Many people spend months preparing a nursery for a new baby, but what if that same time and effort went into preparing their bodies for pregnancy? Your body was made to do amazing things, especially when given the right environment to do so. Planning a three-month window to prepare before conception can go a long way toward setting up one of the most transformative periods of your life. Both partners play a role here, and small changes made today can influence health well before conception. So where's the starting point?

What to Eat and Balancing Blood Sugar

Food provides the foundational building blocks for hormone production and healthy fetal development, which is why what's on both of your plates matters so much. Prioritizing quality protein and healthy fats at each meal, while minimizing sugar and processed food, is a critical piece of this puzzle.

To keep it simple: shop the perimeter of the grocery store and aim for a colorful plate. Strive for a minimum of 33 g of protein and 10-30 g of healthy fats at each meal. This helps stabilize blood sugar and takes excess stress off your adrenal glands.

Addressing any deficiencies at this point is important as well to properly support your body for the demands that will be put on it. Starting a quality prenatal prior to conception can be beneficial to fill in gaps and better support your needs and baby's for growing. When choosing prenatal vitamins prioritize the following:

  • Choline: supports fetal brain development
  • Iodine: essential for maternal and fetal thyroid function
  • DHA (omega-3): supports fetal brain and eye development
  • Iron: supports increased blood volume
  • Vitamin D: supports bone development and immune function
  • Vitamin B12: supports baby's neural tube and spinal cord development
  • Vitamin B9: supports neural tube development

Not all B vitamins are created equal in how your body uses them, the methylated forms are already active and ready to use, skipping a conversion step that some people's bodies struggle with. This is especially important during pregnancy, when your baby depends on efficient nutrient delivery. Look for methylcobalamin (active B12) and methylfolate (active B9) on your prenatal's label to ensure you're getting these vitamins in their most usable form.

Gut Health

Improving gut health before pregnancy can increase absorption of the nutrients needed to support your baby's growth. Mama's gut is essentially the blueprint for baby's gut, so it only makes sense to get it in the best shape possible. Certain herbs can help clear the gut of unwanted visitors or infections that may be hindering your overall health. Addressing this component first can be a great starting point to set you up for success.

Birth should be trained for just like any other major physical event.

Lifestyle

Movement is medicine, especially when you're preparing for the most athletic event of your life. Birth should be trained for just like any other major physical event. Prepping your body ahead of time can help ease the process.

  • Focus on foundational movements: squats, deep core work, and hip mobility exercises
  • Take a 10-20 minute walk after each meal to help with blood sugar regulation.
  • Prioritize sleep, recovery matters just as much as training.
  • Manage stress and regulate your nervous system daily, pick your favorite stress reduction technique or time to slow down and check in with yourself that you can be consistent with.

Chiropractic care is a great addition here too. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body receives information from your nervous system, which is housed by your spine, and a lack of movement or alignment can create downstream effects that hinder your overall health and wellness. Continuing chiropractic care through pregnancy can offer major benefits as well, helping keep your body comfortable and adapt as baby grows.

Lab Work

Rather than guessing where your body may need the most support, getting a baseline of lab work can help narrow things down. A full comprehensive panel gives you measurable data on any deficiencies, metabolic improvements, or inflammation markers that may need attention. Here's a good baseline panel to request:

  • CBC with differential
  • Complete metabolic panel
  • Lipid panel
  • Fasting insulin
  • Full thyroid panel
  • Vitamin D
  • Ferritin, TIBC, transferrin, UIBC
  • CRP
  • Homocysteine