Have you often pictured yourself as the household mother that spends her day cleaning, cooking, mopping the floors and looking after delightful children? No, me neither!!
But maybe you have pondered or spent your days and nights thinking about how amazing it would be to have a baby and be a mum.
For people that are having trouble conceiving or staying pregnant it can become a sad and lonely journey of self- doubt, anxiety and depression. I have patients that confide in me asking what is wrong with them, what have they done to deserve this, or what can they eat or drink to enhance their fertility?
I wish I could give you all the answers. I can’t, but what I can say is, preconception care is a must for heading in the right direction.
The few months before conception can shape your daughter or son’s future even when they are 20 years old. As a naturopath with a special interest in fertility, I am happy to say there is some awesome research available showing that quality and quantity of you and your partner’s nutritional health status can affect your baby’s health even 20 years down the track.
These conditions include childhood obesity, eczema and mood disorders including anxiety and can even play a part in the intelligence and mental development of your child (within reason… genetics does have a say too!).
With these preconception tips that I would like to share, I sincerely hope that they can save you months or even years of ever having to experience the pain and grief of not being able to fall or stay pregnant.
1. Let it go, Stress Less
Your worries about today, tomorrow, and yesterday may be shutting down your fertility hormones. “Stop telling me to relax, it’s making me stress even more” does this sound familiar?
The reason is, in stressful situations your body makes cortisol, a stress hormone to help you cope with the stress, however in long term chronic stress your body steals progesterone which is needed to make and keep a baby.
Add a stress reduction technique into your daily ritual. This can include mindfulness, yin yoga, meditation, or Tai chi. Breathing in and out slowly, calms your central nervous system and promotes relaxation which is fantastic for switching the right hormones on. It can be a few minutes a day, before bed.
Herbal adaptogens such as withania, rhodiola, and rehmania can help to normalise the adrenals and balance cortisol.
Disclosure: Be sure to consult your naturopath before you take herbal medicine to see if this is suitable for you.
2. Thyroid Hormone – But my results are normal, whatevs!!!
If you have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, then your thyroid could be playing tricks on you.
Do you ever find it hard to lose weight, struggle with tiredness or poor energy? These can be symptoms of an under active thyroid. Other symptoms can include cold hands or feet, hair loss, depression, lack of motivation and menstrual irregularities.
Over 25% of female infertility is due to thyroid imbalances. Reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies are often missed with the standard testing, but they can give us more information into the state of your current health. A female wanting to conceive needs adequate levels of thyroid hormone in order to produce progesterone which is our baby making hormone.
3. Sort your girlie hormones out
Whether you suffer with PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, long cycles, short cycles, heavy bleeding, acne or low libido, it is very helpful to get to the bottom of these hormonal imbalance.
A simple hormonal saliva test can be the key to unlocking the answers as to why things may be taking longer than expected.
I hope these tips for today help provide you some insight into the wonderful journey of preconception care and natural fertility.
If you are ready to take the next step or would like to find out more information on preconception care, then call the clinic on 1300 214 425 for a complimentary 10min phone chat or book in for a naturopathic consultation with Alysia today.
