Healthy Changes I Made To Prepare My Body For Pregnancy: A Step-By-Step Process

Growing this lil babe has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am so thankful for this opportunity. (photo credit: emilee meador)

I would say the most requested topic since I announced my pregnancy has been a breakdown of the things that I did to get my body physically *ready* for pregnancy. You all were LOUD and clear in the comment section of our pregnancy announcement that you wanted this post…

and here it is :)

It’s no secret that getting pregnant is a BIG life event, and a few months of intentional “prep” can help prime and prepare your body, mind, and spirit for the journey of getting pregnant. Do you NEED to do this? Not necessarily! Of course, some people get pregnant without any “prep” at all! But, my attitude is, why wouldn’t I take a bit of time to set myself (and my future baby!) up for success??

In getting pregnant, MANY things can be out of your control— so, for me, it felt empowering to take charge of the small things that were in my control.

But before we get started, a quick disclaimer: the following are simply the things that *I* chose to do to prepare myself for pregnancy, and, as always, this is not medical advice.

I really don’t just say this disclaimer to say it— I truuuuuuly encourage you to work with your provider as you prepare for pregnancy — what worked for me may not be a good fit for you, and that’s okay! 

I ALSO want to be sensitive to the fact that experiences vary so greatly with fertility and infertility. There are some people who might read this list and be like, “THANK YOU! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for!!!”, and there may be others that roll their eyes and think “Kate, I’ve already done ‘everything right’ and I’m still not getting the results I want.” I just want to acknowledge the unique place YOU are on your fertility journey. Maybe you’re just thinking about getting pregnant down the line, maybe you’re actively trying, maybe you’ve faced loss and infertility. Unfortunately, there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer for optimizing fertility (wouldn’t it be so much easier if there was?!), so I just want to pause, hold space, and acknowledge the nuances of fertility and how it can look and vary from woman-to-woman, and share my personal approach.

So, while this list may or may not apply to you or where you are in your fertility journey, I wanted to provide SIMPLE (but impactful) “everyday” ways that *I* prepared my body for getting pregnant.

I completely understand that there are more advanced, nuanced, medical ways to improve fertility and I highly recommend moving forward in the way that works for YOU, your provider, & your unique fertility journey. However, if you are just looking to do foundational, “everyday” ways to prep your body for fertility, pregnancy, and optimizing your cycle, this is for you!

so, why does this matter? 

While society often takes a “fertility just is what is” approach and there is nothing you can do to change it, that is NOT true. There ARE ways to support your fertility, egg health, and likelihood of a successful pregnancy. The lifestyle you live, the healthy choices you make, and the small decisions truly can impact your fertility.

The general rule of thumb is that it takes about three months for an egg to mature, which means that it will take about three months of healthy habits for the next egg to reap those benefits or exhibit the results of your healthy habits. Basically, the more time you can spend “prepping” for pregnancy, the better! So I recommend that if you're going to start trying to get pregnant in the next three months to a year, just kind of start thinking about these things and what the first steps you want to take are. 

my general experience and timeline for “prepping” my body

While I was definitely cautious of my “someday” goal of having kids 2-3 years in advance of trying (getting off birth control, tracking my cycle, having solid nutrition, etc.), I ultimately only really intentionally prepped my body for 3-4 months in advance of “trying”.

and we ended up getting successfully pregnant the first month we tried!

Honestly, part of me is hesitant to share this as I know that infertility and miscarriage are so common, and I really want to be sensitive to anyone who is walking that journey. Like, truly. I know people say that, but I REALLY mean that I am thinking of you, praying for you, and sending you love as you walk through whatever path you’re on.

In many ways my story of getting pregnant feels “too easy” to share, but I am reminding myself that there is power and a need for sharing POSITIVE stories too. In sharing this, I am not at all trying to be insensitive– again, just sharing what genuinely happened for us, and I wanted to share my story honestly & openly.

So, without further adou, here are the everyday things I did in the 3-4 months leading up to trying to get pregnant!

what I did to prepare myself for pregnancy

Stop using birth control. I personally did this 4-5 years before trying to get pregnant, but I completely understand that’s not a reality for everyone. But I would definitely give yourself at least six months to get off birth control and let your cycle normalize. During this time you may need to use alternate ways to prevent pregnancy (condoms, fertility awareness, etc.). But I really recommend giving your body some time to normalize to NOT being on birth control before you start trying. It is so important for your cycle to regulate and find its own rhythm without the influence of synthetic hormones. I really encourage you to use this time to really learn to track your cycle to get comfortable identifying when you’re fertile and when you’re not. (If you are someone that doesn’t even know where to start with going off birth control, a “normal” cycle, what to look for, etc., I would start with these 4 books, especially #1 on the list!)

Start tracking your period. Use an app or calendar to determine how long your cycle is, how long your period is (“normal” is 21-35 days, with 26-30 being most common), when you estimate your most fertile window is (the 5-6 days in the middle of your cycle around ovulation). Signs of ovulation would be egg white consistency cervical mucus, changes in bodily temperature, typically experienced mid-cycle, etc. Maybe even use some ovulation test strips to make sure that you are ovulating to begin with (some women may have a period, but not actually be regularly ovulating. AKA releasing the egg that could/would get fertilized by the sperm). So just really bringing that awareness to you and your cycle so you can see if things appear normal, the length of your cycle seems appropriate/consistent, if you seem to ovulating, when that typically occurs, or if there’s anything you’d like to address proactively with your provider.

Read “It Starts with the Egg” by Rebecca Fett. I really really like this book. It’s a very tangible and concrete “if this, then do that” book about preparing for getting pregnant. While parts of it are written specifically going through/preparing their body for IVF, its guidelines on how to optimize your egg health apply to every one. It outlined certain things you should avoid, certain things you should eat, certain supplements you should take, and more. I personally followed this pretty closely and it’s just a great, VERY tangible book to read with many, many scientific studies. It’s not fluffy at all— it’s based on science, very concrete, and provides a step-by-step roadmap to preparing your body and why the changes are important.

Focus on nourishment. In my opinion, one of the BIGGEST things you can do— upgrade the food you’re eating. I asked myself the grounding question: “Does this food actively support my health?” It’s that simple—foods that support my health, in turn, support my hormones and, in turn, my egg quality. I’m pretty consistently good about eating nourishing foods, but I got really intentional in the 3-ish months leading up to pregnancy. Was I perfect? Absolutely not! I went out to eat, I absolutely had junk food in that time, but a majority of the foods I ate were things I knew without a doubt upheld my health. So really it’s just about the basics here, but if you want a more detailed breakdown, here you go!

GENERAL NUTRITION GUIDELINES TO PREP FOR PREGNANCY:

• As always, veggies are great! Eat the rainbow!

• Fruit is also wonderful (just be mindful of not having too much as there are a lot of carbs/sugars and we want to support healthy blood sugar)

• Protein such as fish, chicken, beans, beef, organ meats, sardines, liver, etc. (Both meat and non-meat protein is SO important! Highly recommend protein as being the “base” of your meals and snacks in the pre-conception and pregnancy phase!)

• Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, etc. 

• Things to avoid: refined carbs, added sugar, and/or gluten and dairy (if you’re sensitive to them)

• Limit processed simple carbs such as, cold breakfast cereals, white rice, potatoes, etc. It has been shown that women who ate simple carbs had a higher risk of ovulatory infertility, while those that ate primary whole grain carbs showed a lower risk of infertility (source).

• Basically…I ate off this list. Thank me later. ;)

Manage your blood sugar levels: Going off of the nutrition piece above, one specific piece you should focus on is keeping healthy, in-range blood sugar levels. I talked about this at length in this blog post, but Imbalanced blood sugar can impact our insulin, body’s sugars, and, subsequently our hormones. In fact, one study it was found that women with high (but still “technically normal”) A1C levels were only half as likely to get pregnant over six months compared to women with lower A1C levels— wow!

Now, I know “managing blood sugar” can seem intimidating. What is blood sugar? How do I actually manage it? A great place to start is using a continuous glucose sensor and working with a professional to see how your blood sugar levels rise and fall throughout the day based on your meals. I personally like this one because it’s super user-friendly and a registered dietician tracks your data, educates you on how to manage your blood sugar, and gives you tangible tips for how to best nourish yourself along the way. It’s a bit of an investment, but a GREAT way to take charge and truly learn your blood sugar levels with a credentialed professional. (Coupn KATE25 saves you $25 on a glucose monitor and 1-on-1 dietician support!)

Have proactive conversations with your providers. I highly, highly recommend this. Honestly like 2+ years out from when I knew I wanted kids I was already having those conversations with providers, which gave us space to discuss my cycle, fertility awareness, addressing some health concerns, and allowed for the proactive taking of prenatal. (I actually started taking prenatal vitamins a whole YEAR before Adam and I started trying to get pregnant. For a breakdown of that experience and the prenatals I recommend, click here!) Ultimately it just kind of got the conversation started early and allowed for relevant conversations to be had ahead of time instead of after the fact— i had these conversations with my MD, my naturopath, and my OB/midwife. (Quick note: Things like vitamin D deficiency, celiac disease, PCOS, diet, diabetes, and thyroid issues can have an impact on fertility. If you have concerns about any of these things, it could be valuable to chat with your provider.)

Get mentally in the right spot (spiritually, logistically, mentally). Okay, while so far I have talked about the physical aspects of getting ready for pregnancy, I also prepared myself from an emotional/spiritual place. During the few months leading up to pregnancy, I did a lot of journaling and reflection to identify and address my limiting beliefs and get my mind right for pregnancy. While I felt ready, I still had a lot of thoughts, feelings, etc. about motherhood. I journaled A LOT about my hopes for pregnancy, motherhood, etc. What did I envision? What did I hope for? I logically wrote down things that were worrying me about becoming a mom (how I would feel about my changing body, losing freedom of time, time for my business, etc.), Journaling, meditation, and positive affirmations (like “I am fertile, I will get pregnant with ease, I will carry a healthy baby'') are tools that I use to bring peace to my mind in moments of overwhelm. This was soooo impactful to me that I actually created a journal SPECIFICALLY with writing prompts for the unique pre-conception phase!) I know it’s not always that simple (and often itsn’t), but for me, I found a lot of peace, empowerment, and confidence going into the process because I was regularly checking in with myself. 

Take a prenatal (even before you start “trying”!). I would definitely recommend taking a prenatal if you’re going to be having kids in the next year or so. In this post I outline how I approach prenatals, different brands I trust, and what I look for in a prenatal if you’re interested in learning more! (Plus…. some coupons for 20% off, wink wink). Regardless— this is a great time to build up nutrient stores, prepare for pregnancy and be proactive so the moment you’re pregnant the baby’s already benefiting from the year’s worth of prenatals you took.  Plus, a verrrry important time for proper folate is right away at the beginning of pregnancy… like, you might not even know you’re pregnant yet (which is why taking prenatals in advance is a great idea so you don’t miss that folate-crucial window!). That said, if you didn’t take prenatals in advance— PLEASE do not worry or feel shame. Just start when ya can :)

Supplements: Going off of the prenatal piece above, there ARE specific supplements/nutrients that can be especially supportive during the pre-conception time. I always hesitate to mention supplements because EVERYONE is bio-unique and you should work with your provider first and foremost, but I did want to quickly outline some of the other supplements I took in the time leading up to pregnancy. Again (as always!) work with your provider on this—I don’t just say that, I really mean it! What works for me may not be right for you and your body so always get personalized feedback from your practitioner.

But that being said, here’s what I took:

• Prenatal with quality methylfolate: taken every day

• CoQ10: 200mg: taken every day

• Vitamin D: 5000 iu: taken every day

• Fish oil supplements with DHA: taken every day

• Vitamin C: not taken every day, but taken quite regularly

save 20% on these conception-specific vitamins with the code KATEESKURI20

orrrr just do this packet of supplements made specifically for pre-conception!: If having to buy a bunch of separate supplements isn’t your jam, I HIGHLY recommend the Perelel pre-conception supplement packet (save 20% with KATEESKURI20). Unfortunately, I hadn’t yet discovered this brand when Adam and I were getting ready to try or else I probably would’ve gone this route to help support my hormones and fertility. Basically, it’s just one packet that has all^ of the supplements/nutrients I listed above with a reallllllllly high-quality prenatal (this is personally the prenatal I used in pregnancy because the ingredients are actually very bio-available, readily used by the body, and in evidence-backed doses). To give a specific example of how targeted these supplements are— let’s chat about the folate. As I just mentioned above folate is cruuuuucial in the VERY early stages of pregnancy (before you may even know you’re pregnant), and this packet has EXTRA folate to ensure you’re covered. In my opinion, a lot of supplement packets out there are NOT trustworthy, but I personally love (and trust!) Perelel because they are evidence-backed and created by OBGYNs and reproductive endocrinologists to really optimize the pre-conception time— booooyah! Basically, it’s one simple packet per day that has everything you need for supporting your fertility in the pre-conception time :) You can find the packet here and save 20% with the code KATEESKURI20 :)

Support male fertility. It takes two to tango!! Often times fertility just gets pinned on the woman, but male fertility is 1/2 of the equation! You want your partner’s sperm to be healthy & the best quality they can be. In my opinion, they should be just as invested in the process of preparing for pregnancy. I believe that parenting is equality and if I’m preparing my body I also think it’s very right and just that Adam prepares his body. Thankfully he's a very health-conscious individual and was very willing to make some small changes (and/or was already doing most of the healthy habits I recommended). While many are similar to the female prep list, there are some differences and nuances on how to promote sperm health— and I outlined ALLLLL the details here :)

Eliminate toxic products: skincare, plastics, makeup, home products. I know it seems like a “fluffy”, trendy wellness thing, but switching to nontoxic products really can have an impact on your health, hormones, and fertility. As I have been rambling about since day 1 on The Foundation Blog, our everyday products in the United States are [unfortunately] chock-full of toxins, worrisome additives, and hormone and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. (If you want more specific details on the policy, science, and how these toxins can impact our health, look here.) And it’s not just me— limiting exposure. toenviornmental toxins is a major focus of “It Starts with the Egg” book I just mentioned. I had switched to natural products in the years leading up to being pregnant, but if I hadn’t already I would have done this ruthlessly in the months leading up to getting pregnant as it really does matter. (Don’t know where to start? if you need a cheat sheet and quick way to switch to clean products: here’s my favorite natural skincare, makeup, and home cleaning products).

Drink your water! (and limit alcohol) You guys know I’m crazy about hydration. I think it’s one of the most underlooked aspects of health. Can I prove this has anything to do with fertility? No. But hydration absolutely plays a role in total body wellness and taking care of yourself. This is a really important time to limit things like soda, high glucose juices, and even alcohol. During this time I didn’t cut out alcohol completely, but I definitely limited it in the three months leading up to conception. Just trust your intuition here (and stay hydrated, tehe).

Consider reducing caffeine. Going off of the above point, caffeine may be another beverage you want to modify. While I *am* drinking coffee during pregnancy (let me know if you a post that outlines the science/data behind why I made that decision), I do also acknowledge that many of us are drinking too much caffeine in general and that can have an effect on hormones. Oftentimes, we use caffeine as a “bandaid” and ride a wave of adrenaline, cortisol, and stress to get through day. that is not good for our hormones. It’s very hard for our body to feel “safe” and in a state of homeostasis if we are constantly feeding it a stimulating substance, yes?

Which, is why, I invite you to just take a good, hard honest look at your relationship with caffeine. Does it feel “too much”? Does it feel like you NEED it?

A year before I got pregnant I reevaluated my relationship with coffee entirely. I cut it out completely for 50 days (read all about that experience and HOW I did it here), and then reintroduced coffee in a more intentional, mindful, smaller portioned manner. While you don’t necessarily need to cut out coffee in prenatal/pregnancy completely, I would work on getting your caffeine intake down. Some people choose to eliminate it entirely, some people choose to reduce it—just do whatever feels right to you. I would just make sure if you’re someone who is having a lot of caffeine regularly that you definitely work on reducing that before pregnancy. (If you’re looking for tips on how to reevaluate your relationship with caffeine, click here for a full breakdown!)

Be aware of sleep and stress. Definitely, definitely think about sleep and stress — sleep is a crucial time of the day when your hormones regulate, and stress absolutely has an impact on hormones (Stressful stimuli activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis. I don’t expect. you to know what that is, but basically it’s hormonal systems which can be altered due to stress and result in endocrine changes, affecting fertility). Basically— when we’re in periods of high stress, our hormonal balance and production can be off. In fact, women under destress are correlated with decreased conception rates and long menstrual cycles and lower outcomes of reproductive medicine, including fertilization, pregnancy and live birth rates (source).

I know it’s annoying when people say “just stress less! duh!”. Obviously, it’s not always as simple as sleeping more, meditating, taking time off, etc., but as best as you can try to bring down the frantic energy of day-to-day life. While I was not perfect, I really did try to lean into rest, listen to my body’s cues, and take a little bit more time off in the month leading up to pregnancy so I’d feel relaxed and supportive of my regeneration, hormone balance, etc. A consistent, quality sleep cycle and managing our stress can be game-changing for our overall health, but also managing our hormones, and helping our body feel “ready” to support a pregnancy (since when it’s not in “fight or flight” mode).

Ask yourself— what are ways that I can better manage my stress? Are there opportunities to upgrade my sleep? Are there ways that I can relax and rest more?

just start with the basics & trust your gut

I know we just covered a lot. But I want you to pause. To take a deep breath. And just make the next mini right decision. You don’t need to be “perfect” or have all the answers right now— just do take the next step forward.

If you didn’t do some of these things or start certain habits “soon” enough— that is OKAY. Everyone is on their unique timeline, and just do the best YOU can given your circumstances. You can’t change the past so just start today— how you can, when you can, where you can. Baby steps are perfectly acceptable here!

Because, I fully acknowledge that everything covered may sound stressful—

I mean, we talked about changing your products, changing how you eat, alllllllll this change, but really— when ya boil it down— it’s all about just focusing on the FOUNDATION of your health with intention (AKA, everything we talk about on this blog!).

In your gut you know the truth:

• does this habit support my health or does it not?

• Is the stress too high or is it okay?

• do I really know my cycle?

• Could I be more proactive about reaching out to my providers?

• Am I sleeping okay or am I watching Netflix til 2 a.m.?

• Am I eating quality foods that support my health or am I not?

While (of course) you can optimize the small things, I really encourage you to just start with the basics and focus on those (nutrition, stress management, learning your cycle, working with your provider, etc.). Then, the extra nitty-gritty things can be the cherry on top! 

Again, these recommendations were meant to be quite general and set the “foundation” for your fertility journey to set you up for success. But, ultimately my advice is to trust yourself, trust your providers, trust your body, and just do the best you can given your situation.

Here’s to you, friend! 

XX,
Kate

PS: As I mentioned, you guys PICKED this topic by letting me know loud ‘n’ clear in the comment section of a previous pregnancy post. So, take a moment, and let me know what topic you’d like me to cover next! I’ll never know unless you tell me ;)

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