When it comes to having a baby, lots of people assume that the health of their little one is all down to the mother. While women do need to be healthy in order to prepare their body to carry a baby for nine months but, creating a happy and healthy newborn it isn’t solely down to them. Having a baby is a partnership and the importance of the father’s health shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, the lead author of a recent British study says the findings show that men who want to start a family should have a healthy, balanced diet from at least three months before conception.

We have put together some top tips for dads-to-be to help explain how their health can affect their unborn baby and why they need to prioritize their health and lifestyle at this time too.

DIET 

It goes without saying that a healthy diet is always really important. However, you may not know that if a guy’s diet is poor it can actually affect the chances of conception. Sperm quality and quantity can be affected by the foods that you eat and you should be mindful of this when trying for a baby. But the good news is sperm is replicated every three months or so, so any changes made can have a positive impact quite quickly.

In general, the foods that have a good effect on men’s fertility aren’t too dissimilar from those that positively affect women’s, so you can focus on having a good diet together. Specifically for men foods that are high in zinc and selenium are great for supporting fertility and sperm health. Zinc is found in high quantities in oysters, beef and shellfish while Selenium is exceptionally high in Brazil nuts. 

If you struggle to eat well or want to make sure you are consuming these nutrients every day taking a supplement such as Proceive Men can help. This will ensure that you’re getting everything your body requires to support sperm production and fertility.  

SMOKING AND ALCOHOL 

On top of a bad diet, smoking and drinking alcohol regularly can also affect sperm health and fertility. Smoking has been shown to impact men’s fertility in many different ways;

• Reduce the quality and quantity of your sperm
• Affect your sperm’s ability to swim 
• Alter the DNA in your sperm 

Also, it’s worth remembering second-hand smoke affects female fertility and pregnancy – another reason to try to quit. 

As well as smoking, regularly drinking alcohol above recommended levels can cause problems with fertility for men. As far as drinking alcohol is concerned, it can;

• Cause loss of interest in sex
• Reduce your testosterone levels
• Lower your sperm quality and quantity

Thankfully, the damage done can be reversed once alcohol intake is reduced, so making one or two small changes can make a huge difference to men’s fertility. 

EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES

Some of small things that we do every day can also impact your fertility;

Did you know your testicles are outside your body because they need to be slightly cooler than the rest of you to produce high-quality sperm. Making some small changes to your current lifestyle may make a difference to your sperm. For example, not putting a warm laptop on your lap and avoiding hot baths. 

In most cases, moderate exercise is also good for male fertility. Taking some time out of your day to be active helps to keep you at a healthy weight, which is important for normal sperm production. A good workout also helps to relieve stress and makes you feel good. Severe stress may limit sperm production so taking steps to reduce the stress in your life will help.

ENSURING YOU GIVE YOUR BABY THE BEST CHANCE 

If sperm is in poor health it will have a harder time swimming up to and penetrating the female egg and as such makes it more difficult to conceive. Making some changes to your diet and lifestyle can really impact not only your chances of having a baby but, also the health of your baby. 

Take some time to think about your current diet and habits and start to make some positive changes where possible. Studies have shown that improving nutrition and lifestyle for as little as three months before trying to conceive can make a noticeable difference to sperm health.

The Proceive range contains tailored supplements for men and women so both you and your partner can take positive steps towards ensuring your bodies are getting all of the nutrients you need require at this exciting time. Proceive Men contains 26 essential nutrients. These supplements are designed to provide targeted support for reproductive health, and can really help with both sperm count and motility. Proceive® Max Men is tailored to support the nutritional needs of men over 40 when trying for a baby as well as those (of any age) who have been trying to conceive a year or more. It contains 33 carefully selected amino acids, vitamins, minerals, with each ingredient being in its most. See the Proceive range here