The decision to get pregnant is an important time for any woman. Ideally, it's best to see your midwife before you get pregnant, also known as preconception counseling or pregnancy planning. During this time a woman can meet with her midwife to discuss her pregnancy plan and address any issues or concerns about pregnancy. The midwife can help the woman optimize her physical and emotional health and pave the way for a healthy, happy pregnancy prior to conceiving.

Preconception counseling from your midwife includes:

• Physical assessment
• Fertility awareness
• Controlling bad habits and unhealthy lifestyle choices
• Healthy diet
• Prenatal vitamins
• Exercise and fitness
• Stress Relief

Your midwife will help you understand any health conditions or risk factors that could affect your baby during pregnancy, as diet, bad habits, medications and medical conditions can all have an impact on a baby, even before her or she is conceived.

A midwife can also answer questions and concerns surrounding prenatal visits, labor, delivery and postpartum care.

As soon as you start thinking about getting pregnant, it's important for a woman to visit her midwife for preconception counseling.