A positive pregnancy test can be a joyous experience, but it may also bring with it some anxiety about the weeks ahead..

 

Preparing for Pregnancy

 

Preparing your body prior to conception is one of the best ways to ensure your pregnancy progresses without any complications. This applies to the man, as much as it does to the woman, after all, he is contributing 50% of the DNA needed to make your baby.

 

That said, once you conceive you are the one who will experience all of the various physical changes and it is for this reason that pregnancy has been likened to running a marathon. You wouldn't attempt a marathon without doing some training first and the same principle applies when your body is working hard for nine months to grow a baby.

 

Women who enter pregnancy with a good level of fitness and who have been eating healthily for at least four months prior to conception are more likely to have complication free pregnancies and shortier, easier labours. 

 

 

An individualised approach

 

There is plenty of advice available on-line or in pregnancy books, but it tends to be very generalised.

A protocol for pregnancy should be specific to you. It should take into consideration your medical and obstetric history, any allergies you have or medications/supplements that you may be taking, how long it took you to conceive, whether you have had previous fertility treatment, experienced miscarriages or have any secondary health issues

(e.g. auto-immune conditions, diabetes, endometriosis etc..) that could impact your pregnancy.

 

Some women may find the first trimester very easy, while others feel exhausted and may suffer with nausea or vomiting at any hour of the day or night.

 

While most women start to feel better during the second and third trimesters, this is the time when musculo-skeletal symptoms commonly appear (e.g. sciatica, back pain and symphis pubis diastis-SPD),  which can be very debilitating if no action is taken to address the problem.

 

 

Alternatives to medication

 

Medications such as anti-inflammatories, anti-biotics and pain-killers are best avoided during pregnancy, unless absolutely necessary. Hence, most women will endeavour to find a safe, natural, yet effective alternative to address their physical ailments. 

 

Acupuncture works extremely well for any musculo-skeletal complaints, nausea, insomnia, IBS/constipation or anxiety. It is also the treatment of choice for breech presentation and natural induction of labour. 

 

Nutrition protocols can make a huge difference to symptoms of fatigue, problems with digestion, heartburn or anaemia. We know from recent research that nutrition during pregnancy has a big impact on the future health of your baby and a tailored regime designed with your health history in mind may make all the difference to the outcome of your pregnancy. 

 

To book an initial pregnancy consultation please click here.

 

 

 

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