Trying To Conceive Again

Are you trying for another baby? If you are then you have quite a few things to think about. You have gone through this before so you know what to expect but even so, things crop up unexpectedly.

So what do you need to consider?

Type of birth

What type of birth do you want? Would you prefer to give birth in hospital or at home? This depends upon where you gave birth before.

If you had your first baby (or babies) in hospital then you might prefer to stick with this but there are other options such as a home birth or a water birth. Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of all the options.

Support during birth

Who do you want with you during the birth? Most women would like their partner there with them but if your partner is a bit squeamish then it may not be a good idea.

A tip for men: it is not a good idea to mention to the doctor and midwives about the time you were injured playing football and how it was more painful than giving birth. Firstly, you will not get any sympathy and secondly, your partner will be less than impressed!

You may want your mum to be there with you as well as your partner – which is fine. Many women find that having their mum there to provide extra support really helps so ask her if she would like to do this.

Mind you, don't be surprised if she tells you off for swearing in the delivery room!

Trying for a baby following a miscarriage

Sadly, some pregnancies end in a miscarriage which is a very distressing time for both of you. Your big fear is that it may happen again which puts additional pressure on you; but there is no reason why you should not carry a baby through to its full term.

Has this happened to you? If it has and more than once then it may be a good idea to get yourself checked out via your GP or a gynaecologist.

They will conduct a series of tests to see what the cause of your miscarriage was and prescribe treatment as appropriate. But there are cases where a miscarriage occurs for no reason at all.

How long should you wait before trying again to conceive? We would advise you to wait for at least 3 months following a miscarriage before trying again but ask your GP for advice.

Give yourself time to come to terms with what has happened before trying to conceive again.