Preconception Care: Your journey to motherhood starts now

I am seeing more and more women in my clinic who, for various reasons, are having fertility issues and trouble falling pregnant.

I am passionate about pre-conceptive care because I see first-hand the positive health benefits that come to women who take the time for some self-care, body and mind, prior to conception.

So many women these days are juggling many balls between work, social and family demands, and tend to neglect their own needs. I don’t want you to fall into this category!

I want you to be the woman in my clinic who is saying “I feel the healthiest, strongest and most energized I have in ages!”.

I want you to be the woman who feels she has done something positive to give her future baby the best start in life.

I know that once you give yourself the opportunity to be the best version of yourself prior to conception, that you’ll feel more in control of, more in tune with, and more empowered by your body.

You’ll take the guess work out of knowing when your fertile window is, and you’ll reduce your stress levels around whether you’re hitting the mark when it comes to ‘trying’ each month.

You’ll know, and you’ll receive, the vital nutrients needed for both yourself and your baby, giving you the best chance for a healthy conception and pregnancy.

If I haven’t convinced you already, here are my top five reasons for diving into preconception care:

1. You’ll get to know your body

It never ceases to amaze me how many women are completely out of touch with their own bodies. If that’s you – you’re not alone! The good news is that now, in the pre-conception phase, is the perfect time to get started.

Tuning into your body can be very simple. Try jotting down when your period starts each month, to get an idea how long, and how regular, your cycle is.

While you’re at it, make note of any symptoms you experience around this time, even if you hadn’t associated them with your period.

By doing this, you’ll build up a picture of your menstrual cycle, and an indication of any hormonal imbalances. This in turn will reduce the guess work and stress when it comes time to trying for a baby, because you’ll be able to predict your fertile days.

2. You’ll get your body in optimal health prior to conception

By making sure you have stocked your body with vital nutrients, and addressed any health issues, you’ll be putting yourself in the best position for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

There are vital nutrients needed to ensure reproductive hormones are functioning well, and your body is ready to bring baby on board.

Once bub is there, they’ll take what they need to ensure healthy development, and you are left with the rest. So, you can see how it’s ideal to have the nutrient support you need prior to, and during pregnancy, so you too can maintain your health, energy levels, and vitality throughout the pregnancy.

3. You’ll get professional health care advice

In addition to receiving nutritional advice, by seeking professional assistance, you’ll be guided on other health issues that may be a concern for you.

We’re all different and have unique circumstances, so it’s very helpful to get personalised advice. For example – what’s a healthy cycle length for you considering past hormonal behaviour, or hormonal treatment?

You’ll also be able to work with your professional to analyse the tracking of your cycle (which you’re now doing, right!) and get a better understanding of the meaning of any of the symptoms you have discovered.

4. You and your partner will address any underlying health concerns

It takes two to tango!

So often when it comes to conception, it’s the woman who is most active in looking after her health. It’s understandable, as she is the carrier of bub for 9 months.

However, research shows that often, the fertility issue can come from the male side. So, it’s a great idea to have you both in consultation, so you can work together and address any dietary and lifestyle issues together, optimise your health and increase your chances of a healthy conception.

5. You’ll positively influence your child’s future health, and even that of their children

The work you and your partner do now, in working towards optimal health for body and mind, is ensuring that the egg and sperm are as healthy as can be at the time of conception.

The crazy thing is, that’s your future baby!

This positive work you do can help reduce the chances of things like allergies, food intolerances, and other digestive and respiratory complaints in your baby.

Just imagine, with pre-conceptive care under the guidance of a professional Naturopath, what amazing things you can do for your future baby, right now before he or she is even a twinkle in your eye!