For many women, the fertility journey begins when they decide that it is time to try to get pregnant. Some spend years thinking about what that ‘right’ timeline might be, and some have no timeline at all. Some jump directly in after taking hormonal birth control and have no trouble conceiving. For some, it takes a bit more time.
The time before conception, the “prenatal” period, is a time unlike any other in a woman’s life. A time when you have the opportunity to listen to your body, and prepare it for a very unique task.
So, when we are discussing fertility and prenatal health, what if we moved that timeline back just a bit? There is a time, although subtle, between ‘normal life’ and trying to conceive. What if we focused on the pre-prenatal prep and allowed ourselves time for getting ready to get ready?
Timelines shift from person to person – each woman has their biological differences, nutritional needs, cyclical habits, and physiological stressors. Each woman also has their own family obligations, career goals, hobbies and interests, and activities and people that they love. A focus on prenatal prep is simply a focus on optimizing your health holistically, with an emphasis on hormonal, metabolic, adrenal, and of course, reproductive health.
Pregnancy is a time of significant demand on the body, mind, and spirit. Physiological processes are starting and stopping, hormones are shifting, the immune system is revving up and slowing down. So, how can we meet the body where it is, and prepare for the growing demands before they begin?
Naturopathic Medicine operates based on our Therapeutic Order – a framework of health hierarchy. The very first tenet in this order, which is essential for any and all patients, is to establish the conditions for health. This tenet is especially sacred when focusing on prenatal health. Establishing the conditions for healthy lives in the heart of a woman’s daily routine. Health is won and lost within the small details of the day – the food and drink consumed, the exercise and mobility routines, and the stress experienced.
Here are some of the things you can do to establish the conditions for health, and prepare for your prenatal period and for pregnancy –
- Avoid Exposure to Things Which Promote the Production of Free Radicals: Free radicals are molecules that have been changed at the atomic level. When we have too many of them in our bodies, they can damage blood vessels, organs, and even our DNA. We call this oxidative stress. Reducing this burden on the body is essential for healthy pregnancy prep. Oxidative stress increases the time it takes to conceive. We can’t avoid all of the things in our world that cause oxidative stress: pollution, UV radiation, and even psychological stress. But we can counter these by consuming large amounts of antioxidant-rich foods: things like dark leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, green tea, dark berries and cherries, and dark chocolate. These foods help to minimize the effects that free radicals can have on the body and on the reproductive organs.
- Avoid Feminine Products that Disturb the Vaginal Environment: There are a million and one feminine hygiene products that are marketed to women. It can be difficult to choose which products are safe and effective. A good rule of thumb is to always choose feminine hygiene products that are unscented and organic. Using products like a non-organic tampon or a scented pad will disturb the vaginal pH and disrupt the vaginal microbiome. Appropriate vaginal pH and microbiome are both essential not only for achieving pregnancy, but also for maintaining a healthy pregnancy, and ensuring a healthy baby.
- Mental Health Focus: The road to parenthood can be stressful, overwhelming, and confusing. If you experience any kind of fertility struggles along the way, it can also be isolating and exhausting. It takes a village to raise a child – and it also takes a village to prepare for one. It is so important to have a support system around you – people who you trust that can offer presence and kindness when things get tough. Friends, family, and a trusted mental health professional can all play a role in the mental health journey that inextricably coincides with the fertility journey. Have others around you that you can rely on, while also taking care of yourself. Ensure that your basic needs are being met, eand stablish the conditions of health. Poor sleep, poor diet, and high stress levels all impact mental health and can make it more difficult to successfully become pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy.
- Test, Don’t Guess: Since our hormones change on a monthly and daily basis, they can be difficult to pin down. Hormone levels tell us so much information about the health of our menstrual cycle, the functionality of our reproductive organs, and our overall state of being. They help to predict fertility status and can give us insight into the health of a future pregnancy. So test them – don’t just assume that they are optimal.
At Natural Medicine of Denver, our goal is to help you prepare for the healthiest pregnancy possible. We do this by treating you holistically as an individual. Each woman has unique needs and goals when it comes to the fertility journey. We want to celebrate those, not live in fear of them. Allow us to be teachers, healers, and cheerleaders for you as you prepare your body and mind for the next chapter of life. Schedule a 15-minute consultation with one of our fabulous Naturopathic Doctors today!
Sources:
The Clinician’s Handbook of Natural Medicine: 3rd Edition. J. Pizzorno; M. Murray; H. Joiner-Bey. Churchill Livingstone Publishing. 2015.
