Trying for a Baby / Pregnancy

Introduction

In this blog, we will look at what trying for a baby looks like and what you should be aware of during your early pregnancy. We go from examining how pregnancy occurs, what factors may affect conception, when and how often to have sex when trying for a baby, signs and symptoms of pregnancy, different vitamins and supplements which are important during pregnancy, and other products that may be beneficial.

How does pregnancy happen?

Pregnancy results when sperm enters the vagina and then travels through the cervix and womb to a fallopian tube, where it successfully fertilises an egg.

What affects my chances of conception?

Women are more likely to get pregnant around the time that they are ovulating. This is when the egg is ready to be fertilised.

Age, whether you use contraception, your general and reproductive health, and the amount of sex you have can affect your chances of getting pregnant.

Women under 40 who have regular sex (every 2 to 3 days) without using contraception have an approximately 80% chance of getting pregnant within 1 year.

Whether you and your partner smoke and drink alcohol can also affect the chances of you becoming pregnant, as well as your weight. It’s important to maintain a healthy weight, stop drinking alcohol, and avoid smoking if you are trying to become pregnant. It may be helpful if you and your partner commit to working out and eating healthy together, as well as agreeing to both avoid smoking and alcohol.

One product we offer for men who are trying for a baby with their partner is Vitabiotic Wellman Conception. This product is a supplement taken daily which includes zinc (important for normal fertility and reproduction in men) as well as ginseng, amino acids, and other ingredients which may help contribute to men’s fertility.

When and how often should I have sex?

If you are trying to become pregnant, you and your partner should have sex every 2 to 3 days without using contraception, ensuring that the sperm enters the vagina.

Ideally, have sex around the time you are ovulating–this is usually about 12 to 16 days before your period normally begins. You may find it helpful to use an app to track your menstrual cycle so you have a better idea of when you are most likely ovulating.

If you are over the age of 36 and trying to become pregnant, or if you have tried to become pregnant for more than a year without success, we recommend speaking to your GP. Similarly, if you have a long term condition such as diabetes, may have a risk of passing on sickle cell disease to your baby, or regularly take certain medicines, we suggest that you seek advice from your GP before trying to become pregnant.

Signs and symptoms of pregnancy

Every pregnancy is different, and so not everyone will experience the same symptoms. However, most women experience at least some of the following:

• A missed or lighter period. Some women experience very light bleeding early in their pregnancy, which is called implantation bleeding, and is not actually a period.
• Feeling or being sick, also called morning sickness. This usually starts when you are 4 to 6 weeks pregnant.
• Feeling tired. This is most common during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and is caused by hormonal changes. You may also feel emotional or upset.
• Sore breasts. You may find that your breasts are a bit larger and feel tender (which can also happen before your period), and they may tingle. Sometimes veins in the breasts become more visible, and your nipples may darken and stand out.
• Increased urination. More frequent peeing may indicate pregnancy, as can constipation and increased vaginal discharge (without any accompanying soreness or irritation).
• Strange tastes, smells, and cravings. You may find that you no longer enjoy some foods or drinks that you used to enjoy, or that you crave new foods. Some women find that they are more sensitive to certain smells (usually food or cooking) and may experience a strange taste in their mouth, which some describe as metallic.

We recommend taking an at-home pregnancy test. Typically, so long as you have followed the instructions, a positive pregnancy test is almost always correct. A negative test may be less reliable. If you get a negative result and still think you may be pregnant, wait a week and then try another test.

We carry Clear & Simple Pregnancy Kit and Suresign Pregnancy Test at-home tests, which are convenient to use and offer clear, accurate, and fast results. You can take this test at any time of the day, starting from the day your period is due, with results in as little as one minute. 

Vitamins and supplements

Before taking any vitamin, supplement, or medication, we recommend speaking to your GP or midwife, even if the product is specially formulated for pregnant women. Every woman–and every pregnancy–is different, and your GP or midwife will know best what you need. Their recommendations may differ based on your individual case.

It is recommended that you take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, starting from when you first try to become pregnant until you’re 12 weeks pregnant. Folic acid can help to reduce the risk of problems in the baby’s development in the first weeks of pregnancy, including birth defects such as spina bifida.

Although some multivitamins contain folic acid, and you can get folic acid naturally from the foods you eat (such as leafy green vegetables), it is best to take a special folic acid supplement instead, to ensure you get the proper amount.

We carry Seven Seas Folic Acid Trying for a Baby, which contains a 4 week supply of folic acid pills. The pills also contain iron and vitamin D. Seven Seas also has Pregnancy Vitamins with Folic Acid, which, in addition to containing the required amount of folic acid, have added vitamins and minerals.

You should be taking a daily vitamin D supplement when trying to get pregnant (and once you are pregnant), such as Valupak Vitamin D or Vitabiotics Ultra Vitamin D.

Vitamin D helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in your body, which is needed to keep your teeth, bones, and muscles in good condition. It can be especially hard to naturally get the proper amount of vitamin D during the autumn and winter months (September through March) when there are fewer sunlight hours, and so it is particularly important to take a vitamin D supplement during this time.

Calcium is incredibly important during pregnancy for your own health as well as for that of your baby, helping them to develop their bones and teeth. Try to ensure you eat a varied and balanced diet that includes proper servings of pasteurised milk, cheese, yoghurt, green leafy vegetables, bread and other foods made with fortified flour, fish with bones such as sardines, and tofu.

Some women develop anaemia during pregnancy due to not having enough iron. If you have anaemia, you will likely feel very tired. You can try to eat more iron-rich foods such as lean meat, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, and nuts, but, if needed, you may take an iron supplement as approved by your GP or midwife. We carry Floradix Formula Liquid Iron & Vitamins and Ferrograd, amongst other iron supplements.

Vitamin C is also very important in pregnancy as it helps to protect cells and keep them healthy. Typically, a balanced diet will provide you with all the vitamin C you need. Be sure to regularly eat oranges, red and green peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and potatoes as part of your diet. After checking with your GP or midwife, if you may need to take a vitamin C supplement, we offer Vitamin C Oral Strips.

An all-around tablet we offer is Vitabiotic Pregnacare Max - 84 tablets, which is a comprehensive nutrition supplement specially formulated to support the health and wellbeing of pregnant women. Each tablet contains essential vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids that are crucial during pregnancy to support healthy development of the baby and maintain maternal health.

Seven Seas Pregnancy Plus Breastfeeding Vitamins are ideal for pregnant women as well as those who have recently given birth, whether or not they are actually breastfeeding, as it helps to support nutritional levels and assist the body following pregnancy.

Whilst you are pregnant, you should avoid cod liver oil and any supplements containing vitamin A (retinol), as too much vitamin A can harm your baby. If you are taking a multivitamin, it is especially important to check the ingredients label to see if it contains vitamin A. Always check with your GP or midwife before adding any new supplements or vitamins to your diet.

Foods to avoid during pregnancy

Above, we’ve mentioned some foods that can help you to get the proper nutrients you need during your pregnancy, and what vitamins and supplements may help to fill any gaps in your diet. However, there are certain foods you should avoid whilst pregnant. If you’re in any doubt, you should always consult your GP or midwife.

You should avoid:

• Foods made from unpasteurised milk, such as soft-ripened goats’ cheese, or any unpasteurised milk product including cream, whether it is from goats, cows, or sheep.
• Any mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside (unless cooked until they are steaming hot), such as brie, camembert, and chevre.
• Any soft blue cheeses, such as Danish blue, gorgonzola, and roquefort (unless cooked until they are steaming hot).
• Raw or undercooked meat. Be careful with cold cured meats (such as salami, pepperoni, chorizo, and prosciutto) unless you know they are cooked thoroughly.
• Liver and liver products.
• All types of pate, including vegetarian pate.
• Game meats such as goose, partridge, or pheasant. 
• Raw or undercooked eggs from hens that are not British Lion (they have a lion stamp on them) or which are not produced under the Laid in Britain scheme.
• Raw or undercooked duck, goose, or quail eggs.
• Swordfish, marlin, shark, raw shellfish, and cold-smoked or cured fish (including in sushi) unless it has been cooked until it is steaming hot. Limit your consumption of tuna (due to higher mercury content) as well as your consumption of oily fish such as trout, mackerel, herring, or salmon.
• More than 200mg of caffeine per day (about a cup and a half of filter coffee). You can also consume caffeine in chocolate, energy drinks, teas, and other sources, so be sure to check how much caffeine these foods and drinks contain.
• Alcohol (read more on this below).

Make sure to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables before eating them, to ensure that you remove all traces of soil.

As mentioned above, avoid taking supplements that contain vitamin A, as too much of this can harm your baby.

Other things to consider during pregnancy

While we already addressed how smoking and drinking alcohol can harm your chances of becoming pregnant, it’s also important to understand how smoking and alcohol consumption can harm your baby once you actually do become pregnant.

Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of problems, including:

• Miscarriage.
• Premature birth.
• Low birth weight.
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death.

If you are struggling to quit smoking, we recommend visiting NHS Quit Smoking for free help, support, and advice on stopping smoking. Even if you are not smoking, you should know that being around others who smoke can still be harmful to your baby. 

Alcohol consumed while pregnant can be passed on to your unborn baby and can lead to long-term harm. Alcohol passes from your blood through the placenta to the baby and can affect its development, as the baby does not yet have a fully developed liver to process the alcohol. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy also carries the following risks:

• Miscarriage.
• Premature birth.
• Low birth weight.
• Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which is a serious life-long condition that can cause problems with your child’s learning, behaviour, joints, bones, muscles, emotional management, social skills, hyperactivity, impulse control, and communication including speech problems.

The more you drink, the higher the risk to your unborn child. If you were drinking prior to finding out you were pregnant, you should avoid drinking for the remainder of your pregnancy, but try not to worry too much–the risk of the baby being affected by this early drinking is typically low, provided you cease drinking early on.

If you are struggling to stop drinking, you can speak to your GP or midwife, or reach out to one of the following organisations: Drinkaware, We Are With You, or Alcoholics Anonymous.

The NHS offers a free email subscription service called Start for Life. You will receive regular emails tailored to your stage of pregnancy of your child’s age. You can learn more and sign up here.

Summary

Every woman and every pregnancy is different, but in general, when trying for a baby, you should take care to maintain a healthy weight and avoid smoking or drinking alcohol–advice which also applies to your partner. It’s important to take folic acid as soon as you begin trying for a baby, and to keep in mind that some of your nutritional needs may change once you become pregnant. Many women experience similar symptoms when they become pregnant, but an at-home pregnancy test will be able to confirm that you have conceived. If you have been trying for over a year to get pregnant and have not been able to conceive, we recommend speaking with your GP. You can visit our Pregnancy & Fertility collection here.