Common Mistakes I See Couples Make When Trying to Get Pregnant

Not living as if already pregnant

I love when women who are trying to conceive, adopt the concept of ‘Trimester Zero’. Living life as if they are already pregnant. If you’re trying to conceive, it’s not a time to continue to binge-drink alcohol, smoke, or eat a lot of takeaway, thinking “I won’t do that when I actually conceive”. These changes need to happen now. Because here’s a big not-so-secret concept… All the things that are helpful for maintaining a healthy pregnancy, are also helpful when trying to get pregnant.  Think of it as Trimester Zero.

Trusting an app over their body signs or intuition

Period apps are fantastic. They collate data, keep track of dates, allowing note taking, and are all round super helpful. And I love them educating people on the general time to be trying to conceive.  However, apps have their limitations. They are only giving averages of the previously-entered data. Don’t ever hold off on having intercourse because your app hasn’t yet said it’s peak day. If your body signs (like egg-white cervical mucus) say it’s action time – go for it! Trust your intuition over an app.

Eating a highly-processed diet

Processed food is nutrient-void food, missing out on crucial antioxidants & micronutrients for your fertility. Wholefoods are foods that come from nature. They contain antioxidants & micronutrients that are not found in processed foods. As your egg or sperm are being formed or maturing inside you, they need the best environment for healthy growth, filled with antioxidants from the food you’ve eaten.  Eating a nutritious diet, high in foods from nature, is the foundation of working on your fertility.

Not adopting a stress management plan

There’s no escaping it, trying to conceive can be stressful. A constant rollercoaster ride of emotions. Anxiety, hopefulness, guilt, disappointment, sadness, anticipation, joy…  It’s draining! Adopting a regular stress management regime is crucial for supporting you to ride the emotional rollercoaster.  Many people find apps such as Insight Timer, Headspace & Calm helpful. But whatever stress management will work for you. Think about your personality, and what you will find helpful for stress management, and adopt something that helps calm your mind.

Letting fertility challenges steal the sparkle in their intimacy

This is a tough one. I get it, there’s a job to do, and sometimes that job becomes a chore. There can be feelings of frustration, and it can put added pressure on your relationship. Intimacy is extremely important in your relationship, regardless of the babymaking. I encourage doing your best to keep it fun. Rather than “honey, I’m ovulating”, instead, try using fun things like cheeky emojis, or a love heart on the calendar to communicate it’s baby making time. Book date nights, keep some spontaneity and enjoy yourself. Do your best to keep the spark alive.

Forgetting the guy’s contribution

It’s all too easy to focus on the female, and what’s happening with menstrual cycles, ovulation, and checking for signs of pregnancy. But guys are 50% of this equation. When there is infertility, roughly a third of the time it’s female-related, a third male-related, and a third it’s both. This is a couples issue, not a female issue. If you’ve been trying more than a few months, and haven’t had a semen analysis done, guys…. It’s time to book one in & get checked out.

Thinking environmental toxin reduction, won’t make much difference

Environmental toxins, including endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals are thought to be the biggest problem facing modern fertility. A large 2017 study showed, over a 38-year period a 50-60% decline in men’s sperm counts, being largely put down to toxins, pesticides, poor diet, increasing weight and other lifestyle factors. Comparably, environmental toxins have been shown to negatively impact egg quality, chance of conception, and maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

Not getting additional help from people you trust

You’ve probably heard of the saying, “it takes a village to raise a baby”. Well, sometimes it takes a village to make a baby! If it’s not happening like you thought it would, creating a good support network of trusted individuals to support you is critical. This may be your naturopath, general practitioner, acupuncturist, or fertility specialist.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with information, unsure what is most important and will make the most difference to helping you conceive, then The Fertility Boost online course is for you.

Get science-backed relevant information on what things really matter, with practical resources to help you conceive, and connect with other couples struggling with fertility, in a community that really understands.