Starting a family is a very special time in your life.  

The few months leading up to conception can significantly affect the health of your future baby and that includes the father-to-be, too.

The father-to-be should also stop smoking as children of fathers who smoke heavily are twice as likely to have malformations.

There are a variety of ways to stop smoking. Your GP can advise you or you can find out about support groups in your local library or Yellow Pages. At the end of the day, whichever method you choose, you will only succeed if you really want to give up. And, if you want a healthy baby, then that should be the best incentive.

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Alcohol

Alcohol is a poison and can seriously damage the developing baby, especially in the first six to 12 weeks of pregnancy. There is no safe level but you should never drink more than two units per day (one unit = one small glass of wine, half a pint of beer/cider, a pub measure of spirits) and certainly not every day. Alcohol in pregnancy can lead to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome which can cause facial abnormality, heart defects, abnormal limb development and reduced intelligence in your baby.

It would be better not to drink at all and if that is a problem for you, now is the time to wean yourself off alcohol. If you and your partner are heavy drinkers, your GP should be able to advise you.

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If you are overweight before you are pregnant, your body will be placed under a much greater strain during pregnancy, giving rise to back problems, joint pains, varicose veins, cardiovascular problems, haemorrhoids and stretch marks.

Now is the ideal time to reach your desirable weight. If you are severely overweight, you should see your GP to discuss starting a family. He may refer you to a dietician. First, you should establish your body mass index (BMI). This is a measurement which is used by health professionals to establish what a patient's correct weight should be for their height.  To check your BMI, enter your details in the form, below.

If you have more than 14lbs (6 kilos) to lose, then you should be careful how you reduce weight. It is best to do this gradually rather than try a restrictive diet, like the Atkins diet or other such diets that leave out major food groups. Cutting down on starchy carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cakes, rice and sugary foods) and eating little and often with regular aerobic exercise, is the safest way to reduce weight.

Restricting certain foods also reduces your nutrient intake and it is vital in this pre-pregnancy period to maintain optimum nutrition for a healthy body.  Pregnancy takes a lot from the mother's body, especially calcium from her bones and teeth.

Where possible, organic fresh fruit and vegetables should be eaten, at least five portions a day but preferably eight. Vegetables can be combined in soups or as a raw vegetable juice to increase the amount consumed, as variety is more important than quantity. Processed food and Takeaways should be avoided or eaten only occasionally.

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Dietary Support

Unfortunately, in today's world, it is impossible to receive the full complement of nutrients required to maintain good health. Every decade, the nutrient value in our fruits and vegetables is depleted because of modern farming methods. See Nutritional State of Our Food for more details.

The old saying "eating for two" is quite right - not in quantity of food but in quality. More nutrients are required during pregnancy because the baby will take all it needs from the mother's resources and if they are low, she may become malnourished. Therefore, it is important to build up the body before pregnancy.

Folic acid can be found in citrus fruits, wheatgerm, wheatbran, nuts, pulses, wholemeal bread, eggs, brown rice, kidney beans and asparagus. Zinc helps the absorption of folic acid and can be found in meat, hard cheese, wholemeal bread, eggs, pulses, rice, green leafy vegetables and potatoes.

Your intake of Protein, calcium, magnesium and iron are also important at this stage and the vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E and K to prevent cleft palate, hydrocephalus (water on the brain), Siamese twins and kidney, limb, eye and brain malformation.

If you are concerned that you may be lacking in certain nutrients, a hair mineral analysis would be useful at this stage.  A sample of hair is required and sent to a laboratory which tests for mineral levels and also toxic metals.  This is available from Foresight and more information can be found here.

For a list of suppliers of quality nutritional supplements, recommended by doctors around the world for their safety and effectiveness, visit Useful Links. Doctors also recommend supplements for the father so he will be able to produce healthy sperm.

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Most people do not drink sufficient fluids each day but now is a good time to get into the habit of increasing your consumption of water. Ideally you should be drinking at least two litres of water a day. That should not include water used for tea or coffee as they can both be dehydrating. This means that the benefit from their volume is soon cancelled out by their diuretic effect.

Sufficient fluids allow your body to remove toxins. If you are dehydrated, water is drained away from some cells and sent to the vital organs. This can lead to tiredness, lack of concentration and gastro-intestinal problems.

Tea and coffee both contain caffeine and should be kept to a minimum. If you drink a lot of these beverages then now is the time to cut down, gradually. Some women find that they cannot tolerate these drinks during pregnancy.

Fizzy drinks and any drinks containing artificial sweeteners should be avoided. Aspartame, which is commonly used in diet drinks is a bio-chemical toxin and has been found to cause birth defects amongst many other health problems. For more information on Aspartame click here.

A glass of fruit juice can be counted as one of your required daily portions of fruit but you should not drink more than two a day because they can be quite acidic.

If you have problems drinking water, then diluting fruit juice is one way of making it more palatable. However, like most things, if you drink it often enough it becomes an acquired taste.

Filtered water is better than water straight from the tap but remember to change the filters regularly to prevent bacteria, nitrate, and metal build up. Mineral water is also good, preferably “still” water from glass bottles rather than plastic. Plastic bottles may contain chemicals which can cause birth defects. If you can only buy plastic bottles, make sure you drink it as soon as possible, as the closer it is to the expiry date, the higher level of chemical contamination in the water.  NEVER keep water in a plastic bottle in a hot place, like a car during summer as the plastic chemicals will easily leach into the water.

If you live in an area with artificially fluoridated water, you should avoid drinking tap water altogether.  The only guaranteed method of eliminating this toxic chemical is to install a reverse osmosis unit.  Details about this can be found here.

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Personal Hygiene

You may be shocked to discover that many of the products you use daily for personal hygiene contain a toxic cocktail of chemicals which cannot only harm your long-term health but can also cause birth defects. Recent studies have shown that shampoos, shower gels, and bubble baths contain chemicals which have the potential to cause infertility in boys. These chemicals are able to pass through your skin into your bloodstream and across the placenta into your unborn baby.

Common chemicals that should be avoided are: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate found in toothpastes and some mouthwashes; Sodium Laureth Sulphate found in shampoos, shower gels and bubble baths; Propylene Glycol found in skin care products; DEA, MEA, TEA found in cosmetics, shampoos and shower gels; Fluoride found in toothpastes; Triclosan found in toothpaste, deodorants and anti-bacterial products; and Talc. See Controversial Ingredients for more details.

Therefore, the best chance of having a healthy baby would be to find safer alternatives.  These are much easier to find now that information about controversial ingredients has become better known.

For a list of reputable suppliers, see Useful Links.

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If you have been using products containing the potentially harmful ingredients mentioned earlier, or eating a lot of processed or pesticide-laden food, it is wise to give your body a detox to rid it of the build up of toxins, before conceiving.

There are a number of books available on the market giving details on how to detoxify your body. Fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, are wonderful at eliminating toxins and the recipes and meal plans include these. Dairy products, wheat, meat and fish should be avoided during the detox and their nutrient value is replaced by seeds and other nutritious alternatives.

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Taking Responsibility

Starting a family is an exciting part of your life and will be one of your greatest life-changing moments. When you hold your newborn baby in your arms, nothing will ever be the same again. Providing your precious child with a safe environment to grow, from a tiny collection of cells to a fully developed baby, is the first step in becoming a responsible parent and will give your baby the best chance of a healthy future.

Medication

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