Preparing for pregnancy
A step-by-step guide for new mums
While there’s no perfect way to prepare for pregnancy, there are some healthy steps mothers-to-be in particular can take to get their body baby ready, explains Shannon Dunn.
- Make an appointment with a holistic health expert, such as a Chinese medicine practitioner, to determine your state of health specific to pregnancy.
- Book in for a blood tests, including a live blood analysis. This can quickly help mums-to-be determine what nutrients are missing from their diets while also gaining advice on what natural supplements may be beneficial in the pregnancy preparation stage.
- Take steps to stop habits such as smoking and regular alcohol consumption.
- Increase intake of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and non-GMO grains. Raw food smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of nutrition into one meal.
- Good fats are essential to foetal growth, especially brain development. Omegas 3, 6 and 9 can be found in such foods as cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil, avocados, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts and sesame seeds.
- Stop drinking water from plastic bottles, which leach chemicals. Natural spring water is the best way to hydrate. The standard recommended eight glasses per day is a good goal to reach.
- Consider talking to a qualified health professional about undertaking a detoxification program that’s tailored to you. Assisting elimination of toxins prior to pregnancy can ease the burden on the body during the nine months of gestation, freeing it up to grow a healthy baby.
- Eliminate all stress. Practices such as meditation, tai chi and chi gong are great stress relievers while also giving the student health-boosting benefits. Emotional freedom techniques (EFT) and visualisation are also highly beneficial to help remove stressors from past traumas and everyday living.
Shannon Dunn is a wellness writer and eco beauty editor.
