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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Travel Toys for Toddlers

Toddler travel toys are essential if you want to have a peaceful vacation trip. Of course choosing these toys can be a bit of a chore simply because what keeps one toddler happy may not entertain another.
You can usually find toddler travel toys at your local mall in the local big chain or at a toy store but you can also find them online. Some people find it easier to shop simply because everything is in one place and specialised and the selection might also be better.
Another benefit to shopping for toddler travel toys online is that you can sometimes get real deals and discounts if you spend a certain amount. For instance on some of these toddler travel toys sites you can 45% off if you can spend over a hundred dollars. Other sites like this offer discounts for people who are members of the military.
The younger the toddler is the more important it is to travel with c are seat tables. These are also known as travel trays. These trays keep toys where they belong. They help prevent you from having to bend over and retrieve toys that have fallen onto the car floor every two seconds. As every parent knows toddlers love to hurl things across the room. A toy tray might actually discourage them from doing this.
So what kind of toddler travel toys is available? There is everything from board books, to that old standby from the seventies the 'Etch a Sketch.' A more contemporary version of the etch a sketch is called the Magna Doodle.
Sometimes the best toddler travel toys are simply some stuffed animals that the baby can play pretend with. Dolls and puppets are also good for the baby who likes to act out stuff and play pretend. If these stuffed toys are small enough they can really help your toddler get through a long boring day in a car or plane seat.
Of course when it comes to toddler travel toys there are quite a few that are specifically designed for travel and they contain a lot of push buttons and interactive gimmicks to keep your toddler entertained.
You can also get soft activity toys that are called Soft blocks. You can buy these Velcro blocks separately and link them together. They can be held by your child or they can be attached to a part of the car like the door seat handle. Many of these blocks double as excellent building blocks as well.
If your child is an older toddler they might really enjoy an activity like a magnetic wooden puzzle. The magnets on the pieces prevent them from flying all over the cram, train or plane. Just make sure that you have something to carry all of these pieces in so they don't get lost en route.

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