4 Preconception practices that can help you get pregnant faster
When you’re ready to get pregnant, months can feel like years. So to make the most of your time, prep work during preconception can help you get a healthier pregnancy faster.
It’s estimated that about 1 in 7 couples will have trouble getting pregnant (1). You’re not alone if you’ve had some struggles on this crazy adventure, and there are so many reasons why couples can have a hard time getting pregnant.
Sadly, many providers will dismissively tell you to “keep trying” for a year before they talk about any options to address fertility concerns. What makes no sense is often those practitioners will not even give you some tips about how to make the “trying” part more successful.
For a healthy woman, there’s a little more than 30% chance each month for getting pregnant. Which means being healthy and having good timing is key.
Here are our top 4 preconception tips to help turn your trying into doing.
1.Good Nutrition
Nutrition is the foundation of all good things and that includes baby making. When you and your partner are well nourished, not only will your bodies be working better, but you’ll also be passing on better quality genetics to your future baby. Oh yeah, and make sure to be taking those prenatal vitamins at least 3 months before you’re ready to get pregnant to build up your nutritional reserves.
2. Exercise
Movement is the breath of life. It helps all of the functions in your body to work better and will help you to maintain a healthy body composition. Overweight and obese women are known to have increased risks of infertility and reproductive struggles. Being overweight will not only tax your fertility health, but all the functions of your body. So grab your partner and your walking shoes and enjoy some time sweating together.
3. Clean Up Your Environment
There’s a lot of sneaky things in your environment that can be hurting your fertility. The preconception period is a great time for you and your partner to look around your home and in your medicine cabinet to get rid of or swap out products that may be harming your fertility. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a great database to check your personal care products for how good or bad they are for you and they also have a list of verified safe products. And while you’re doing that, make sure to give your doctor a call and see if you can cut some medications out of your life, which may be having a negative effect on your fertility.
4. Track Your Cycle
When it comes to getting pregnant, timing is key. And you can never have good timing without properly knowing your cycle. If you aren’t already doing it, getting tracking! The information you get from tracking your cycle will not only help you to get pregnant faster, but can also help you identify other potential health problems. Luckily, there’s a lot of great tracking apps out there to make things a little easier for you.
Since more than 50% of couples stated that getting pregnant took them longer than they thought it would, doing everything you can in your preconception period will help you get on the path for success.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guideline, 2013. Fertility - assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems.
