Many facets of pregnancy are beyond your control or influence, but many facets are things you can do something about to make the experience better for both you and also your child. Follow the advice below in order to help you take control of your pregnancy.

Are you expecting? Do you plan on breastfeeding? Is it important to you to be able to breastfeed in a public place without drawing a lot of attention? Nursing clothing was designed with this in mind. There are outfits made by companies that allow for discreet breastfeeding. Wearing these clothes helps you to keep nursing private, even when you are in a public space. You might practice breastfeeding before a mirror to get the hang of doing it discreetly.

Get familiar with your cycle to improve your chances of conceiving. You can use what you know about your cycle to choose the days with the highest chance to conceive to try for that baby. This also helps you determine the likely date of conception, which assists in determining your due date.

Try to use prenatal vitamins even before you get pregnant. In the first trimester, your baby’s neural cord is already developing. This eventually becomes the spinal cord and brain. It is very important that you get correct amounts of iron, calcium and folic acid in preparation for and during pregnancy.

Understand that you might not get pregnant right away. In fact, it takes some women a year or longer in order to get pregnant. If it takes longer than this, you should visit a doctor with your partner. Your doctor is the one best able to determine if you have any medical problems getting in the way of pregnancy.

Check for STDs when you’re pregnant. These diseases, if left untreated, can cause serious health issues for both you and the baby. Tests for STDs can be conducted through blood, urine or a pap smear. If you are diagnosed with an STD, you may need to deliver your baby via C-section.

When you’re pregnant and need to travel, don’t go to locations where medical care isn’t close by. You need to be able to get to a doctor quickly during any complications. Also, make certain your phone is attached at your hip.

When you are pregnant, do not use a hot tubs or saunas. These can overheat you and harm your baby. Especially during the first and second trimesters, the oils used by some spas can result in early contractions. Clary sage, juniper and rosemary should be avoided.

Even before you become pregnant, care for your body just as you would during pregnancy. Do not smoke or drink and keep yourself in good shape. It could take anywhere from a few months to even a year or so if you’re trying to get pregnant, so you need to practice a more healthy lifestyle as soon as possible.

Human skin can stretch a lot, but only so far. As the skin on your stomach stretches during pregnancy, you may find that it feels itchy. Avoid hot baths, as they will make the itching worse. Water that is very hot will remove natural oils from the skin and leave it itching even more. Moisturize with a heavy product, like cocoa butter or Vaseline. Dress in looser fitting garments and avoid the temptation to scratch.

As you read in the tips above, avoid sitting and just letting the pregnancy happen. You can start right away to take steps towards protecting both the health of yourself and your child while the calendar counts down to the big day.