You've decided to take the plunge into parenthood. But wait just a second – or even a month or more. To give yourself the best chance for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, HappyMom.Life is helping out you with some important things you need to do before you head down the road to conception.

Take Folic Acid (And Watch Out For Vitamin A)

Taking a folic acid supplement is crucial. By taking 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day for at least one month before you conceive and during your first trimester, you can cut your chances of having a baby with neural-tube defects such as spina bifida by 50 to 70 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Taking folic acid helps prevent some other birth defects as well.

You can buy folic acid supplements at the drugstore, or you can take a prenatal or regular multivitamin. Check the label on multivitamins to make sure they contain the 400 mcg of folic acid you need.Also check to make sure that your multivitamin doesn't contain more than the recommended daily allowance of 770 mcg RAE (2,565 IU) of vitamin A, unless most of it's in a form called beta-carotene. Getting too much of a different kind of vitamin A can cause birth defects.

Give Up Binge Drinking, Smoking, & Drugs – & Get Help If You Need It

If you smoke or take drugs, now's the time to stop. Many studies have shown that smoking or taking drugs can lead to miscarriage, premature birth, and low-birth-weight babies. Keep in mind that some drugs can stay in your system even after their noticeable effects have worn off.

What's more, research suggests that tobacco use can affect your fertility and lower your partner's sperm count. In fact, studies have shown that even secondhand smoke may reduce your ability to get pregnant.Stopping unhealthy habits can be very difficult. Don't hesitate to talk with your healthcare provider. She can talk with you about tools to help you quit smoking or refer you to a program to help you stop taking drugs, for example. Your local health department may also be able to help by putting you in touch with counselors, group programs, and other assistance.

Stock Your Fridge With Healthy Foods

You're not eating for two yet, but you should start making nutritious food choices now so your body will be stocked up with the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy.

Try to get at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day, as well as plenty of whole grains and foods that are high in calcium – like milk, calcium-fortified orange juice, and yogurt. Eat a variety of protein sources, such as beans, nuts, seeds, soy products, poultry, and meats.

Check Your Caffeine Intake

While there's no consensus on exactly how much caffeine is safe during pregnancy, experts agree that pregnant women and those trying to conceive should avoid consuming large amounts. Too much caffeine has been linked to a risk of miscarriage in some (but not all) studies.

Pregnant women to limit their caffeine consumption to 200 milligrams per day, about the amount in one cup of coffee, depending on the brew. That would be a good goal to aim for as you start trying to conceive.

Aim For A Healthy Weight

You may have an easier time conceiving if you're at a healthy weight. Having a low or high body mass index (BMI) makes it harder for some women to become pregnant.

Getting to a healthier weight now can also help you get your pregnancy off on the right foot. Women with a high BMI are more likely to have pregnancy or delivery complications, while women who start with a low BMI and fail to gain enough weight are more likely to deliver underweight babies. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to achieve your weight goals.

Pay Attention To The Fish You Eat

If you're a big fan of fish, start watching your intake. While fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids (which are very important for your baby's brain and eye development), protein, vitamin D, and other nutrients, it also contains mercury, which can be harmful.

Most experts agree that pregnant women should eat some fish, and that the best approach is to avoid those fish that are highest in mercury and limit your consumption of all fish.

See Your Dentist

When you're preparing for pregnancy, don't forget about your oral health. Hormonal shifts during pregnancy can make you more susceptible to gum disease. Higher progesterone and estrogen levels can cause the gums to react differently to the bacteria in plaque, resulting in swollen, red, tender gums that bleed when you floss or brush.

The good news is that women who take care of their periodontal health before they get pregnant cut down on their chances of experiencing gum complications in pregnancy. See your dentist for a checkup and cleaning now if you haven't done so in the past six months.

 Consider Your Mental Health

Women who suffer from depression are twice as likely to have problems with fertility as women who don't. Especially those with a personal or family history of depression, do a mental health check before they get pregnant. If you notice signs of depression, such as a loss of interest and pleasure in things that you used to enjoy, a change in appetite or sleep patterns, a loss of energy, or feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, ask your practitioner for a referral to a therapist or psychiatrist for a consultation.

The two most effective treatments for depression are psychotherapy and medication, and many patients do best with a combination of both. A psychiatrist can help you find an antidepressant that's safe to take while you're trying to conceive and during your pregnancy. You also may want to try stress management techniques, such as yoga and meditation, which research suggests can help depressed women conceive.

Avoid Infections

It's important to steer clear of infections when you're trying to get pregnant, especially those that could harm your baby-to-be.

You'll want to stay away from certain foods, such as unpasteurized soft cheeses and other dairy products, cold deli meats, and raw and undercooked fish and poultry. These foods can harbor dangerous bacteria that cause listeriosis, a food-borne illness that can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. You should also avoid unpasteurized juices because they can contain bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli.

Figure Out When You Ovulate

Some women simply stop using birth control when they're ready to get pregnant and let fate decide when they'll conceive. Others take a more calculated approach by charting their periods and tracking symptoms to try to pinpoint their fertile days each month.

Use our Ovulation Calculator to get a rough estimate of when you're most fertile. If you want to be more exact, start charting your basal body temperature (BBT) and the changes in your cervical mucus. Tracking these symptoms over several months can help you figure out when you're ovulating during each cycle.

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