10 Things to Do Before Conceiving

So you have decided to have another baby. That's great. Here are ten things you need to consider.
1. Get a Preconception Health Check Up. Ten years ago this was unheard of but nowadays it is usual to get check up to make sure you are healthy enough to have a baby. Not only you should have a check up but so should your guy.
2. Get a Pap Test. You are probably not thrilled about this but make sure you don't have cancer before you get pregnant.
3. Talk About Threats. Your doctor should check for things like Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhoea. This may seem unreasonable but it is good to check for these diseases as they can seriously impact the health of a pregnancy. Your doctor should also talk to you about any hazards that you might face while you are in your work place as they can have a negative impact on your pregnancy as well.
4. Get Your Shots. Nobody likes needles but it is crucial that you make sure you have your immunity to such things like chine pox and Rubella (also known as German measles.) Most women are immune to these diseases but you might be among the minor percentage in the population who are not.
5. Know Your Family Tree. Before you move into the action phase of baby making you might want to check to see if certain types of birth defects or fatal disease are genetic in origin and if it is possible that you and your partner may be carriers for certain types of diseases.
6. Make Over Your Lifestyle. If you want to have a child it means that certain things need told be addressed about your lifestyle. You need to be in shape physically before you can chase little kids around so make sure you strengthen your heart and lungs with exercise. You will also do better psychologically if you exercise when it comes to weathering the emotional highs and lows of pregnancy.
7. Lose weight. It is not good for you to carry a few extra pounds if you are planning to have a baby as those pounds will increase your risk of having pregnancy complications. It can also increase your risk of experiencing certain types of fertility problems. Make sure whatever diet you embark on is a healthy one.
8. Learn how to eat well. When you are pregnant the fetus needs all kinds of different nutrients in order to grow and develop. Doctors advise stockpiling these nutrients by eating as many as possible before pregnancy. A very important nutrient to make sure you are getting is folic acid which helps you prevent birth defects such as spine bifida and anecephaly.
9. Kick your bad habits. You do not have to turn into a total prude but it is a really good idea to get rid of your smoking habit and drink less alcohol.
10. Stop taking prescription medications. Prescription medications can affect fatal development so stop taking as many as possible. You should also stop taking birth control so you can have that baby in the first place!

Parenting Tips
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Do You Have Indoor Air Pollution?

In the winter we are all sealed up and it is hard to get fresh air. Indoor air pollution is considered by many experts to be one of the main threats to health in the twenty first century. People are getting ill in what are called 'sick buildings'. To make matters even worse, statistics show that most North Americans spend 90% of their entire life indoors in buildings that may be off gassing chemicals and particulates.
Illnesses that are known to be caused by indoor air pollution are –
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Eye problems
• Throat irritations
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Memory Loss
• Irritability
• Lowered immunity
• Joint pain
• Cancer

It is not just the materials that are used to insulate homes that are the problem. Many downtown office buildings in urban cores are very old and have poorly maintained air conditioning systems. This creates environments where the humidity is too high or too low which can cause respiratory problems, the growing of bacteria such as Legionnaire's disease and other problems. The growth of mold can also be the result of these kind indoor air quality imbalances.
Are your kids sick…maybe you are living in one of those houses built during the energy crisis. I know I am . The air just does not circulate in my home the way I would like.
Studies have showns that h ouseplants may be the natural solution to combating the problem of indoor air pollution. Studies have show that increasing ventilation, renovating with low emission buildings and furnishings and adding houseplants to the environment can help purify the air.
The studies were done by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (commonly known as NASA) over the past twenty years. They were done as part of a program to try and develop ecological life support facilities that could sustain themselves. A big experiment that was done at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, NASA scientist discovered that houseplants could purify and revitalize the air in sealed test chambers.
This is why I have made sure that I have plants in every single one of my rooms. It helps me feel better about what I might be breathing in and also what my children might be breathing in as well.

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