How to Prepare the Mind and Body for Pregnancy

Although I’m sharing tips for getting pregnant, I will not pretend that it’s an easy process for every woman, unfortunately, that just isn’t the case.

Several processes have to go just right, before any sperm can successfully fertilize an egg that eventually implants itself in a woman’s uterus.

And…

Even when successful implantation occurs there is a chance for pregnancy loss. 

So…

I can’t offer you a getting pregnant guarantee. No one can. 

Instead…

I offer you a conscious approach to getting pregnant that focuses on the mind and body.

Related:

• 23 Important Things to Do After a Positive Pregnancy Test
• Baby Planning for Beginners: Ovulation & Conception
• 15 Pregnancy Due Date Calculators

HOW TO PREPARE THE MIND FOR PREGNANCY | TIPS FOR GETTING PREGNANT

Do some introspection

Having a baby is a life-changing choice that is best made by you. Sometimes, if we aren’t careful, we find ourselves pursuing things to please others.

What do I mean?

Most of the time people in our lives ask questions out of love but that doesn’t stop them from being frustrating, overwhelming, and annoying sometimes.

• While I was dating my husband, people repeatedly asked when we’re going to get married.
• When we got married, people began to ask when we would have children.
• After we had our first child, people began asking when we’d have another.

It seemed what we had was never enough.

Life can be challenging without the expectations of getting what we don’t currently have whether that be a spouse, more children, or whatever else.

So…

Before getting pregnant, I had to cut out the noise in my life and focus on what I wanted and what would be best for the family in my household. 

We shouldn’t pursue having a child or children because of other people and/or societal expectations.

Thinking about and deciding on having a child (whether it is the first or the fifth) requires full clarity. 

Be grateful for what is

Whenever we are seeking more, it’s important to have genuine gratitude for what we already have.

My husband and I  enjoyed a happy home, frequent travel, and good health before we had our first child. And for that, we were grateful.

I even went the extra mile of writing out a long list of things I had to be grateful for, even without a child in my life.

Why?

I know it sounds crazy but I thought it would help me cope with the possibility of not being able to get pregnant.

I’ve had friends and family suffer from infertility and loss. It’s not fair but it is a reality that many women face and while I could never stop the hurt of not being able to grow my family larger – I did want to have a gracious attitude about my current situation.

Pray and meditate

Once I knew I wanted a child -fear crept in.

• What if I couldn’t get pregnant?
• What if I experienced a loss?
• What if I did something wrong?

Fear is an interesting emotion but thankfully there are verses from books of faith, inspirational quotes, and affirmations that can help us deal and overcome. 

These resources can help drown out negative thoughts and help us focus on one day at a time.

And anytime you feel completely overwhelmed with fear and anxious thoughts, there is prayer and/or meditation.

Remove stress from your life

Growing a baby is already a huge tax on the female body, adding additional stress to the equation can cause serious harm like high blood pressure and heart disease.

The thing is…

Our bodies are sensitive to stress and the response can have mental and physical implications. 

When deciding that pregnancy was my goal, I took a look at everything in life (people, finances, employment, relationships) and did some inventory.

• If there were people who brought on stress or drama – it was time to detach.
• If there were debts or bills that could be addressed – they were tackled.
• I assessed the environment at my job.
• I thought about which relationships provided value and those that didn’t.

Once you’ve addressed the mental aspects of getting pregnant, it’s time to prepare the body.

HOW TO PREPARE THE BODY FOR PREGNANCY | TIPS FOR GETTING PREGNANT

Give the body quality fuel

In general, I’m in awe of the human body; men and women are fascinating but the female body is spectacular!

• Our bodies are unique, complicated, and awe-inspiring.
• Our bodies have the ability to regulate hormones, heal itself, grow life, and produce life-sustaining milk – among millions of other metabolic and molecular processes. 

If our bodies are doing all this work, the least we can do is provide them with the quality fuel they deserve, especially when we want to introduce a baby.

Basically, we have to eat well. For me this means:

• Avoid processed foods.
• Eliminate refined sugars.
• Remove sodas, pops, and carbonated drinks.
• Reduce or eliminate meat consumption. 
• Reduce or eliminate dairy.
• Eat an abundance of plants. 
• Hydrate with quality water sources.

A diet like this may seem restricting but I’ve found my plant-based diet to be energizing and a huge contributor to my good health. 

And a body in good health has the best potential to grow a baby. 

Of course, I have days when I enjoy food that doesn’t meet the health standards I’ve set for myself, but I’m OK with that because it’s just a day – it’s not the norm. 

*Your version of eating well may look different. Definitely talk to a nutritionist or dietitian who you trust about the best diet for your specific health needs. 

Consume folate and other important vitamins and minerals

Eating a healthy diet full of whole plant foods is valuable and probably already contains folate but I really wanted to put more emphasis on getting folate in the pre-pregnancy (and pregnancy) diet.

Here’s why:

• Folate is a B-vitamin (B9) that is found in foods like spinach, greens, lentils, beans, broccoli, and avocado.
• It’s essential for helping the body make red blood cells and DNA formation.
• Folate plays a role in reducing the chances of preterm birth, congenital heart disease, and neural tube defects.

While many prenatal supplements have folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, to help women meet the daily recommended requirement. It’s important to consider that many people have difficulty converting folic acid to its bioavailable form; therefore, it is more advantageous for some women to take prenatal vitamins that use the bioactive form of folate (5-methyltetrahydrofolate or 5-MTHF).

For more information and an extensive list of whole foods that contain folate, check out this list.

Other vitamins and minerals to be mindful of during pregnancy include:

• Iron
• Iodine
• Magnesium
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Vitamin D3
• Calcium
• Vitamin E

(If you want a post on these vitamins and minerals – let me know in the comments)

Track your fertile window

It is common for women trying to get pregnant to track their fertility. Some women even use fertility awareness, or natural family planning as it’s called, as a form of birth control.

This is possible because of the fertile window.

While many people believe women can get pregnant at any time. That isn’t true. Women have a fertile window. It’s the time in our cycle when it is possible to get pregnant.

If you want nitty gritty details, check out yourfertility.org but here are the basics:

So…

Eggs and sperm are only viable for a short period.

• Eggs have approximately 24 hours to get fertilized after released from the ovary.
• Sperm can only live for approximately 5 days.

This means the day you ovulate (or release an egg from your ovary) and the five days leading up to ovulation is the time to have sex when trying to get pregnant.  

Lots of women use an ovulation calendar or calculator to track this window as it varies from woman to woman.

By tracking your fertile window, you can try to plan sex to increase the chances that egg meets sperm. 

*Full disclosure: I have put my data in an ovulation calculator a few times but I’ve never been consistent about tracking my fertility.

Be active

Being active doesn’t require running a marathon. In fact, many resources suggest that there are benefits to getting the heart rate up for just thirty minutes each day.

Physical activity is a powerful tool that can be free.

• You don’t have to buy a gym membership.
• You don’t need fancy equipment.
• You don’t even need a cute yoga outfit (although they are comfy).

Often times, I just crawl around on the floor with my toddler. When I want something more structured, I use a free YouTube PopSugar exercise video and get busy right in the middle of my living room floor.

The benefits can include:

• Increased positive mood
• More energy
• Improved sleep
• Positive weight changes
• Less stress

I’m sure the list can be longer, but I think you get the point. The main takeaway is that exercise and movement is good for the body.

Always check with your medical provider before starting a new exercise regimen, especially if there is a chance you are already pregnant. 

Treat your skin like an organ

When we think of organs, we think of our heart, liver, and maybe even the kidneys. But did you know the skin is an organ?

Unbeknownst to many of us, it’s possible and likely that the personal care products we use every day are filled with toxins and skin irritants.

Even as a former chemistry laboratorian, it took me years to finally start looking at the ingredients in my personal care products. When I did start taking notice, I was appalled that I was treating my skin to fragrance cocktails, parabens, phthalates, triclosan and numerous other chemicals I didn’t know about. 

Some of the chemicals I was using are linked to birth defects, endocrine disruption, organ toxicity, and thyroid dysfunction.

I was treating my skin like an accessory that could be replaced instead of an important organ with the capacity to absorb and leech harmful materials into the bloodstream.

I had to make a change.

My personal care routine didn’t change overnight but I did transition several products including my deodorant and skin care products. I also began changing the products I used to clean my home and wash my clothes.

Wellness isn’t just about eating well, it’s about living well from the inside out and our product selection matters.

If you are curious about the ingredients in your personal care products, you can use the ThinkDirty app as a resource. 

Talk with a trusted provider

Many medical providers define infertility as not being able to conceive after a year of trying. That doesn’t mean you have to wait a year before talking with a medical provider.

Perhaps there are underlying conditions that you don’t know about.

For example, I didn’t know I had fibroids until my first pregnancy ultrasound. My fibroids did not impact my pregnancy but for some women, it can. 

If you suspect something isn’t right, see a specialist. 

OK. These are my best tips for preparing the mind and body for a pregnancy. 

When I learned I was pregnant after just a few weeks of trying I was astonished. I was of the mind that it could take months or years of trying before conceiving.

Now, after my experience and learning about the journey’s of several other women, all I can say for sure is that we will all experience unique paths to motherhood. 

If you are pregnant, CONGRATS!! I wish you love, health, and light on your journey. I’d also like to share a FREE printable with you. You don’t need to provide your email, just click below to download.