Everything I Did To Prepare My Body for Pregancy
Here’s everything I did to prepare my body for pregnancy. I started about a year in advance with the intention of supporting my body as much as possible. I realized a lot of this information isn’t always easy to find in one place, so I’m sharing what I learned through my own research and OB-GYN visits in case it helps anyone else preparing for this season.
Of course, I’m not a medical professional—this is simply what worked for me. Everyone’s body is different, so what works for one person may not work for another.
1. Started Prenatal Vitamins 1 Year in Advance
I started taking prenatal vitamins about a year before trying to conceive to help support my body ahead of pregnancy. I originally used a prenatal prescribed by my doctor, but after doing more research, I switched to the Needed brand because I felt it offered a more comprehensive nutrient profile. It includes key nutrients like choline and folate, which are especially important for early development. The only downside to taking the Needed prenatal is having to take 8 pills daily… It’s a lot. Other prenatal brands that I considered were Ritual and Thorne.
2. Took CoQ10
My husband and I both started taking CoQ10 daily. This is something we added into our routine while preparing for pregnancy because it’s commonly used in the preconception phase to support both egg and sperm quality. It’s known for helping with cellular energy and overall reproductive health, and it also acts as an antioxidant to help combat oxidative stress.
Once you do become pregnant, CoQ10 is usually something you reassess and often discontinue, since it’s primarily recommended for the preconception stage. Of course, always check with your OB-GYN on what makes sense for you personally.
3. Added fish oil and iron supplements
Since my prenatal didn’t include iron or omega-3s (fish oil), I chose to supplement with them separately. I personally used the Thorne brand to make sure I was still getting those key nutrients to support my overall health and prepare my body for pregnancy.
4. Stopped drinking alcohol
Over the past year, I slowly phased alcohol out of my routine. At first I would still have an occasional drink, but eventually I made the decision to cut it out completely. For me, it just didn’t feel worth potentially impacting my fertility goals. I know this can be one of the harder changes, but swapping in mocktails when going out to dinner or at social events really helped me still feel included without missing out.
5. Stayed active (10k steps daily + Pilates)
I focused on staying consistently active in a way that supported my body without feeling intense or overwhelming. Most days I aimed for around 10,000 steps, and I did Pilates about 3–4 times a week. It helped me stay strong, supported my overall wellbeing, and was also such a good way to manage stress during this season.
6. Focused on eating healthy, whole foods
I really prioritized a whole foods based diet and focused on nourishing my body as much as possible. I tried to keep things simple and balanced, lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and nutrient-dense meals that supported my overall health and fertility.
7. Ate fertility-supporting foods (dates, pomegranate juice, walnuts)
I also made a point to incorporate more fertility-supporting foods into my routine. Things like dates, pomegranate juice, and walnuts became easy additions to my daily diet. I loved the idea of focusing on simple, natural foods that are known to be nutrient-dense and supportive during the preconception phase.
8. Drank lots of water
I made hydration a non-negotiable and focused on drinking lots of water throughout the day. I also added electrolytes to my water, which really helped me stay balanced and feel more energized. Staying well-hydrated supported my digestion, energy levels, and overall wellbeing while preparing my body for pregnancy.
9. Followed the book Real Food for Fertility
I also followed Real Food for Fertility as a guide while preparing my body. It helped me focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods and gave me a really clear framework for supporting my hormones and overall fertility through nutrition in a simple, sustainable way.
10. Managed stress
Stress management became something I really had to prioritize while preparing for pregnancy, especially since I naturally tend to deal with anxiety. I focused on being more intentional about slowing down, protecting my peace where I could, and incorporating things that helped calm my nervous system, like rest, movement, and getting outside.
11. Did hormone testing (bloodwork)
I also did comprehensive hormone bloodwork to better understand my cycle before trying to conceive. My OB-GYN gave me the lab orders, and I completed everything through my insurance at Quest Diagnostics.
This included Day 3 testing (cycle day 3 of my period), which checks baseline hormones like FSH, LH, and estradiol, as well as mid-luteal phase testing (about 7 days after ovulation, often called “Day 21 testing”) to confirm that I was ovulating properly and producing enough progesterone.
It gave me so much clarity around my hormonal health and helped me feel way more informed and intentional going into this process.
12. Used the Premom app for tracking
I used the Premom app to track my cycle and ovulation, and I also ordered LH test strips off Amazon to check my hormone levels at home. I’d just take a photo of the strip and upload it into the app, which helped me actually see my LH surge and better understand when I was ovulating. It made the whole process feel a lot less confusing and way more in tune with my body.
Thoughts-
I’ll be honest, I felt pretty naive when I first started my pregnancy journey & I had to learn a lot of this on my own as I went.
All of these vitamins, lifestyle changes, and little daily habits honestly made such a big difference for both me and my husband. Trying to conceive can feel really lonely and overwhelming at times, and I just hope sharing my experience makes it feel a little less confusing or isolating for anyone else going through it.
Xo -Hannah
