There has been a whole discussion during and after pregnancy care.

However, for the first time mothers or young mothers, not much light has been shed their way.

Here are some tips to prepare while you plan to have a child;

Smoking

You’re probably already planning on quitting smoking once you get pregnant (and you definitely should), but avoiding cigarettes now will be a huge benefit too.

Smoking increases the risk of miscarriage.

Oh, and your partner should quit smoking too— research shows that men who smoke cigarettes have lower sperm count and motility (swimming speed), and more sperm abnormalities.

Too much caffeine

Caffeine increases your blood pressure and both your and baby’s heart rate, lead to dehydration and, in very large quantities, make baby dependent on it when they’re born.

Practice survival without caffeine months before you decide to have a child so it becomes easier.

Excessive drinking

Drinking during pregnancy is widely frowned upon since it puts baby at risk for fetal alcohol disorders. This is because the nutrients in the fetus are gotten from the mother.

The earlier you adapt to this change the better for you.

The child tends to be slow after birth especially when they join school.

Extreme weight

Consult your doctor about how to get to a healthy weight. You’ll want to eat right, getting plenty of nutrients, exercise and drink plenty of water.

Often, even a small weight gain or loss is enough to get your body ready to make a baby, as long as it’s done healthily.

Stressing out

Chronic and intense stress can mess up your reproductive system. The child may come out deformed or worst case may be lost.

It is important to invest in meditation programs to help you fight stress such as yoga.

Talk to your doctor if you feel the need to also get antidepressants.

Extreme exercise

You want to stay fit, but you don’t want to overdo it. Vigorous working out may interfere with your menstrual cycle, as some marathon runners and gymnasts experience.

Do your morning exercises just to boost your metabolism but not too much to interfere with your hormones.