Getting Ready for a Family
A friend’s two-year-old toddler is climbing all over you. He’s leaving a serious trail of salivation on your designer clothes, and wailing louder than a fire siren. But you don’t mind. In fact, you aren’t even put off by the smell of his soiled nappy. Or the fact that he’s got chocolate on his chubby fingers and it’s going to be smeared on you.
A baby is a bundle of joy, you think. You love the idea of being a parent.
Where do you start?
Timing is Everything
If you think getting pregnant is just about having loads of sex, think again! Getting pregnant is all about timing. Most women are only fertile about three days a month - during ovulation.
Women who have a consistent 28-day cycle are lucky. Ovulation is probably about 14 days after the start of the last period. During that time, go at it like rabbits with your spouse.
For women with a more irregular cycle, you may need to rely on other means to keep track of your ovulation dates, such as:
- Checking the mucus from your vagina. Just before ovulation, there’s usually an increase in discharge and it looks clear and watery.
- Checking your body temperature at rest, at the same time e.g. first thing in the morning . During ovulation, you will have a gradual rise in temperature of about 0.5 degrees centigrade.
- Using an ovulation monitoring kit, available at most pharmacies (the most idiot-proof way).
At the Beginning
The first sign of a pregnancy is a missed period.
These days, many women opt to use commercial pregnancy test kits from home, before consulting a family doctor or gynaecologist for confirmation.
During the first trimester of your pregnancy, your baby is approximately the size of a cashew nut and his health and safety is particularly fragile. So have plenty of rest, eat well and be sure to do everything your gynaecologist tells you to.
Age
As you grow older, the chances of miscarriages and chromosome abnormalities are higher. At the age of 30, a woman has a one in 1,000 chance of getting a baby with Down syndrome. This increases to one in 400 at age 35 and one in 100 at age 40.
Family History
Some genetic disorders can increase the chance of your baby being born with serious conditions, such as thalassaemia. Consider pre-conception planning with your doctor.
Chronic Diseases
If you have diabetes, the high blood sugar levels can cause miscarriages and birth defects. High blood pressure can also affect the foetus’ development. Do take steps to control these conditions when trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy.
Infections
If you contract illnesses such as chicken pox or German measles while you’re pregnant, these can harm your baby. If you don’t have the immunity, getting vaccinated before you conceive is a sensible option.
Medications
Check all medications with your doctor. Even seemingly harmless ones like aspirin and retinol (for your skin), can cause birth defects.
Baby Love
The good news is, most couples conceive naturally within a year, with regular sex and no birth control.
If you find it difficult to conceive, you may wish to consult a doctor or a fertility specialist. Common fertility issues may include uterine fibroids for women or a low sperm count for men. Seek help early. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about wanting to be a parent.
Having a baby is more than biological; it is also emotional. After the little one arrives, life is certainly never going to be the same again. The best way to prepare yourself is to speak to other more experienced parents, read up on parenting, or seek advice from your own parents. After all, they did raise you, with aplomb!
