Things to Do Before You Have a Baby

There are four things that you must do before you decide to get pregnant. The obvious things are choose between breast or bottle feeding, learn to change a diaper, and pick out a crib. Planning for a baby should start long before pregnancy begins.

  1. Change Your Lifestyle

    • Quit smoking and drinking alcohol. Start including more folic acid in your diet and taking prenatal vitamins. All of these things will encourage a healthy pregnancy and a healthy infant. Check with your doctor to find out if any of your current medications are incompatible with pregnancy. If they are, find an alternative that is not. Your body will be housing a fetus soon, and it is safer to make these small changes before you become pregnant.

    Get Your Finances in Order

    • Find out how much maternity or paternity leave you have coming to you if you plan to work. If you do not plan to work for an undetermined amount of time, be sure that you have at least 3 months of your income in a savings account. This allows your family to have the same income for 3 months even while one of you isn't working. During that 3-month time frame, find a way to increase household income so that your growing family's financial needs are met. This may mean the working parent asks for more hours or a raise, or finds a better paying job to compensate for the loss of household income.

    Get Your Medical History

    • Speak with your parents and grandparents. Find out if anyone on either side of the family has had any medical problems that you need to relay to your doctor. Some examples include RH factor, Down's syndrome, sickle cell anemia and spina bifida.

    Get a Clean Bill of Health

    • Both parents should have a complete physical. You may have to adjust your pregnancy time frame if one of the prospective parents has a health issue that needs to be dealt with. If you are unable to achieve pregnancy after 6 months of trying, both prospective parents should have a complete health screening.

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