Some people just get pregnant in an unexpected way. Other people like to plan big life events and be organised.

Whatever your ‘method’ and even if you are just thinking about getting pregnant, here are 10 things you should do before conceiving:

1. Stop smoking: applies to both you and your partner

This would seem a no-brainer and no judgement if you are a smoker. But the facts are pretty clear. Smoking while pregnant:

• Adversely affects the health of your baby
• Increases the the risk of miscarriage
• Is strongly linked to the incidence of SIDS

Passive smoking (breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke) has also been linked to SIDS and can result in a lower birth weight for your baby.

2. Cut down on caffeine

Once you’re pregnant you will physically ‘feel’ the effects of caffeine on your unborn baby, i.e: when you have a latte, your little resident will start doing cartwheels in your stomach. So now is the time to either give it up for a while, or cut down to one latte per day.

• 3 cups of instant coffee
• 1 strong espresso
• 4 cups strong of tea

Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can include: headaches, irritability and my personal favorite, constipation. So best to do all that now, before you’ve got a tenant on board sharing your pain.

3. Get fit

And please don’t confuse that with, ‘lose weight.’ Being fit and healthy is a great start for conception and labor: a healthy body will handle the rigors of labor better and reduce recovery times. So if you don’t pay much attention to your general fitness, maybe start looking into what exercise will work best for you.

4. Start taking whatever vitamin supplements you may need

The most obvious one is folic acid. You should start taking this one month before conception and continue taking it for the first three months of pregnancy. When taken correctly, folic acid may help reduce the risk of spina bifida in unborn babies. Other vitamin supplements for mum include:

• Iodine – beneficial for your baby’s brain, visual, motor skills and hearing development
• Iron – that extra little person can drain your reserves and can lead to tiredness
• Fish oil
• Vitamin-D3

Look for a pregnancy multi-vitamin supplement that contains essential vitamins plus a fish oil.

5. Go off the pill, or remove whatever contraceptive devices you have in place

Yes, this is stating the obvious. But the point here is, it’s a good idea to do this one month before you start trying for a baby. This gives your natural cycle a chance to re-establish itself.

6. Go to the movies, see live music, go to the theater

Do whatever it is you love doing that involves getting out at night. Because for a while, you won’t be able to. So get your fix now and you won’t feel so deprived when Baby comes. This stuff is also expensive and your finances might be a bit stretched for a while. Make hay while the sun shines.

7. Make a wish list of great restaurants and eat your way through it

A bit like a bucket list. Treat yourself to a lot of eating out, so that by the time Baby comes, you will be well and truly ready to stay in for a while.

8. Get your finances sorted

Even though we haven’t quite sorted the Paid Parental Leave Scheme in this country, there are still some government rebates and payments you will be entitled to, so check them out and get your paperwork in order. You might also want to start a ‘slush fund’ for when you are on one income and money is tight. A simple way to do this would be to put away $20 of your pay every week and let it build.

9. Take some great holidays – ‘Babymoon’ or a Getaway!

If you don’t know what a ‘babymoon’  is, it’s a holiday you take with your partner before the baby comes. Go somewhere fancy and adult, lie on a beach if that’s your thing, or eat your way around.

Just do it now before you are –

a) You’re too pregnant to fly

b) Two becomes three

Girls’ weekend away

Get your girlfriends together and plan a girls’ weekend away somewhere: a wine-tasting weekend (before you fall pregnant), a fancy house in the country or a snorkeling adventure somewhere up north. You’ll think of something.

10. Get a general health check up at your local General Physician

More to the point, make sure you have a good local GP. If you don’t have one, start sourcing one. A good GP will be an invaluable resource during your pregnancy and beyond when baby health check-ups become a regular part of your life.

Things you need to check and be vaccinated against before you conceive include:

• Rubella
• Chicken pox

Your doctor may also recommend a pap smear if you haven’t had one recently.