When I went through the long road to having my daughter, there was a lot that was out of my control. For starters, my body simply wouldn’t allow me to get pregnant without medical intervention. As a result, I depended on a lot of other people for emotional support, medical advice, and – of course – treatment. But one thing that I could do for myself was to eat as healthy a diet as possible to keep my body strong and my spirits up.
I’m not a nutritionist, and I’m certainly not in the business of telling other people what to eat. All I can do is share my own experience and talk about how what I ate helped set me up for the best possible chance of a positive outcome on my own journey. If you have any questions about what you should and shouldn’t consume during your fertility journey, please consult with your medical team or a nutritionist, which is what I did.
People today are more health-conscious than ever, and as a result food, fitness, and wellness are top of mind. Because diet is a huge indicator of future health, being mindful of what I ate while I was younger helped shape my overall lifestyle and prepare my body and environment for having a child – and taking care of one! Male partners need to consider this as well because it takes two to make a baby and two to raise one. If you don’t have fuel in the tank, it’s going to be challenging every step of the way.
Food that properly fueled my body not only gave me physical strength but eating healthy and clean was also good for my mental health. I was under a lot of stress when I was unable to get pregnant but as I learned and experienced, eating a balanced diet of nutrient-rich foods can help boost your mood. It made me feel proud to be actively preparing my body to carry a baby.
What I learned from my nutritionist is that certain foods and beverages are good to consume, and some you want to stay away from if you are trying to get pregnant. There are so many fertility diet fads and different approaches out there that it can be hard to sift through it all and feel confident in what to follow. And what I learned is that there are some general guidelines most doctors would agree on, although some will be stricter and some will be more lenient. Part of infertility is learning about having grace with yourself. If you don’t follow the recommended guidelines for you every minute of every day, do not feel like you’ve just ruined your chances. Everything in moderation and get yourself back on track!
