The Preconception Stage
Welcome! If you are in the preconception stage of your life and are looking for resources to bring clarity and direction in your conception journey, you’ve come to the right place. This can be a long, heartbreaking, frustrating, lonely road that seems never-ending. Take heart, my friend! You are not alone. You are not a failure. You are beautiful and capable of so much in your life. These resources listed below are things I wish I had known when I was starting out on my fertility and health journey. I hope you can find direction as you move toward your goal of having a baby!
Fertility looks different for every person. Some women get pregnant at what seems like the drop of a hat! Others take longer to achieve pregnancy. Some women choose to prevent pregnancies during different stages in their lives while others are planning down to the month when they want to get pregnant. No matter what stage you are at in your journey, give yourself permission to feel all of the feelings. It’s ok to cry, be happy, skip a baby shower, force a smile at a(nother) pregnancy announcement, or feel dread at the thought of getting pregnant. These are all normal reactions. You’re not crazy!
This is not always a straightforward process. Your fertility journey is as unique as you are! Give yourself and your partner grace as you walk through this. It might be a long road or it might be shorter than you expected. Either way, it is my desire to give you some useful tools for this season of your life. You’ve got this!
What to consider during this stage:
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While you’re in the process of conceiving, it is critical to get lab work done by a healthcare professional to see where all of your levels are at. Getting a full thyroid panel run, testing your progesterone levels, and checking your Vitamin D and B12 levels are just some of the important tests to run to be able to gauge where your health is at currently more effectively. Check out this article for more in-depth information about specific labs to run.
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Finding good quality prenatal vitamins is key to making sure your body is ready for pregnancy. I take several supplements for my health journey: FullWell Prenatal is MD and OB-GYN recommended. It provides necessary vitamins such as Vitamin D, B12, and A as well as many minerals necessary for a healthy body and pregnancy. Fem Dophilus is a quality probiotic that maintains your vaginal and urinary tract health. Iodine has been linked to pregnancy and fertility. Nordic Naturals Omega-3 supplements is a doctor-recommended formula that supports heart, brain, and immune health. These are examples of supplements that can be taken during your journey to pregnancy. I am not a healthcare provider and cannot give advice on what supplements to take. Talk to your healthcare provider and do your own research to determine what you should be taking for your fertility journey.
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Your conception journey is often long and tiring. It can be easy to view sex as a chore when you are trying to conceive. Having scheduled sex at specific times or on specific days whether you’re in “the mood” or not can take its toll on your relationship. Here are a few suggestions to keep it spicy and exciting during this time:
Make a date out of it. Romance might be the last thing on your mind when you are so focused on making a baby. But remember that you fell in love with your partner first. Bring back some of that romance by going out to a nice dinner or relaxing at a movie beforehand (or during).
Spice it up. Buy an exciting new outfit or piece of lingerie to surprise your partner. Come up with a fun game to take it up a notch.
Give grace to your spouse. It takes two to tango. Chances are this has been an emotional rollercoaster for him as well. Be sure to give grace to each other as you’re both on this journey. You’re not alone! You are in this together. Lean on each other for encouragement but don’t be ashamed to seek outside help if needed to work through your feelings.
