Weekly Pregnancy Guide

A WEEKLY GUIDE ABOUT WHAT YOUR BODY IS GOING THROUGH AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO ACHIEVE A HEALTHIER PREGNANCY.

Are You Trying to Conceive?

When you make a conscious effort to start a family or expand on an existing one, it’s not uncommon to put a little effort into the conception process. Unfortunately, most of the time it’s not just as simple as stopping all birth control, tracking cycles and making it happen. And I’m sure you’ve heard a time or two just to relax! Ha! I know, if it were only that easy! Once you start “trying”, the 2-week waiting game obsession takes over and you start to really self-analyze:

• Are my boobs sore?
• Am I peeing more than usual?
• Should I have my period by now?
• Do I feel nauseous?

At some point, the curiosity gets the best of you and it’s off to purchase pregnancy tests.  As listed on the packaging, you need good “first-morning urine” to get an accurate test result; you now are stressing out the remainder of the day waiting for the chance to take the test the following morning. Please know that if you are only a week past your due date, then the chances of receiving a false negative are high.

Over the counter pregnancy tests look for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This is a hormone the cells of the placenta produce during pregnancy. While the chances of getting a false positive are very low, the chances of getting a negative when you are indeed pregnant are actually quite high. After successful fertilization, the zygote takes a 3-to-5-day journey down the fallopian tube down to the uterus while dividing & multiplying cells. Once inside the uterus, the zygote will transform into a blastocyst and it will implant into the uterus lining splitting in half, where one becomes the embryo & the other your placenta.

All of this process takes place over 6 – to – 12 days and  only  then  does  your  body  begin to  produce small amounts of  hCG.  It  may take another week before that hCG will be  able to show up  on  a  test in  your urine. To get the  best  odds  of  getting a  true  result you  should test  with  good  morning urine 1 week after your scheduled period is expected.

Momma, Find the Fat!

If trying to conceive I can’t express the importance of well-balanced whole food, low sugar, preferably organic diet and if tolerated, a few servings per day of organic full-fat dairy.  Stay far away from the Low- Fat or Non-Fat alternatives. Also, healthy fats are very important for your reproductive health. Add in eggs, avocados, oils like olive and avocado, nuts and seeds, and full-fat Greek yogurt. For more information read this CNN Article that highlights studies from Harvard & other resources.

What Can Dad Do?

The best thing that dad can do right now is focused on his diet: preferably go organic. Going organic will limit the amount of injected pesticides and bisphenol (BPA) which contain xenoestrogens that can wreak havoc on sperm concentration. Dad should avoid high-fat dairy, soy, trans fats, processed meats and cut back on red meat.

According to studies from UChicago Medicine the three foods that Dad should focus on are;

• Fish
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Walnuts

Regardless of your stage in trying to conceive a child, you should implement any necessary lifestyle changes. Start looking into areas in your life you want to improve, as this will not only set you up for conception, but also for your journey through pregnancy and into motherhood:

• Sleep
• Hydration
• Whole Food Diet
• Moderate Exercise
• Meditation
• Prenatal Vitamin
• Chiropractic Care

You’ve Got This Momma!

xo, Dr. Ashley