Is your body *ACTUALLY* ready to conceive?
This week we are going to be diving into is your body REALLY ready to conceive and how we can pinpoint if there are areas to work on.
So I get it! You want to get pregnant like yesterday. Perhaps you're getting older, you've established the life you want, and you are READY! That's amazing that emotionally, mentally and financially you are ready. But is your body ready?
I think this is where the biggest disconnect happens. We don't understand that most of us are completely disconnected from our body. We don't see the dysfunction within or contribute symptoms we have with what is just “normal”.
This is where I see women struggle to conceive. They don't understand why they aren't getting pregnant. Many of them are walking around with a slow metabolism, sluggish thyroid, compromised digestive system, imbalanced hormones, PMS symptoms, irregular cycles and more. All of these things will not only directly affect your ability to conceive but they will also impact the health of your baby.
This is why it is so important to heal our bodies BEFORE we want to conceive, even if it means delaying trying to conceive exactly when we want. Believe me, when I say I know this is frustrating. I used to think I'm going to plan my pregnancy perfectly so that I can have my baby in April, take my maternity leave then have the whole summer off with my new baby (I'm a teacher). Well that was a big fat reality check when I suffered a pregnancy loss and went on to struggle to conceive for over a year. I think the biggest thing we need to remember is 1) your body needs to be in a good place to get pregnant and 2) we cannot plan a pregnancy the way we want.
These are the important areas to look at BEFORE TTC...
ONE // Your Period
Despite mainstream media making us think heavy bleeding and menstrual cramps are normal… they are not! Having tons of symptoms during your period is a sign of estrogen dominance.. aka imbalanced hormones!
TWO // Your Overall Cycle Length
Cycle lengths can vary greatly. But anything less than 21 days or over 35 days is most likely indicating that you are not ovulating. This means you are living in a “follicular” phase without a real luteal phase. And yes, you can still “bleed” without ovulating. It's called a breakthrough bleed and can look just like a regular period!
THREE // Ovulation
Ovulation is the ENTIRE point of our cycle! It's the way our body makes our progesterone. We need progesterone for lots of functions in the body but a BIG one is getting our endometrium lining nice and thick and sticky for a fertilized embryo to implant. Our progesterone also will support our baby until the placenta takes over. Ovulation can be PREDICTED using ovulation tests but it can only be CONFIRMED through a rise in basal body temperatures AND by a serum progesterone test or from the PROOV confirm strips (which I recommend EVERY TTC women get). Getting a positive LH rise on an ovulation predictor test does NOT confirm you ovulated.
FOUR // Your Luteal Phase
Ok, so this is the ABSOLUTE BIGGEST area where I see most women struggling with and they don't even know it! So you predict and confirm ovulation and you think you're good to go. You do the hanky panky at the right times but month after month you get big fat negatives! In order to have ample time and progesterone for a fertilized embryo you need a luteal phase 12-14 days in length and you need to have enough progesterone especially on days 7-10 after ovulation. How can you find out your progesterone on numerous days? The Proov strips that measure pdg in your urine! You want 4 positive days!
FIVE // Digestion
Digesting, absorbing and detoxing are such important factors in our fertility. We need tons of nutrients and specific vitamins and minerals to have healthy eggs and to ovulate successfully. If you are suffering from bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, reflux, cramps and more it is probably time to work on your gut health. Things like digestive bitters, digestive enzymes, spore based probiotics as well as healing foods like bone broth and collagen can go very far for a compromised gut!
SIX // Metabolism/ Thyroid
Wondering how your metabolism and thyroid are functioning? Look at your metabolic markers! Basal body temp at or above 97.8, resting pulse rate over 70, sleeping well, pooping every day, having adequate libido, unpainful periods & having energy throughout the day are a great way to gauge how your metabolism is running!
Where do you measure up? What areas should you work on to be your healthiest self?
