HOW TO PREPARE FOR PREGNANCY
Whether you're actively trying to conceive or simply just thinking about it, let’s dive into setting the stage for a healthy and joyful journey towards motherhood!
Pregnancy is the most incredible, miraculous gift ever.
Yes, it brings on so many changes to your body, emotions, mindset…but when you think about all the little miracles that have to happen to carry a baby you just become so grateful!
Preparing for pregnancy is so important for the health and well-being of both you and your future child. Whether you're planning your first pregnancy or looking to enhance your preconception health, we’re going to go over some valuable insights and tips on how to prepare for this exciting journey.
So let’s jump into some preconception health things.
Schedule a preconception appointment with your healthcare provider
This is a great opportunity to discuss your medical history, receive personalized advice, and address any concerns you may have regarding TTC (trying to conceive) or pregnancy.
If you’re not quite ready to go to the doctor or just want to check some things on your own, try Modern Fertility. I did this myself and it was super easy. They mail you the kit once you purchase, tell you exactly when and how to prick your finger for the blood sample, you mail it in, and get lab results with explanations related to your age within a week!
Fun fact: I tried to schedule a preconception appointment with the doctor but they were sooo booked for months. I ended up finding out I was pregnant 3 months before I was supposed to have that appointment.
Supplements & Vitamins
Starting this off by saying, I am NOT a doctor and I 100% recommend going over all of these things with your doctor FIRST before taking any supplements while preparing for pregnancy.
Now that we covered that — let's go over some of the supplements I was taking for about 3-4 months before I became pregnant.
I really wanted to make sure that I was preparing a few months BEFORE I actually was hoping to be pregnant so I did HOURS (I'm not kidding) of research to see how I could do that while not being too overly crazy with it. It’s important I think to know that I am 32 years old with no history of pregnancy so I was a little bit concerned about egg quality, difficulty to get pregnant, etc (mainly because of horror stories I found).
Here is what I found and what I felt good about doing in the months before I found out I was pregnant.
CoQ10
I started taking 200mg of CoQ10 every day to help with egg quality, which we know starts to diminish after the age of 30. CoQ10 also is supposed to help with the mitochondrial energy in the egg cells which is super important for fertilization and early embryo development.
Of course, there are lots of articles saying it helps and some saying it doesn’t make a difference, so do what you feel good about. But, it doesn’t do any harm, so I figured why not give it a go!
Important to note, once you have a positive pregnancy test, stop taking CoQ10 supplements.
Prenatal Vitamin
Prenatal vitamins have soooo many additional minerals and vitamins that are healthy for anyone whether you’re pregnant or not. So, I was taking one prenatal vitamin every day just to make sure I was getting in all the vitamins my body needs while also making sure I was building up the folic acid in my system for once I did become pregnant. Folic acid is super important for early neural tube development and can help prevent birth defects such as anencephaly or spina bifida.
Vitamin C
I was taking an additional 1000mg of vitamin C everyday to help boost hormone levels and immunity. There have been studies that show vitamin C can increase fertility outcomes in women who have a short luteal phase (the time period after you ovulate until you start your period). If you don’t have a short luteal phase, it probably doesn’t really make a huge difference but again, why not give it a go if it’s overall a healthy choice and not harmful!
Vitamin D3
I have always had low vitamin D levels and have had to take additional vitamin D supplements but I really wanted to be on top of it in these months leading up to pregnancy. Studies have shown that vitamin D can help with ovarian function and production of ovarian steroid hormones which are important for fertility health. I was taking an additional 2000 IU of vitamin D3 everyday leading up to pregnancy.
Magnesium
Magnesium is supposed to help reduce inflammation and balance progesterone and estrogen hormones. I was taking 200mg of Magnesium everyday in the months leading up to pregnancy. It is also supposed to help with sleep and stress, which I didn’t particularly notice, but if it was helping with inflammation in the body then it would in turn reduce stress within the body.
And those are all the supplements I was taking leading up to my positive pregnancy test! If you want to find the ones I took specifically you can click the images in each section to check them out!
Evaluate your lifestyle
Take a closer look at your daily habits. If you smoke, stop now or get help from a doctor to quit. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol, and maintain a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
But…just do the best you can with diet. Enjoy the foods you love and try to get your fruits, veggies, and protein in.
And in all honestly, I drank wine until I found out I was pregnant and that day after my positive test was no more alcohol for me.
This book, Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, is an INCREDIBLE resource to learn about healthy pregnancy.
Purchase on Amazon with the linked image below!
Exercise and fitness
We allll know regular physical activity can improve your health and fertility and prepare your body for all the craziness that comes with pregnancy and childbirth. Do things you enjoy like walking, yoga, lift weights if you love that, don’t force yourself into anything you hate…you won’t stick to it.
Personally, I was walking everyday on my walking mat at home while I worked and that was about it. I do think being a little more active was helpful for me. Since becoming pregnant, I will be honest and say I have hardly done anything besides walk on some days.
Managing stress
We’re told every day that high levels of stress can affect fertility and overall well-being. But, there is NO WAY we can just not be stressed. At least not in my life! I did try some yoga workouts purely for the stress management part and really enjoyed it but wanted to do it at home!
This Yoga program is amazing if you’re interested in trying it you can get all the info here!
Or if you just want to see what would be recommended there is a FREE quiz you can take to see what program would be best for you!
Lastly, try to get good sleep to help with stress! I know I feel way less anxious and worked up when I get a good 7-9 hours of sleep (yes, I said 9 hours…i love my sleep).
Let’s wrap this up!
There is sooo much more to think about when preparing for a pregnancy but at the end of the day, do what feels right for your family and your body and try to enjoy the process!
I have a little gift for you that includes a Just Found Out checklist, Birth Plan template, and 26 Milestone Cards for once baby is here and you want to take all the memorable photos! Make sure to grab it below and I can’t wait to talk to you again soon!
GET YOUR FREE BUNDLE HERE!
Get your FREE ‘Just Found Out’ checklist for new pregnancy, a Birth Plan Template, and 26 printable Milestone Cards for those precious photoshoots with your baby!
Wishing you all the best,
MCK
References
Ben‐Meir, A., Burstein, E., Borrego‐Alvarez, A., Chong, J., Wong, E., Yavorska, T., Naranian, T., Chi, M., Wang, Y., Bentov, Y., Alexis, J., Meriano, J., Sung, H., Gasser, D. L., Moley, K. H., Hekimi, S., Casper, R. F., & Jurisicova, A. (2015, June 26). Coenzyme Q10 restores oocyte mitochondrial function and fertility during reproductive aging. Aging Cell; Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12368
Torgerson, J., & N. (2023, September 21). Ubiquinone vs. Ubiquinol: Which Type of CoQ10 is Better? Natalist. https://natalist.com/blogs/learn/ubiquinone-vs-ubiquinol-which-type-of-coq10-is-better#:~:text=Which%20is%20Better%3A%20CoQ10%20Ubiquinol,a%20big%20difference%20between%20them.
Shauli, N. (2021, October 7). Coenzyme Q10 and Fertility. ELITE IVF - Global IVF Clinic. https://www.elite-ivf.com/coenzyme-q10-and-fertility/
Folic Acid. (2022, June 15). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html#:~:text=When%20the%20baby%20is%20developing,the%20early%20brain%20and%20spine.
How To Increase Chance of Conception - Dr. Ruthie Harper, MD | Austin, TX. (2020, January 10). Dr. Ruthie Harper, MD | Austin, TX. https://www.ruthieharper.com/how-to-increase-chance-of-conception/
Várbı́ró, S., Takács, I., Tűű, L., Nas, K., Sziva, R. E., Hetthéssy, J., & Török, M. (2022, April 15). Effects of Vitamin D on Fertility, Pregnancy and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome—A Review. Nutrients; Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14081649
K. (2020, February 22). Boost Your Fertility with this Essential Mineral. UConn Fertility. https://www.uconnfertility.com/2020/02/boost-your-fertility-with-this-essential-mineral/#:~:text=Magnesium%20helps%20balance%20fertility%20hormones,hormone%20that%20stimulates%20the%20ovaries.
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links to products that I have used and enjoyed. These are for your convenience. I do receive compensation without any increase to your own price.
