle, but is least uncomfortable just after the end of a period. Even if you have one of the newer coils, such as the Mirena, your fertility should return within a month or two.

If you have been using the depot provera injection, which is used every 3 months, it can take some time for your periods to come back and for pregnancy to occur. This can be even as long as 12-18 months, so plan early!

2. Prenatal vitamins
Folic acid supplements are now well proven to help prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly. The dose needed is 400 micrograms per day, or 5mg per day if you have had a previously affected child or are taking medication for epilepsy. This is best taken for 3 months prior to pregnancy or at least as soon as you think you are pregnant - most of its useful effect will be before you even realise you are pregnant, so taking it beforehand is preferable. These can be stopped at 13 weeks gestation. For women who otherwise have a healthy diet, there is no need for extra vitamin supplements, but if you do not eat a healthy range of foods, then one of the multivitamins specifically for pregnancy might be advisable. Be sure it is one that does not have high levels of Vitamin A, which is toxic for a developing baby.

3. Optimising health
There are some medical conditions that may affect pregnancy directly, or that may be affected by pregnancy. The particular medications that are needed for these may need to be altered or stopped before pregnancy. Some conditions where pre-pregnancy counselling might be useful include: diabetes, epilepsy, hypertension or thyroid disorders. Your Obstetrician will probably wish to see you in a joint medical clinic at the hospital and keep a closer eye on things throughout pregnancy.

4. Avoiding risky infections
Listeriosis is cause by a bacteria, which if caught during pregnancy, can result in miscarriage, stillbirth or illness in the baby. It affects around 30,000 births each year in the UK. High levels of listeria are found in some foods, so it is advisable to avoid the following: unpasteurised milk, pate' made from meat, fish or vegetables, mould-ripened and blue-veined chee...

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