It is very common for the second pregnancy to be a totally unplanned surprise. Contrary to the first pregnancy, where a couple had to plan and try multiple times to conceive successfully, chances are that the second time around, they may have hardly put any thought into trying to conceive. This often leads to a widespread belief that getting pregnant again is easy. However, you will be surprised. Despite being very fertile and healthy during the first pregnancy, many couples endure a lot of struggle to get pregnant again. If you and your partner have been facing this, we’ve put together some tips on how you can increase your chances of getting pregnant again.
General health
One of the first things to-be parents are asked to do before their first pregnancy is to give up smoking and alcohol consumption entirely. However, once the baby is born and the parents have recovered, they tend to fall back into old habits. If you’re trying to conceive again, you will have to quit these habits entirely, again. Your body might no longer be what it used to be. Parenting leaves you exhausted. In the middle of all this, you don’t know how adversely alcohol and nicotine may be affecting your body. In addition to that, make sure you’re not being burdened by too much of work stress. Exercise, follow a healthy diet, and lead a clean lifestyle. Maintaining a state of physical, emotional and mental well-being is crucial for a higher chance of conception.
Folic Acid
Folic acid not only promotes fertility and a healthy pregnancy, but also ensures that the baby is not born with any defects of the spine, brain, or spinal cord.Consult your physician to know what kind of dosage of folic acid you would need. Generally, women are required to take a 400 micrograms of folic acid tablet daily, starting from before conceiving up till about 12 weeks of pregnancy.
You should also consume foods that contain folic acid. Green leafy vegetables and breads and breakfast cereals with added folic acid are some examples of foods rich in folic acid.
If you or your partner suffer from any spine, brain, spinal cord related issues, then your dosage might be higher than the general dosage. Apart from this, a higher dosage might be required if your BMI (BodyMass Index) is 30 or higher, you suffer from diabetes, you have been prescribed anti-epileptic medication, or you already have a baby with back issues.
Weight
Your weight affects your fertility a lot, whether you are overweight or underweight. It is imperative that you work towards being in the weight range that is normal for your body i.e. a BMI between 19 and 24. If you are overweight there are higher chances of having a lower fertility, which will impede the conception process. With exercise and diet you can get to a normal, healthy weight. Consult your physician about the various ways you can achieve the required weight in a healthy manner.
Medicines
There are a few medications that are okay to consume when you are pregnant, while there are a few that can cause trouble while trying for a baby or during pregnancy. If you or your partner take any kind of medication regularly, consult your physician to check which ones can be continued and which ones might need to be stopped or need a safer alternative. Do this before you even start trying to conceive. It also gives your body time to adjust to any alternate medication that might be required as replacement.
Have more sex
Sex life is one of the first things that takes a direct hit from parenting. Between taking care of your firstborn and all your other responsibilities, you may barely have the time or energy to make it to the bedroom, let alone have any sex. But, don’t let this take the fun out of your sex life. Spend some quality time with your partner regularly to keep the intimacy alive, and you will spend less time worrying about whether you’ll conceive successfully or not. Besides, the less stressful this is, the more likely you are to succeed.
Don’t hesitate to consult with your physician or gynaecologist on any other methods you may need to implement to up your chances of another pregnancy.
Are there any more things that one can do to better chances of a second pregnancy? Do let us know in the comments below.