Why should you make a "preconception plan"...

Preconception plans can be really helpful if you have just started thinking about getting pregnant for the first time, or maybe even the 2nd or 3rd time and they can also be helpful if you have been trying to get pregnant for a long time.

I find that it can be helpful to start talking about what you can be doing to prepare your body for pregnancy anywhere from 3-6 months before you are ready to start trying. This can be a great time to have a look at your nutrition, the supplements you are taking, your sleep habits, your work schedule, etc. and whether any of those things could possibly impact your chances of conception.

However, sometimes we don’t have 3-6 months, and that is totally fine! There is plenty of things we can talk about and add to the plan if you have already started or if you have been on the TTC journey for a while.

Here are a few of the things that I usually consider when I make preconception plans in my office…

Nutrition:
I don’t suggest strict diet changes when you are trying to get pregnant, but this can be a great time to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of protein and other nutrient dense foods and foods that are high in anti-oxidants. Women who eat a Mediterranean-style diet tend to seek fertility treatments less often than those who don’t (1).

If you have been on this journey for a while, it can also be a great time to look at your habits currently and see if there are any areas that you could focus on or change up now.

Supplementation:
Again, if you have time to plan or if you find yourself early pregnant and not sure what to do, it’s never too late to make sure you are taking a good quality prenatal! This is even important to continue postpartum to ensure that you are getting all of the micronutrients that you need for you and your baby.

When I look at prenatal vitamins, I always recommend one that has the proper ingredients and doses, but also the most bioavailable (ie. most absorbable) forms of these vitamins and minerals. I wrote another post all about prenatals and what to look for, and you can find that here.

There may also be other nutrients to look at as well, such has iron, vitamin D3, B12, etc. depending on your own health status and health history and no necessarily needed for everyone.

Lab work:

This is another valuable part of the plan no matter where you are on your journey. If you have been trying for a number of months, it’s worth it to have your hormones tested (FSH, LH, Estradiol, progesterone, etc.), thyroid panel, ferritin, B12, Vitamin D3, to name a few. All of these things (and more) could be contributing to how long it is taking you to conceive. If you haven’t quite started trying, it can still be worth it to look at these things and optimize them before you start trying to conceive.

If you have already had these tests done, we can also take some time to go over them and make sure you are falling within the ideal ranges

Cycle Tracking:

I find this to be a very valuable tool in my practice! Starting cycle tracking is what I find brings the most knowledge and empowerment to women who are starting on their journey. The most accurate way to do this is via basal body temperature (BBT). Again, if you are just starting your journey or it has been longer than you had hoped, this method can provide us with a lot of information about what is happening with your body (2), and we can then use this to optimize your changes of getting pregnant.

Stress Management:

This is my top recommendation to every couple who is trying to conceive or who is planning to start trying. Before you focus on much else, try to map out a plan for managing your stress. A few of my general recommendations always include exercise, breathing exercises, herbal adaptogens, and acupuncture, but whatever has worked for you in the past will be very valuable along this journey, no matter where you are. Once you are pregnant, these habits will be very helpful then as well!.

Restarting:

It can be really hard not to be focused on the fact that you are not pregnant yet, especially if this process is taking longer than you had expected, or if you have a lot of people in your life with children or who are expecting. Sometimes we need to take a break and focus on other things, and I think that is great. Once you are ready to start trying again, it’s great to do an overhaul and reset! There is absolutely no shame in that, and you will get a big thumbs up and a new plan from me! Also, if the old plan wasn’t working at any point for you, it can be re-made and re-tailored again.

If you have any questions about where to start, or if you have been on this wild TTC journey for months or even years, you can always reach me here. If you are ready to book an appointment, you can find my schedule here.

Thanks for reading along!

REFERENCES:

Amati F, Hassounah S, Swaka A. The Impact of Mediterranean Dietary Patterns During Pregnancy on Maternal and Offspring Health. Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1098. Published 2019 May 17. doi:10.3390/nu11051098

Wilcox AJ, Dunson D, Baird DD. The timing of the "fertile window" in the menstrual cycle: day specific estimates from a prospective study. BMJ. 2000 Nov 18;321(7271):1259-62. doi: 10.1136/bmj.321.7271.1259. PMID: 11082086; PMCID: PMC27529.