If you’re thinking about starting a family, one of the first things to come to mind is—can I even get pregnant?
I remember having these same fears and worries as we started talking about a baby. I’d been on hormonal birth control for nearly a decade. It was crazy to think that something I’d been trying to prevent for years might not even be possible for me.
I wanted to give myself the best change possible of getting pregnant, so I started by making my own health my top priority and get my body ready for pregnancy. A healthy body can make your pregnancy healthy and happier, and by focusing on a few things, you can naturally boost your fertility and your chances of conceiving. Think of it like this, your body is home to your baby for the beginning of their lives, it’s best to start with a healthy home. Your overall health can greatly impact
Before I go any further, I know that there are far more factors than what I will list here that go into conceiving and maintaining a healthy pregnancy. I’ve had several very healthy friends struggle with infertility and end up doing IUI and IVF to get pregnant. These tips may work for some, and may not work for everyone—and that’s okay! Everyone’s path to motherhood looks different, and they are all beautiful!
By sharing what helped me, I hope that it may give you some ideas of things to try if you are trying or thinking about a baby in the future! These tips are also great for your long term health, as well as giving you a better chance of having a baby.
However, this is not medical advice—I do not work in health care, I’m simply passionate about wellness! These are the things I focused on to get my body ready for pregnancy and improve my overall health.
Preparing Your Body for Pregnancy Naturally
6 Months Before
Pre-Pregnancy Check-Up
Making an appointment to check in with your doctor is a great idea, especially if you have any known health conditions. You can get any questions answered and get more tips for prepare your body for pregnancy and healthy baby. You should ask about getting off birth control if you’re currently on it and see what your doctor says.
This is a great time to go through your family health history and start healing any health problems and make sure your body is ready to house another life for 9 months.
If you have high blood pressure, ask your doctor about what you can do to naturally lower it. You can still have a healthy pregnancy, but high blood pressure can lead to complications or difficulties during pregnancy. If you can get it managed beforehand, it will likely
Prenatal Vitamins
This one is easy! Start taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid in it. I’m not 100% sure if this is true, but I’ve heard that taking one for a longer period of time might help with future morning sickness. Ritual is highly rated, though I didn’t hear about it until the very end of my last pregnancy, I would try them out if I was getting pregnant again.
Neural tube defects have been linked to a deficiency of folic acid, so it’s good to make sure your body is getting this well in advance.
Balance Hormones
If your hormones are imbalanced, it might make it difficult to conceive. You can do so much like eat a balanced diet with plenty of fresh produce, fiber and lean proteins to help naturally balance your hormones. Keeping a balanced blood sugar throughout the day by eating at normal increments can help balance hormones too.
RELATED: How to Balance your Hormones Naturally
Reduce Your Stress
This one is so underrated, but stress is one of those crazy things that can keep people from getting pregnant. I’ve heard so many stories where people left a crazy job after trying to get pregnant for years and then boom, they find themselves in a more peaceful place and they get pregnant. Find ways to manage and reduce stress and make them a priority.
Exercise Regularly
A good exercise routine will not only make you feel better, more energetic, help you manage your weight, but being in shape makes pregnancy easier, as well as child-birth and recovery. You don’t want to start a routine the month you get pregnant, so get in the habit of exercising now. Maybe you already do, go you! Even walking every day will make a big difference.
3 Months Before
Limit Sugar Intake
In general, we should all limit sugar intake, but especially with pregnancy. This all goes back to having a balanced diet, managing internal stress and inflammation. Sugar can cause more inflammation within your body, so start cutting back now.
RELATED: How to Do a Sugar Detox
Visit the Dermatologist
It’s a smart idea to get any moles checked at the dermatologist before you get pregnant. I had a mole removed before I got pregnant and my dermatologist said it was extremely smart because pregnancy hormones can sometimes cause abnormal growth in moles, and it’s best to just avoid it with an easy check-up.
If you’re currently using a retinol or retinoid, you won’t be able to use it during pregnancy. Start looking to replace these products with pregnancy-safe ones.
RELATED: Does safe skincare REALLY matter during pregnancy?
Understand Your Cycle
We all know that we get (or should get) regular periods about every 28 days, but do you really understand the different phases of your cycle? I didn’t! When I finally did some research, I was blown away! Most of us can only conceive in a small window each month, about 2-4 days. If you want to understand it further, I highly highly recommend the book “Woman Code” by Alissa Vitti.
Drink More Water
Water is essential for a healthy pregnancy and getting in the habit of drinking more can take some time. Start now! Celebrate by buying one of those big water bottles and set a daily water goal for yourself.
2 Months Before
Reduce Caffeine Consumption
Most doctors tell you consume less caffeine while pregnant. I gave up caffeine years ago so it wasn’t a problem for me, but if you regularly throw back several cups of coffee or other caffeinated beverage each day, it’s time to slow it down. The easiest way to kick caffeine is to do it slowly so you avoid any caffeine crashes.
Visit the Dentist
While we’re getting everything right with out bodies, make sure to visit the dentist to make sure you don’t have any infections or other issues with your teeth!
Track Ovulation
From here on out, you should be tracking your ovulation every month until you get pregnant. Knowing when you’re ovulating lets you know your most fertile days and when it’s time to grab your partner and get busy.
1 Month Before
Stop Birth Control
You may have stopped birth control earlier, but if you haven’t, it’s time! I stopped a few months before because I wanted to make sure that I had a regular cycle after years of being on the pill. Thankfully I did!
Quit Drinking
If you drink alcohol, now is a good time to start thinking about quitting for the next 9-10 months. And, definitely make sure you’ve quit when you find out you’re pregnant. Admittedly, I was at a wedding the week before I found out I was pregnant with Owen and was drinking champagne all night and he’s fine. So, if you do happen to have a drink or 2 before you find out—don’t stress!! Your baby will be fine!
Have Fun!
Lastly, enjoy the process! It should be fun! I know it can be stressful to think about all the things you should or could be doing, but it’s better to just relax have fun and visualize getting pregnant and a healthy pregnancy and baby.
At the end of the day, we can do everything right and still not have a perfect pregnancy. Birth defects are always a possibility with pregnant women and not something you have control over.
BTW, blueberry oatmeal bowl to balance hormones, and 7 skincare tips during pregnancy.
