The previous article introduced “What do you need to change to get pregnant, part 1” and we hope that you get some tips from there. In addition to that, we would like to introduce more tips when you want to have a baby.
Keep reading on the tips that you need to try!
A balanced diet
Our bodies are made of food ”you are what you eat”. The brain works and the ovaries function because of the nutrition we get from food. Excessive dieting can interfere with hormone secretion from the hypothalamus and cause intractable ovulation problems. Therefore, skipping meals in order to lose weight is counterproductive.
The basic idea is to eat three meals a day and to be as regular as possible with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Having a healthy diet not only makes it easier for you to get pregnant, but it also helps the health of your baby.
Get as close to the right weight as possible
It is said that 12% of the causes of infertility in women are associated with obesity or low body weight. If your weight is too lower than average, you may produce fewer female hormones. On the other hand, if you are overweight, your female hormone production increases, but the amount of hormones cannot keep up with your body weight, which is also a factor in hormonal imbalance.
Having a severe diet is not a good idea, but it is said that the secretion of female hormones can change surprisingly with a difference of “just 3 kg”. According to the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity, the ideal BMI for pregnancy is 20 to 24, if BMI is25 or more, it is considered “obese” and a body mass index of 18.5 or less is “underweight.
[BMI Calculation Formula] *For a height of 160 cm, 1.6(m) is used to calculate. Weight (kg) ÷ Height (m) ÷ Height (m) = to two decimal places.
Dietary habits to improve BMI numbers
If your BMI number is high, the first step is to return it to a healthy number by improving your diet. It is important to avoid fatty foods such as fried foods and sweets. It is also important to cut back on sugar, as excess sugar is converted into fat in the liver and stored in the body. In addition, to include potassium-rich foods (watermelon, potatoes, etc.) in your diet is to help with elimination if you have too much water in your body and your BMI is high.
Bad habits such as smoking and drinking
Many people may like smoking and drinking especially when they feel stress, however, those habits are really bad for your body when you want to get pregnant. Here are some reasons.
Tobacco
If you are a smoker, you should quit smoking. Even if you don’t smoke, if your partner or family member smokes, it’s passive smoking and the harm is not as great as it is for those who smoke.
Smoking has been seen to affect men as well. Various studies have reported data such as lower sperm counts and an increased risk of erectile dysfunction compared to men who do not smoke. Studies related to smoking and pregnancy have shown that quitting smoking can also increase the likelihood of natural pregnancy and improve the success of fertility treatments. It is important to quit smoking not only for fertility treatment, but also for pregnancy and after delivery.
Drinking
This is not to say that drinking alcohol necessarily leads to infertility or has a negative effect on the development of children. However, there are reports that heavy drinking can lead to menstrual irregularities and ovulation problems.
Also, alcohol is carried from the placenta to the fetus during pregnancy and from breast milk to the baby during breastfeeding. If a man drinks a lot, it can also affect sperm count and motility. For this reason, it is recommended to avoid alcohol as much as possible from the third month, when the insemination is necessary.
*In preparation for pregnancy, the recommended alcohol consumption for women is 1-2 times once or twice a week.
Coffee (caffeine)
Caffeine is also found in green tea, black tea, cocoa, and cola, with coffee containing twice as much caffeine. Excessive caffeine intake (e.g., 5 cups of coffee per day) is said to reduce the ability to get pregnant and increase the likelihood of miscarriage, and therefore coffee consumption is advised to be limited to 2 cups per day. These days, there are more and more caffeine-free drinks available. It is also a good idea to take herbal teas that are expected to relax and help relieve bad blood circulation and constipation.
Conclusion
These tips will be helpful for you when you want to have a baby. If you have a irregular lifestyle or smoke, drink etc. you need to know when to stop them for your body and baby.
