You have decided to have a baby. Congratulations! This is a wonderful time in your life and I am so happy for you. Preparing for a child is an immense task and even planning on conceiving one is a big deal. I’m sure your wife has bought all the books and is reading all the different advice the internet has to offer, but I’m sure you’re wondering what you could do to help. It takes two people to make a baby, so what steps can you take to ensure you’re also doing everything you can to bring this bundle of joy into the world. The man must be fertile and make sure his sperm count is high. He also needs to be ready to perform on those days where your lovely partner is ovulating and ready to conceive. To help you navigate your end of the deal I have a list of do’s and don’ts that will make sure you’re just as prepared as your counterpart.
The first step I have for you might be difficult, and honestly, you have probably tried for years, but you need to get in shape. Lose extra weight and making sure to have a regular fitness routine are going to up your chances tremendously. Losing those few 
pounds is not only going to make you feel and look better it’s going to make conceiving a lot easier. Studies have shown that it takes a couple longer to conceive if the man is overweight, and even suggests that the sperm quality is affected as well. The sperm is reduced in numbers and has difficulty swimming as well as the increase of genetic damage. Researchers believe that the added weight affects testosterone levels making an overweight or obese man have a lower sperm count and a harder time fathering a child.
Another thing to keep in mind is the foods you eat. While still not conclusive, it only makes sense to eat healthier when trying to produce a child. This is also going to help you in your weight loss journey and is going to boost your metabolism by giving your body the needed proteins and vitamins it needs. Fruits and vegetables are also going to help with stamina and are going to be great sources of antioxidants that will help you produce healthier sperm. Make sure that you’re well rounded in your diet, getting your fiber, proteins, healthy fats, and daily vitamins. If you’re having a hard time doing this regularly, or you are unsure of what foods will be good for these aspects, you might consider taking a multivitamin daily. This inspires you to get all the good with little chance of the bad.
A thing that can really affect your sperm count is high heat. So, limit your trips to the hot tub or sauna. While it does not permanently affect your sperm count, the high temperatures can lead to months of damage. And the more often you’re frequent it, the longer it takes to recover and the lower the change of conceiving.
There are many other things that you should consider staying away from as you try to conceive. You might want to adopt a more health-conscious lifestyle while you try for a baby. Things like smoking, drinking and other toxic chemicals are bad for your fertility. Smoking is directly linked to a lower sperm count and decreased sperm movement, and it can increase the number of abnormally-shaped sperm. Studies also show that smoking can decrease the chance of fertilization of a woman’s egg. And if you do manage to conceive while smoking the effect of second-hand smoke on infants can be devastating. Other drugs like marijuana and steroids also have the similar effect on the sperm of a man. Alcohol also affects the quantity and amount of sperm a man can produce and should be limited if not completely cut out of your diet. Another thing to be wary of is technology. While no conclusive evidence has been found there are several theories that the radiation of your laptop and having your phone in your pocket all the time can affect sperm counts, but this may also be because of the heat produced from both. As you take this moment to get your life together to improve your chances of reproduction, you might also consider making some, if not all, these changes permanent. These choices are going to prolong your life giving you more time with this person you spent so much work and time creating.
One last point to help you along your way. Sometimes we jump the gun with decisions and find out later that we should have prepared more. I’ve seen this happen a million times, so I urge you to make sure you have all your affairs in order. Plan for the worst so that you’re ready for almost anything. Make sure you see your doctor regularly through this process, and while they may be able to help with your reproduction, you may also want to make sure you get checked for other issues as well. Make sure you’re healthy and ready for the long run, and your wife too. Plan for the future by making health-conscious decisions now. You might also consider the effect your age might have on your chances and talk to your doctor about the risks of having a baby at your age. This is not the fun or exciting part, and it might even be scary at times, but realizing potential dangers and risk now will help you be ready for them if they happen.
I wish you the best of luck as you go into your next chapter. Having a baby is one of the most rewarding things you can do in your life and watching this thing you created grow and learn and become its own person is so beautiful. I hope this helped in your journey and gave you some needed advice. What you’re planning next is hard but rewarding work and your plan and the steps you take now will affect the outcome. Read up and get a medical professional’s opinion. Best regards to you and may your family be beautiful, healthy, and happy.
