Week 1 of your Pregnancy

During week one of your pregnancy, you are actually not yet pregnant. The best way doctors have found to calculate the due date is to begin with the first day of your last period (when actual bleeding with red blood begins) and count forty weeks from that day. The actual conception usually takes place somewhere around day fourteen, or at the end of "week two." If you are hoping to get pregnant but are having your period, this could turn out to be week one for you!

Here's a suggestion. If you do not keep track of your periods on a calendar, now would be a good time to begin. If indeed you do get pregnant this month, you'll be able to give the doctor or midwife an accurate date. It can also help you to determine your best date to conceive should you need to keep trying for a few months to come. Keeping track of your period is simply a good habit for all women in their child-bearing years.

Pre-pregnancy is a good time to start taking good care of your health. If you are desiring a baby, this is a good time to quit bad habits like smoking and using alcohol or recreational drugs. If you need help to quit these habits, get it. Caffeine is also contraindicated during pregnancy, and can be hard to quit. It is often easiest to wean off of it, since quitting cold turkey can give you severe headaches.

Week one is also a good time to begin eating a nourishing diet, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and lean proteins. Start the habit of drinking plenty of water. It will serve you well throughout pregnancy and be important during breast-feeding as well.

If you need any dental work, it would be a good idea to get that taken care of before getting pregnant. Ask the dentist to let you have a protective apron when you get x-rays taken. This will help to protect your potential babies from radiation damage. Start to consider now your need to reduce or stop pain or other types of medications you may be using.

One final suggestion that could help you get pregnant this month is to keep your body temperature down. Indulging in hot saunas or laying under a hot electric blanket can reduce your chances of conceiving and can increase the chance of miscarriage. Exercise is great, but it, too, can increase your temperature, so keep it a little on the gentle side for a while.

Good luck!