When you’re trying to get pregnant, you are full of excitement. You eagerly wait to see if you’re going to miss your cycle and always have pregnancy tests on hand, just in case. However, if you’re like most women, getting pregnant doesn’t always happen right away. If you’re struggling with getting pregnant, you should consider what changes you can make to make it easier on your body. Here are some ways you can prepare your body for pregnancy.
See Your Doctor
It’s always advised that you see your doctor before you start trying to get pregnant. Even though you may have a regular menstrual cycle, you could still face issues you aren’t aware of. It’s extremely common for women to have fibroids or cysts in their uterus that they don’t know about. They might not be causing pain, but they could make it impossible for an embryo to implant.
Furthermore, many women deal with one, or both, of their fallopian tubes being closed. If your tubes are closed, you may still be ovulating, but the egg will have nowhere to go. Your doctor can do a test with an ultrasound to see if your tubes are closed. If they are, they can push saline through them to try to open them up.
Another benefit of seeing your doctor is that they can refer you to local clinics that offer free pregnancy testing in Illinois. These clinics could end up saving you a lot of money on pregnancy tests while you’re trying to get pregnant.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Even being slightly overweight can negatively affect your chances of getting pregnant. Fat cells typically produce high levels of estrogen, which can cause your body to go awry when you’re ovulating. These additional hormones in your body can cause you to ovulate sporadically and have menstrual cycles that are off schedule. Studies have shown that even a 10% weight loss can have a dramatic difference in your ability to get pregnant.
When changing your eating habits, make sure that you choose whole foods with many nutrients and avoid fad diets. You want to choose a way of life that you can stick with long-term, and you don’t want to cause more stress for your body by being too strict. Not eating enough calories is just as harmful as eating too many.
Start an Exercise Program
Besides helping maintain a healthy weight, exercise will also help your body deal with the changes that come with pregnancy. Women who regularly exercise before and during pregnancy have been shown to have fewer backaches and less fatigue. It’s also been proven that exercise helps prevent gestational diabetes and reduces stress levels. Furthermore, exercise can make the birthing process easier to handle.
When starting an exercise program, it will be best to start slowly and do something you love. If you hate running, don’t do it. If you enjoy walking on a treadmill and watching a TV show, then go for it. Even a 20-minute walk every day has been shown to make your heart and lungs stronger, which is a massive benefit for your entire body.
