Trying to Conceive: Getting your Body Ready for Baby
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Trying to conceive a baby can be one of the most magical and stressful times for a couple. For some women it happens immediately or unexpectedly, while for others it takes time or interventions, or it turns out not to be possible at all. Some of us are racing against the formidable biological clock, while others are balancing life as a young parent. You also may be in my situation, where you are working on conceiving your next child, which for some women happens immediately, and for others it takes more time than expected.
When my husband and I decided that we were ready to have our first child, I tried desperately to look for the magic of it all, but I felt a lot of stress instead. I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was in my early twenties, and I knew this disease could have a very negative effect on being able to conceive a child without medical intervention. So, in preparation for making my baby house (aka my body) the healthiest place to create and grow a human being, I changed quite a few things. I started acupuncture treatments specifically designed for fertility and treatment of my endometriosis. I went from being a vegetarian to a vegan, because animal products, especially dairy, are hormone disruptors and cause inflammation in your body. I stopped drinking, gave up caffeine, and lowered my sugar intake, which are really all things you should do when trying to get pregnant regardless of your health concerns. After two months of dietary changes, acupuncture treatments, the use of a fertility monitor, and yoga, I got pregnant the first time out. Unfortunately we miscarried about five weeks into our first pregnancy, but we ended up getting pregnant with our healthy, beautiful daughter just a few short weeks after our loss. I definitely contribute my lifestyle changes to the fact that we were able to get pregnant so quickly.
So now we are trying for baby number two, and we did not get pregnant in the first month. I know most women don’t, but seeing that NOT PREGNANT message glaring back at me on the digital read out on the pregnancy test was still disappointing. I am still vegan and I am still using the fertility monitor this time around. I do yoga to sporadically to count, but I’m hoping to change that very soon, and I haven’t ventured back to acupuncture just yet, but I will without hesitation if we reach the four month mark with no pregnancy success. I am 36 years old, so my age haunts me a bit as we try for number two, but I know I am in good health, that my baby house is all set to carry a healthy, happy baby for 40ish weeks, and that when the time comes, I will be all set for late night feedings and itty bitty fingers and toes all over again.
Here are some things you can do to make your baby house ready to nurture a little growing person:
Prenatal Vitamins
Start taking your prenatal vitamins before you get pregnant if possible. Your baby needs certain vitamins and minerals to grow properly in those first few weeks before you may even know that you are pregnant, so start taking them the minute you decide to ditch the birth control or stop counting your calendar days. I use MyKind Organics prenatal, and I have also used Rainbow Light. Since I am vegan, and don’t get a lot of sunshine through the winter months, I also use the MyKind Organics B12 and D3 spray daily.
Clean Up Your Diet
Now is the time to ditch the greasy, fried, processed, and all around unhealthy junk food from your diet. If you wouldn’t feed your newborn french fries and cookies, don’t make them a staple in your diet while your growing him. That doesn’t mean you can’t indulge from time to time, but the majority of your diet should come from fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. Studies show that a vegan diet can lessen your chances and/or the severity of swelling during pregnancy, indigestion, and morning sickness, so consider a plant based diet and give up the meat and dairy!
Exercise
Starting an exercise program before getting pregnant cannot only help you through your 40ish weeks of pregnancy, but it will also help your body through labor and delivery. Exercise is shown to help reduce backaches, constipation, and bloating during pregnancy, along with shortening labor. So start doing yoga, take a daily walk, start swimming, or take an indoor cycling class before you try to conceive. It is not recommended that you start a new rigorous fitness routine once you are pregnant, so talk to your midwife or physician before starting any kind of exercise program once you are pregnant. If you are already into a routine make sure you let your care provider know, as well as your instructor if you are taking a class. In yoga, for instance, there are floor moves that require you to lie on your stomach or back that are not recommended for pregnant woman past their first trimester.
Drop the Vices
Prior to conceiving you should stop smoking, doing drugs, drinking alcohol, drinking a high amount of caffeine, and eating an unhealthy diet. If you weren’t planning a pregnancy and found out unexpectedly, stop doing any of these things immediately. There are always two sides to the argument of the occasional glass of wine, the use of marijuana, or the extra cup of coffee while pregnant, but I always err on the side of better safe than sorry. My biggest responsibility during those precious 40ish weeks is making sure I am giving my little one all the nutrition they need to grow healthy and strong, and keeping them safe. I have no problem forgoing a glass of wine, greasy fried food, or a latte in order to do this.
My fingers are crossed that this is the last month I will be experiencing PMS for quite some time. Some time soon I will be consumed with mid day nausea and the all day exhaustion that comes along with the first trimester, and I couldn’t be more excited. Happy baby making to all of you who are in the same boat, and make sure you are giving your body the best chance at a healthy, happy pregnancy by cleaning out your baby house!
Love, Laughter, & Light
