If you do not know where to begin, it can be daunting to prepare for pregnancy. Or maybe you have not even thought of the idea of actually preparing your body to receive a baby.
No matter where you are in your pregnancy prep journey I think it is important to emphasize the fact that you and your partner’s health directly impact the health of your children and your children’s children.
We often spend so much of our lives worrying about preventing pregnancy that when we decide to become pregnant not much thought goes into it. However, I would argue that the thought put into pregnancy prevention should be tripled when it comes to intended conception, due to the massive health effects that pregnancy, birth, and parenthood have for all parties involved.
It is up to us to create a positive health influence, or a negative one.
The stress your body holds will also be held by your child. Your nutrient status will greatly impact your child’s. Your preconception nutrient status will also influence your postpartum nutrient status as the body will always prioritize the nutrition of the child.
Your body’s alignment will impact the baby’s alignment. If you plan out your conception, you could greatly influence your birth.
Do you want to know where to get started? Here are 5 simple tips to follow in order to make this journey less daunting. While they are not everything, and are by no means medical advice, they are excellent steps to take in preparing your womb to welcome in a baby.
Prepare for Pregnancy: Eliminate Toxins from your lifestyle
Unfortunately, this world is full of toxins around every corner, and for most of us, a lot of them are simply unavoidable. But this does not mean it’s completely out of our control. There are plenty of ways to avoid toxins for relatively inexpensive.
Often, toxins are endocrine disruptors that can play a big role in disrupting your hormones and making it difficult to conceive. If you do conceive, they can also influence the development of your baby in ways that research is barely beginning to look into. I do not say this to scare you, I say it to empower you because your body is pretty amazing at detoxifying if given the right resources.
In fact, if you are supporting your body’s detoxification pathways and reducing toxic load to the best of your abilities, you and your baby are going to be just fine.
I would start by thinking about the toxins you are exposed to on a regular basis that are easily replaceable with grocery store alternatives, or even better, you can make them yourself!
Toxins can be found in hair products, soap, beauty products, laundry supplies, dish soap, skin care, cleaners, furniture, botox, nail polish, spa/aesthetic treatments, alcohol, sugar, candy, nonstick cookware, K-cup coffee, certain tea bags, seed oils, marijuana, smoking, drugs, etc.
While it may not be doable to rid yourself of all of these things, often for financial reasons, even getting rid of some of these things can make a big difference.
Ridding yourself of some toxins, like beauty treatments or alcohol, will actually save money in the long run if you are worried about the finances of replacing some of these things! Eliminating toxins can be extremely beneficial to prepare for pregnancy.
Prepare for Pregnancy: Prioritize Food as Medicine
Nutrition is so so so so important when you prepare for pregnancy pregnancy. It is extremely beneficial to begin eating in order to prepare for pregnancy months, if not years in advance. This is because your nutritional health directly influences your baby’s structural development.
From eyesight, to jaw structure, to mental health, the way you treat your body before pregnancy nutritionally is how you treat your baby’s body. It is also how you treat your own body because of how nutritionally demanding pregnancy is on a mother’s body.
Setting up a good vitamin and mineral status well before trying to conceive will impact your nutrient stores for the rest of your life, along with the health of any future children you may have. The way you treat your body prior to and during pregnancy has generational impacts.
And I am not talking about simply taking a prenatal. (Which if you do, please take a food-based one, or one that has been diligently vetted through good quality research. AKA don’t just buy a prenatal off of the grocery store shelf).
While I am not saying to not take a prenatal, I am saying it is important to not think a prenatal will solve all of the nutritional needs for both you and your future baby.
Take your high quality prenatal, but treat your entire diet as a prenatal vitamin.
It is important to note too, that when planning to take a prenatal, it is most effective when started a few months prior to conception. This is often something people do not know they are supposed to take until they conceive, so I just thought I would make quick note of this!
The fact of the matter is that they simply do not cover all of your needs.
If you’re reading this and freaking out now, thinking that it is too late to flip your diet around, know that it is absolutely NEVER too late. I would just prioritize eating this way for several months before trying to conceive.
If you’re already pregnant, it is still not too late to start supporting your body and baby the way they deserve to be supported.
The same rules apply to the father of your future child. Their sperm quality greatly influences the health of your baby, and sperm quality is greatly influenced by lifestyle choices and nutrient status. It is not only the mother’s job to prepare (thank goodness!)
Want to know what I recommend nutritionally? Check out these posts here to get started:
Nutrient Density- Arguably the Best Way to Eat
5 False Nutrition Beliefs that You Need to Rewire
Want to dig more into generational nutrition and how to maximize the health of your children?! This is one of my favorite books and I highly recommend checking it out.
Deep Nutrition by Dr. Catherine Shanahan and Luke Shanahan
Prepare for Pregnancy: Bodywork/Align Your Pelvis
Often, fertility will only increase if your bodies are in alignment, and birth will only go smoother if the pelvis is prepared ahead of time when you prepare for pregnancy.
-You can prepare your pelvic floor to hold a baby and birth a baby through going to see a pelvic floor specialist before pregnancy. They can give you exercises to do and help se you up for a more comfortable pregnancy and birth.
-Webster certified chiropractor: Webster Certified chiropractors specialize in optimizing pelvic balance and alignment. While this is amazing for overall health, its benefits for pregnancy are HUGE, and it is never too early to start. This chiropractic technique can help to align the baby properly, leading to less discomfort in pregnancy and more optimal positioning for birth.
Prepare for Pregnancy: Get into an Exercise/Movement Routine
This one may surprise you, but being in shape can make a huge difference in your health as your prepare for pregnancy and postpartum.
I am not talking about washboard abs and running 10 miles a day fit (this can actually cause fertility issues), I am talking about moving your body so that it is stronger and in better alignment.
Keep your old routine up of you already work out, but if you are doing high intensity training such as cross-fit or HITT workouts 4 days per week, maybe begin slowly reducing cardio so that you are doing more strength training a restful movements such as walking.
High intensity workouts can put a ton of stress of your body that makes it difficult for hormonal optimization in conception and pregnancy, and can cause issues with the pelvic floor.
Strength training for pregnancy, however, can hold an abundance of hormonal and metabolic benefits.
It is important to focus on pelvic floor breathing while performing any exercise as well, in order to best prepare yourself.
Want to learn more about exercising to prepare for pregnancy? Check out Birthfit.
Prepare for Pregnancy: Learn the in’s and out’s of your cycle
If you know me, you know I could not end this post without talking about your cycle. If you do not have a deep understanding of your cycle prior to pregnancy, it might be more difficult to consciously conceive your baby.
Understanding your cycle can help you prepare for pregnancy as you:
-Optimize chances of conception
-Get off of birth control earlier to better prepare your body to grow a baby
-Be in tune with your body throughout pregnancy
-Optimize postpartum health
Want to learn how to understand your cycle?
Check out this post:
Fertility Awareness Method: The Complete Guide with 4 Biomarkers
Prepare for Pregnancy: Review
There are many ways to prepare for pregnancy several months up to a couple years before trying to conceive. While there are many other proactive steps to take, these are 5 tips that will send you well on your way.
- Reduce Toxins
- Eat a Nutrient Dense Diet
- Prepare Your Pelvic Floor
- Move
- Become in Tune with Your Cycle
