Getting Pregnant: Pre-Pregnancy and Fertility Guide

Planning for pregnancy

We do so much planning and preparation before we cook our favorite holiday meals. Just consider how much we plan our Thanksgiving dinner. We often have an extensive list and purchase just the right ingredients, the perfect cut of meat, the ideal spices, and the best cookware. Once we get started, we measure carefully and stir consistently to cook that meal to absolute perfection. While the dinner might last a few hours, the preparation can take weeks in advance. Ironically, we follow dinner recipes to a tee, yet most pregnancies follow the "just do it" principle.

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Many people think of just 3 trimesters when it comes to pregnancy, but in reality, there are actually 6 trimesters! The time before, during, and after pregnancy. The pre-trimester is one of the most important trimesters, and it can help determine the remaining 5, and also help ensure a healthy pregnancy.

babyMed wants to change the "just do it" principle by getting you ready for pregnancy in advance. We will help you learn all the right "ingredients" to whip up a healthy and happy pregnancy.

Read on!

Pre-trimester basics

• The Six Trimesters Of Pregnancy
• What Is the Pre-trimester?
• Pre-Trimester Checklist: Before You Get Pregnant
• What Is Preconception Care?
• The Preconception To-Do List

12 steps for preconception care

1. See your doctor first
2. Get educated and learn about fertility and getting pregnant
3. Improve the health of you and your partner
4. Review your medications and supplements
5. Stop smoking, stop alcohol and eat the right food
6. Be at your optimal weight
7. Try and relax
8. See your dentist
9. Check your health insurance
10. Getting pregnant after stopping birth control
11. See an infertility specialist if necessary
12. His pre-trimester of the pregnancy is important, too!

Preconception testing

• What Preconception Tests Should You Get?
• Pap Smear
• TSH
• Sperm Analysis
• HIV
• Herpes
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis
• Chlamydia
• Cytomegalovirus
• Toxoplasmosis
• Type and Rh both partner's blood
• Sickle Cell 
• Jewish Genetic Disease

Nutrition and diet

• Pre-Trimester Diet and Lifestyle Tips
• Optimal Pregnancy Weight Gain
• Preventing Birth Defects
• Benefits of Folic Acid During Preconception
• Dad’s Folic Acid Consumption May Be Vital To Baby’s Health 

Getting pregnant

• All About Implantation Bleeding
• Getting Pregnant After Birth Control
• Boy or Girl: You Choose
• How Often Should You Have Sex?
• What Men Should Do in the Pre-Trimester

Fertility awareness

• Fertility Charting
• Implantation Symptoms
• Cervical Mucus and Fertility
• Basal Body Temperature
• Mittelschmerz (Ovulation Pain)
• Ovulation Prediction Calculator