Every parent wants the best for their child and is often prepared to move heaven and earth to get the right results.
However, many parents overlook the importance of preconception. After all, your baby’s journey starts at the moment of conception, their first home is your body for 9 months, and there is a lot you can do to make sure it is the best possible environment.
Our qualified naturopaths can help you from the moment you think about conceiving, giving your baby the best possible start to life and the greatest possible future.
Understanding Preconception
From the moment you start thinking about having a baby you’ve entered the preconception window. This period extends from the idea of conception through until just after conception.
Of course, your responsibilities don’t stop there, giving your baby the best start in life means having a pregnancy plan and even an early years plan, but that’s for a different story.
It is best to allow 4-6 months to get your body ready for conception. This may seem like a long period of time but your body has been exposed to a huge array of toxins, these can be passed onto your baby.
You need to start with a clean sheet that will allow you to produce a toxin-free baby and give them the best start.
To further define this point you should be aware that it takes 3 months for an egg to mature and 4 months for sperm to mature.
Fertility Factors
Chemicals that you use every day can have harmful side effects to your body, including reducing your ability to conceive. These are often referred to as EDC’s and they are present in food, plastic, pesticides, and even detergents. Avoiding these is not easy but being aware of their existence will help.
Alongside this many adults eat unhealthy diets that actually reduce your fertility rate.
For example, research shows that a poor diet will increase oxidative stress in sperm. This decreases their quality, quantity, mobility and potentially destroying your attempts to become pregnant.
You need to get your diet right which means ditching the processed foods and switching to whole foods.
It is also important to consider your alcohol consumption when in the preconception stage you should avoid all alcohol consumption. It may taste nice but it is technically a toxin. Alcohol and cigarettes have both been linked with stunted development in children.
Getting Help
- Get Your Man Involved
Many men think their job starts and finishes with the act of conception. However, this is far from the truth. They are as much responsible for the pregnancy and the resulting baby as you are, they need to be with you from the very start of your preconception journey.
- Nutrition
Research shows that most men are not getting the right nutrients to optimize the production of healthy sperm. It’s important that both sides of the partnership take a look at what you’re consuming and adjust your eating habits accordingly.
You need to be focusing on whole foods, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Your Naturopath consultant can help you to find the right balance of nutrients. They can even help you to detox first if you need it.
- Get Active
You should also consider starting to exercise more. This will help you to lose any excess weight and get your body in the best possible condition for pregnancy.
It is important not to get carried away when exercising, doing too much exercise can place a stress on your body that will not help you conceive.
- Ditch The Stress
Modern life is stressful, there are so many demands on your time that it can be difficult not to feel stressed all the time.
However, stress encourages the production of the hormone cortisol, which limits the production of your other hormones. That not going to help your fertility chances.
Losing the stress is not always easy but meditation, the right diet, and the guidance of your Naturopath counselor will help.
Don’t forget that this applies to you and your partner, it takes two to tango!
Extra Tests
Toxins are just one of the reasons you could be struggling to conceive. Now that you’re getting ready for a baby you should consider having some tests done to ensure your body is as ready as possible for conception.
- Semen Analysis
This is actually one of the most important tests that is often overlooked, men generally assume their sperm are fine. It’s worth checking his sperm to ensure that they are performing properly.
- Hormones
You should also speak to your specialist regarding hormone testing throughout your cycle, this will ensure your body is producing the right hormones at the right times. If it isn’t your Naturopath consultant can help you use the right supplements to naturally bolster your cycle and hormone levels.
- Nutrition
To get a healthy baby you need to be healthy. That means assessing your nutritional intake, testing your nutrient levels, and making any corrections as necessary.
Iron, vitamin D, B12, and folic acid are particularly important.
Get Our Help Today
Our Naturopath is waiting to help you and your unborn child. What happens before and during pregnancy can help to shape the future of your baby, speak to us today to give them the best start possible.
