Planning to have a baby? Eating well and taking care of your body before you become pregnant will help you have a healthy pregnancy. Use this pre-pregnancy checklist to make sure your baby benefits from the best start possible.

• Enjoy eating well and being active

  It’s especially important to make wise food choices when you are planning to have a baby.

  • Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide can help you choose the right amount and type of foods for your good health.
  • Be sure to enjoy a healthy balance of foods from each of the four food groups: vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk and alternatives and meat and alternatives each day.
  • Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, including at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day. Dark green vegetables are especially rich in folate, an important B vitamin for healthy pregnancies (also known as folic acid in the supplement form).
  • Eat a variety of grain products and make at least half of your grain product choices whole grains each day. Try whole wheat whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, wild rice, oats, barley and quinoa.
  • Choose lower fat milk and alternatives. Be sure to drink 500 mL (2 cups) of milk every day for adequate vitamin D. Drink fortified soy beverages if you do not drink milk.
  • Select lean meat and enjoy alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu. Have at least two 75 g (2 ½ oz.) servings of fish each week, following Health Canada’s advice about fish that are safe to eat.
  • Include a small amount – 30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 Tbsp) of unsaturated fat each day, including vegetable oils, salad dressings, soft margarines and mayonnaise.
  • Find out how foods rich in iron and calcium and vitamin D promote a healthy pregnancy.
  • Limit less healthy foods and beverages that are high in calories, fat, sugar or salt (sodium) and try healthy alternatives.
  • Balance healthy eating with daily physical activity for overall well-being and a healthy body weight. Build up to 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as a brisk walk, each day.
• Take a multivitamin with folic acid

  Health Canada advises all women who could become pregnant to take a multi vitamin supplement with 0.4 mg of folic acid daily.

  • Folic acid is an important B vitamin that is essential for the normal development of your baby’s spine, skull and brain.
  • It is especially vital during the first four weeks of pregnancy, before most women even know they are pregnant.
  • Taking a folic acid supplement for at least three months before you become pregnant, in addition to healthy eating, can help prevent serious birth defects.
  • Talk to your doctor about which multivitamin is best for you.
  • Learn more about why all women who could become pregnant should be taking folic acid.
• If you drink alcohol or smoke, stop

  No alcohol or tobacco smoke during your whole pregnancy is the safest choice for having a healthy baby.

  • It’s best to stop drinking alcohol when you are trying to get pregnant. There is no safe amount or time to drink alcohol during your pregnancy.
  • Drinking alcohol when you are pregnant puts your baby at risk for physical, social, mental and emotional disorders for life.
  • Try a berry smoothie or mixing fruit juice and bubbly water for a fun and refreshing beverage to enjoy instead of alcohol.
  • If you or someone in your household smokes, it’s important to quit before you get pregnant. Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy affects your baby’s health for life.
  • If you smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke, your baby will get less oxygen and nutrients. Your baby may be born smaller and have breathing problems, more colds and learning problems.
  • A smoke-free environment is best for both you and your baby right from the start.
  • Ask your health care professional if you need help to stop drinking or smoking before you become pregnant.
  • Learn more about alcohol and pregnancy and smoking and pregnancy and visit Motherisk to get support.
• Speak to your health care provider

Having a baby is an exciting, life changing experience! It’s never too early to start planning for a healthy pregnancy. Speak to your health care professional about other important steps you can take as you plan for a healthy pregnancy.

Learn more about important steps for a healthy start from Women’s Health Matters.