A lot of people associate pre-conception health care with fertility treatment. However, pre-conception care isn’t just about conceiving. It’s also about mindfully preparing yourself and your body for the challenge of creating new life.

Pre-conception maternity care will be unique for each one of us. It might be receiving advice from a physiotherapist about improving fitness. It may be consulting a dietician about food choices, not necessarily for weight loss, but to ensure adequate nutrition for mother and child. Some women may choose to see a psychologist to address concerns about conception, birth or life with a new bub. Other women may choose to undertake manual therapy such as osteopathy to address pre-existing injuries and reduce the risk of aggravation as the pregnancy progresses.

The benefits of the above health care for both mum and dad are straight forward: improved cardiovascular health, increased nutrition and better mental health. But did you know that your health prior to conception, (and that’s mum and dad) can dramatically affect the health of your child, even into adulthood. Preliminary studies are now demonstrating that a parents’ health before conception influences a child’s weight and cardiovascular health, the functioning of their immune system, and even how they respond to and manage stress.

At the end of the day, there are a lot of things in life we prepare for; school exams, job interviews, weddings, buying a home. We even prepare our homes for our babies. Why wouldn’t we prepare ourselves?

Article by Nicola Tonson - ATUNE Osteopath