Your Prepregnancy Checklist

1. Make an appointment with your doctor. It’s true: You’ll be seeing her plenty after you conceive. But it’s a good idea to book a visit ahead of time, too, even if you’ve been pregnant before. If you have any health issues that could affect your chances of conceiving or that could make a pregnancy more risky, it’s important to get those under control now. If diseases like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease run in your or your partner’s family, you might also want to see a genetic counselor or do preconception screening tests.
2. Check your gums. Good oral health is strongly linked to a healthy pregnancy. Gum disease is linked to early birth and low birth weight. See a dentist to tackle any problems.
3. Quit smoking and drinking. You know tobacco and alcohol during pregnancy are never OK — they’re bad for a baby’s growth and can cause health problems for him when he gets older. But even now, smoking and drinking can make it harder to get pregnant and raise your risk of a miscarriage. Talk to your doctor about programs that can help you quit these habits.
4. Cut back on caffeine. Downing more than two cups of coffee or five cans of soda a day (that’s about 250 milligrams of caffeine) could make it harder for you to conceive and increase the chances that you’ll miscarry. Plus, switching to decaf now means you won’t have to put up with caffeine cravings during those first few weeks of pregnancy.
5. Eat smart. There’s no better time to cut out junk food and all of its empty calories. Make sure you’re getting plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein every day. A healthy diet before you conceive can make you less likely to get gestational diabetes, a type that affects pregnant women.
6. Shed extra pounds. Extra weight can raise your odds of problems like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy (your doctor might call this preeclampsia). It generally isn’t a good idea to lose weight while you’re pregnant, so start working on it now.
7. Catch up on vaccines. Some illnesses during pregnancy could do more than make you miserable. They might hurt your child. Talk to your doctor about the vaccines you need now and which ones you’ll need later. Doctors give some shots (like the Tdap vaccine for whooping cough) during pregnancy so your baby can benefit from the protection, too.
8. Think about the meds you take. It’s important to let your doctor know about all the drugs you’re taking — prescription, over-the-counter, even vitamins and herbs. Some of them could affect your baby. Start taking a prenatal vitamin or folic acid supplement to lower your risk of birth defects.
9. Get picky about seafood. You’ve probably heard that it’s smart to steer clear of fish that are high in mercury while you’re pregnant. But it can take up to a year for your body to clear the element from your blood. Fish on your plate twice a week is fine, but pass on the kinds that have a lot of mercury like swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and shark.
10. Hit the gym. Not only will exercise help you get to a healthy weight, it’ll also get you into shape for labor and delivery. Once you’re expecting, look for special prenatal classes that are safe for moms-to-be.

The postpartum period begins after the delivery of the baby and ends when the mother’s body has nearly returned to its pre-pregnant state. This period usually lasts six to eight weeks.

The postpartum period involves the mother progressing through many changes, both emotionally and physically, while learning how to deal with all the changes and adjustments required with becoming a new mother. The postpartum period also involves the parents learning how to care for their newborn and learning how to function as a changed family unit.

A mother needs to take good care of herself to rebuild her strength. You will need plenty of rest, good nutrition, and help during the first few weeks.

Rest

Every new parent soon learns that babies have different time clocks than adults. A typical newborn awakens about every three hours and needs to be fed, changed, and comforted. Especially if this is their first baby, parents–in particular, the mother–can become overwhelmed by exhaustion. Although a solid eight hours of sleep for you may not happen again for several months, the following suggestions may be helpful in finding ways to get more rest now.

• In the first few weeks, a mother needs to be relieved of all responsibilities other than feeding the baby and taking care of herself.
• Sleep when the baby sleeps. This may be only a few minutes of rest several times a day, but these minutes can add up.
• Save steps and time. Have your baby’s bed near yours for feedings at night.
• Many new parents enjoy visits from friends and family, but new mothers should not feel obligated to entertain. Feel free to excuse yourself for a nap or to feed your baby.
• Get outside for a few minutes each day. You can begin walking and doing postpartum exercises, as advised by your health care provider.
• After the first two to three weeks, introduce a bottle to breastfed babies for an occasional nighttime feeding. This way, someone else can feed the baby, and you can have a longer period of uninterrupted sleep.

Nutrition

A mother’s body has undergone many changes during pregnancy, as well as with the birth of her baby. She needs to heal and recover from pregnancy and childbirth. In addition to rest, all mothers need to maintain a healthy diet to promote healing and recovery.

The weight gained in pregnancy helps build stores for your recovery and for breastfeeding. After delivery, all mothers need to eat well so that they can be healthy and active and able to care for their baby.

Whether they breastfeed or formula feed, all mothers need to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Most lactation experts recommend that breastfeeding mothers should eat when they are hungry. But many mothers may be so tired or busy that food gets forgotten. So, it is essential to plan simple and healthy meals that include choices from all of the recommended groups from Choose My Plate.

The Choose My Plate icon is a guideline to help you eat a healthy diet. My Plate can help you eat a variety of foods while encouraging the right amount of calories and fat. The USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have prepared the following food plate to guide you in selecting foods.

The My Plate icon is divided into five food group categories, emphasizing the nutritional intake of the following:

• Grains. Foods that are made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain are grain products. Examples include whole wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal.
• Vegetables. Vary your vegetables. Choose a variety of vegetables, including dark green, red, and orange vegetables, legumes (peas and beans), and starchy vegetables.
• Fruits. Any fruit or 100 percent fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.
• Dairy. Milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group. Focus on fat-free or low-fat products, as well as those that are high in calcium.
• Protein. Go lean on protein. Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry. Vary your protein routine–choose more fish, nuts, seeds, peas, and beans.

Oils are not a food group, yet some, such as nut oils, contain essential nutrients and can be included in the diet. Others, such as animal fats, are solid and should be avoided.

Exercise and everyday physical activity should also be included with a healthy dietary plan.

To find more information about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 and to determine the appropriate dietary recommendations for your age, sex, and physical activity level, visit Choose My Plate. Please note that the My Plate plan is designed for people over the age of 2 who do not have chronic health conditions.

Although most mothers want to lose their pregnancy weight, extreme dieting and rapid weight loss can be hazardous to your health and to your baby’s if you are breastfeeding. It can take several months for a mother to lose the weight she gained during pregnancy. This can be accomplished by cutting out high-fat snacks and concentrating on a diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, balanced with proteins and carbohydrates. Exercise also helps burn calories and tone muscles and limbs.

Along with balanced meals, breastfeeding mothers should increase fluids. Many mothers find they become very thirsty while the baby is nursing. Water, milk, and fruit juices are excellent choices. It is helpful to keep a pitcher of water and even some healthy snacks beside your bed or breastfeeding chair.

Consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if you want to learn more about postpartum nutrition. Certified lactation consultants can also help with advice about nutrition while breastfeeding.

Help for new parents

New, as well as experienced parents soon, realize that babies require a lot of work. Meeting the constant needs of a newborn involves time and energy and often takes parents away from other responsibilities in the home.

Although many parents do fine on their own, having someone else helping with the household responsibilities usually makes the adjustment to a new baby easier. Parents can concentrate on the needs of mother and baby, rather than the laundry or dirty dishes.

Helpers can be family, friends, or a paid home care provider. A family member such as the new baby’s grandmother or aunt may be able to come for a few days or longer. Home care providers offer a variety of services, from nursing care of the new mother and baby to housekeeping and care of other children.

Whoever you decide to have as helpers, be sure to make clear all the things you expect them to do. Communication is important in preventing hurt feelings or misunderstandings when emotions are fragile these first few weeks. It is generally best for the new mother to be relieved of all responsibilities except the feeding and care of herself and her baby. This is especially important if she is breastfeeding. Others should assume the chores in the home such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping. This will help the new mother take care of herself, and keep her from limiting her time with her baby.