Figuring out if you are ready to have a baby comes with a lot of questions and considerations. It is completely normal to be confused about your decision even if you know that you have always wanted babies. It has implications for your finances, career and life goals and your relationships. So it is very important to be sure you want a baby.
Let us look at some of the signs that you are ready to get pregnant.
Physical Readiness
Most women experience symptoms when they are fertile. It is important to be aware of these symptoms.- Regular menstrual cycle: Having a regular menstrual cycle is a sign that your body is ovulating regularly. It is important to track your ovulation times as this is when your body is at its most fertile, making it an ideal time to try to conceive. To track your ovulation and menstrual cycle, you can use a calendar or an app specifically meant for this.
- Healthy body weight: You have better chances of getting pregnant if your body weight is healthy, as being underweight or overweight could impact your fertility. Moreover, a healthy body weight is necessary to make sure the foetus develops normally once you are pregnant
- Balanced hormones: Oestrogen and progesterone are hormones that play a key role in pregnancy. Oestrogen helps in developing the baby’s organs and the placenta and supports the baby till the placenta takes over. Oestrogen levels keep rising throughout pregnancy, peaking in the third trimester. The sudden rise in oestrogen is what causes nausea initially. On the other hand, progesterone prepares the uterus for the implantation of the fertilised egg. Progesterone levels during pregnancy are also very high and cause heartburn and nausea.
- Change in cervical mucus: When you are not ovulating and fertile, your cervical discharge can be sticky and cloudy, but your body starts to produce more oestrogen as you get closer to ovulation, turning the cervical discharge clear and stretchy a bit like egg whites. The change in texture of cervical mucus creates a better environment for the sperm to reach the egg.
- Basal Body Temperature (BBT): During ovulation, a woman’s body temperature rises slightly due to a rise in progesterone. By monitoring your basal body temperature every morning, you can identify when ovulation has occurred. However, BBT can only confirm ovulation after it has occurred.
Nutritional Readiness
Being nutritionally ready is very important as nutrients support you and your baby through pregnancy.- Balanced diet: If you have a fairly healthy, balanced diet with all the essential nutrients required for a healthy pregnancy, you are physically ready for pregnancy. Some nutrients you should watch out for include folic acid, iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Good gut health: Having a good digestive system and good gut health is very important for nutrient absorption. The microbiome in the gut helps break food down and absorb nutrients from it. These nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, are important for reproductive health. Any imbalance in the microbiome in the gut can cause an impairment in nutrient absorption and hence lead to a deficiency
Mentally and Emotional Readiness
Pregnancy is a big, life-changing decision. It requires a lot of mental stability.- Stress: Stress hormones being released can impact fertility. Stress can cause an imbalance in oestrogen and progesterone, both of which are important for ovulation and the menstrual cycle. Stress can also lead to anovulation, where the ovaries do not release mature eggs. If your stress levels are under control, you might be ready to take on the challenges that pregnancy can bring about
- Emotional stability: Being emotionally prepared for pregnancy does not just stop at that. You have to be mentally and emotionally stable enough to raise the child and accommodate all its individual needs.
Medical Readiness
Being medically prepared for pregnancy is very important as you could unknowingly pass on diseases to your child if left undiagnosed.- Preconception checkups: If you have been regularly getting preconception checkups done, you are medically prepared for pregnancy. Getting preconception checkups done is important because they allow you to understand your genetic makeup and if there is any risk of you passing on any genetic disorder to your child. Preconception checkups also monitor your blood and glucose levels to check for any abnormalities that could potentially harm you or the baby if you get pregnant.
- Genetic testing: Preconception checkups include genetic testing that can determine if the baby will have any disorders like Thalassemia or Down syndrome.
- Blood tests and pap smears: You may be ready to get pregnant if all your blood work and pap smears are clear
- Vaccinations: If you are up to date with vaccinations like flu and rubella, you are more prepared for pregnancy.
- Managing chronic conditions: It is important to manage chronic conditions like diabetes and thyroid issues before planning to get pregnant. These conditions can get in the way of fertility. Low levels of the thyroid hormone can make it difficult for women to conceive, which is why the condition needs to be managed before trying to conceive.
Lifestyle Readiness
Most women make lifestyle changes once they get pregnant, however, it is important to start making these changes when you make plans to conceive.- Smoking, alcohol and drugs: If you do not smoke, drink alcohol or do drugs or if you have quit these habits for a sufficient amount of time, you might be ready to get pregnant. All of these habits can cause serious harm to the baby, leading to birth defects, stillbirth, low birth weight, preterm birth and miscarriages.
- Regular exercise: Maintaining a regular exercise routine impacts fertility depending on the frequency, duration and intensity of exercise. Moderate exercise done every day helps in maintaining a healthy body weight and balances hormone levels. However, a vigorous workout that overheats the body can have negative effects on fertility and reproductive health.
- Financial readiness: Financial security is a very important factor when it comes to planning for a baby. You do not have to be rich, you just have to be stable enough to support yourself and a child. Raising a child is expensive and goes much beyond the childhood years. You have to take into account clothing, food, entertainment, education and many other factors needed for a child. You might even need to move into a bigger house to accommodate the child and your growing family. Check your bank account and health insurance, as a baby’s first few years have a lot of doctor visits, even for minor issues.
Social and Personal Readiness
Being pregnant and then bringing a child into the world will change your life in many ways. There is no way to be able to predict these changes, as they will be based on individual circumstances.- Career changes: You will have to make career adjustments once the baby arrives. People who are aware of the implications of this are better prepared for pregnancy. Before planning, you must do research on the maternity and paternity leave policies where you work
- Relationships: Having a baby affects everyone close to you. You need to be sure of who will raise the baby with you, and this goes beyond a partner. It applies to friends and family members as well, and how accommodating they would all be to the new baby.
- Individual plans: A baby takes up a lot of time and attention, so you will have to be prepared to give up your personal space and put any plans you had on hold
Regardless of how ready you feel like you are, there will always be doubts in your head about whether or not you are ready for such a life-changing event to take place. However, if you have been maintaining a healthy diet, and body weight and managing your stress levels, you are ready to have a child if you want to.
Consult your doctor for more personalised advice on readiness.
FAQs on Signs You Are Ready To Get Pregnant
- How will I know that I am ready to get pregnant?
If you are fairly regular with your menstrual cycle, maintain a healthy diet and weight, have all your preconception checkups in order and are financially stable enough to take care of a child, you are ready to get pregnant. - How will I know if I am ovulating?
Most women experience some type of symptoms when they are ovulating. You will know you are ovulating because of the changes in the texture of your cervical mucus. Your discharge will be clear and stretchy, somewhat similar to the texture of egg whites.
