Your preconception checklist for getting pregnant in 2023

Track your cycle and know how to identify your fertile window

Knowing your cycle (period length, flow, consistency, color, cervical mucus, BBT, etc.) is vital to learning your fertile window so you’re able to time sex appropriately when you’re ready to start actively trying. Knowing your cycle can clue you into there being an issue if it’s irregular or changes occur outside of your norm. It’s arguably the most important step to take while TTC.

Take a high quality prenatal

Prenatal vitamins are an important piece of preconception nutrition in that they can fill some nutrient gaps and add to your nutrient stores prior to getting pregnant. Look for a prenatal that has adequate levels nutrients in forms that are absorbable. If you’d like help in choosing, download the list of my favorite prenatals here.

Eat a variety of proteins (poultry, beef, dairy, plant-based, and seafood)

Protein is literally the building block of our bodies and we need to be consuming enough to not only support our cycle but support the demands of pregnancy. Getting in the habit of eating adequate amounts of protein from a variety of sources can help carry that habit throughout pregnancy where protein needs increase dramatically.

Consume seafood at least 2x per week

Seafood is not only a great source of protein but contains many other important nutrients such as the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, iodine, iron, and zinc (to name a few). All of these nutrients help support the functioning of your thyroid and the growth and development of a fetus.

Eat the rainbow daily (lots of colorful fruits and vegetables)

Eating the rainbow invites variety, which helps fuel a healthy and diverse gut microbiome. Your gut is vital in many things but when it comes to your cycle, you gut helps you properly metabolize hormones. (When the hormones are done with sending their message, they need to be metabolized and excreted.) Eating the rainbow also ensures you consuming a variety of antioxidants – important for minimizing oxidative damage, protecting and improving egg quality, and promoting healthy brain and neural development in a growing baby.

Get vitamin D checked

We are uncovering more and more about vitamin D’s role in fertility and pregnancy. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most common nutrient deficiencies around. Sunlight is the best source of activating vitamin D but that entirely depends on where you live, what season it is, the weather that day, sunscreen use, etc. It’s always good to get vitamin D checked to see where your levels are and make appropriate changes to make sure you’re sufficient.

Visit your dentist/hygienist

There is a direct connection between oral health and fertility (in both male and females). Make it a habit to regularly visit your dentist, have your teeth cleaned, and get ahead of any potential issues such as developing gum disease.

Improve sleep quality

Sleep is vital to cycle health and maintaining a healthy HPA/HPO axis. You want to aim for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep, going to bed at a consistent hour, and going to bed well before 11 AM to maximize your body’s chances of entering long stretches of deep sleep (the most rejuvenating phase of sleep).

Implement active stress management

Stress is not something we just simply “have to deal with”. In fact, elevated, consistent levels of cortisol (your stress hormone) can interrupt your brain’s ability to communicate with your ovaries causing cycle interruptions and potentially cause anovulatory cycles (or cycles where you don’t ovulate). If there’s no egg released to fertilize, pregnancy can’t happen. Implement a routine that brings you back down to Earth. Incorporate hobbies that you love, spend time in nature, move your body in a way you enjoy, read a book, take a bubble bath - whatever it is that helps you feel calm and restored.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help or seek additional information

The “rule” that you need to wait 1 year of having unprotected sex (or 6 months if you’re over the age of 35) before reaching out for help with your fertility is bullshit. If you suspect something is wrong and you want to investigate, you have the right to do so. You’re not being overly cautious or dramatic. You’re being proactive. I’ve had plenty of clients who came to me with seemingly normal cycles but when we got to digging, we uncovered things that needed significant improvement before the body was ready to support a pregnancy. (Read about recommended tests here.) Don’t be on anyone else’s timeline except your own. You have a right to seek help when YOU want to.

If you’re looking for ways to optimize your fertility or answers to improve your chances of getting pregnancy, I’m accepting one-on-one clients and would love to be your guide. Apply to work with me here.