Prepping For Preggo

As someone who preps for bodybuilding contests and distance-running races, I know that intentionality can impact how successful you are in achieving a goal. When Andrew and I decided we wanted to try for a baby in 2020, I considered the ways in which intentional actions could assist us in achieving this goal. This post may contain some TMI details, but my hope is to share those elements of the process that I believe aided us in our journey to become pregnant. My intention is not to say what someone else should or shouldn't do, but rather reflect what worked for me.

Can I even GET pregnant?
This was a huge question I had that I didn't allow to linger at the forefront of my mind. I have always had very irregular periods and problematic PMS symptoms. I had not used birth control since I was 18 (a brief stint since I had a horrible reaction to the depo provera shot) and Andrew and I had never so much as had a pregnancy scare. I also had been in back-to-back competition preps that resulted in ZERO periods for close to a full year. *Dieting and low body fat can greatly impact your cycle* My first "goal" was to get my cycle back on track. Knowing 1-4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, I wanted to have 3 periods before we even began trying. So I increased my calories (eating in caloric surplus), made sure I was eating more fat to help my hormones level out (hello cheat meals but also avocado, egg yolks, peanut butter, and olive oil) and leaned in to being less lean (easier to type than to do). I extrapolated my bodybuilding background knowledge of "you build muscle in caloric surplus" to "you likely can more easily build a baby in one too." I also toned it back on the intensity of my workouts and cardio sessions.

In this modern world it is so common to hear about women closely tracking ovulation via an app, using ovulation test strips, and only trying at the perfect time. I knew I wanted none of that. My orientation was such that I felt deliberate intervention and stress wouldn't be necessary until evidence proved it so. Therefore we discussed trying for six months (every weekend) and if we were not successful, then we would be more deliberate. BUT we conceived within ONE month. I did begin tracking my periods once I began having them. My first period was in May and I had cycles pretty close to 35 days apart in June and July. We began officially trying the last week of July and by September, we knew Baby G was baking in the oven.

Other Factors
Since I knew I had some time to prep my body before trying, I considered other factors I wanted to change as well. For one, I was using a topical acne gel that would be harmful to fetal development. So while I've been rocking chin breakouts for longer than I'd like, I quickly nixed that product for the time being. I also chose to dye my hair closer to the color of my natural color so I wouldn't have to color my hair during pregnancy, especially the first trimester (it has been nice saving some money in the process). I also began listening to audiobooks like What to Expect When You're Expecting. This was great because it helped me consider factors that mattered early into pregnancy. For instance, I never knew that hot water can lead to miscarriages (specifically in the first trimester) and that baths should be avoided or you should only use warm water. No thank you: I chose to simply remove baths from my routine (and I was a daily bath kind of girl). I also used this time to have meaningful conversations with Andrew about parenting expectations, styles, and considerations. We talked through personal experiences, priorities, and opinions. We did this as we relaxed on the patio on weekends--pinterest has loads of great questionnaires and topics. Our topics ranged greatly: Name? Holiday traditions? Spanking? What if they are trans or gay? Behavior interventions? Dual-income or single? Funny enough, the only thing we didn't agree on was circumcision and since we will be having a baby girl, that won't be something we need to discuss more (at least not for Baby G).

For me the name of this blog perfectly embodies the approach I took to conceive: winging it with intention. I wanted to lean in to what was natural and literally lead with "let nature take its course." I wanted to focus on controlling certain elements that I believed would create a better environment for baby, while not stressing or controlling what I needn't worry about. Each woman's path to pregnancy looks different, and this one is mine. From my experience, a resonant quote is "hold the vision, trust the process."