So you're planning to get pregnant?! I'm so excited for you! It's such a special time.
I know that it can feel overwhelming though, so that's why I've created a
nutrition checklist for pre-pregnancy planning. Stay tuned and I'll walk you through it...
Hello! If this is our first time connecting, welcome! My name is Melanie McGrice and I'm a
fertility and prenatal dietitian. I help couples boost their fertility and give their baby's the
best start possible with the power of good food. Make sure you connect with me on my socials...
you'll find all the details in the description box below this video.
Oh, and don't forget to subscribe.
Now, I'm going to discuss 6 important nutrition considerations for pre-pregnancy planning.
So, grab a pen and your diary and write down any that you need to take action on!
Number 1: Start your fertility diet - your eggs (and your partner's sperm) contain the genetic
material for your baby, so don't leave it until you're pregnant to focus on what you're eating!
Start your fertility eating plan now! Ideally you want to be eating well for
at least 3 months prior to conception. Not sure what to eat? Don't worry, I've got you covered!
Download my free fertility meal plan from melaniemcgrice.com/fertility.
You can choose any breakfast, any lunch etc to tailor the meal plan to your preferences.
Number 2: Check that you're ovulating regularly - now I know that this doesn't sound nutritional,
but if you're not ovulating regularly, it can be more difficult to get pregnant.
And, your diet can play a key role in when you ovulate.
There's a variety of different ways to check when you're ovulating and some great apps around
these days. If you're not ovulating regularly, check out some of my videos on the topic such as
'can diet affect my menstrual cycle' or 'why am I not getting my period'?
Number 3: Ensure you are taking the correct nutritional supplements.
So i'm sure that you already know that you need to be taking a folic acid supplement,
but are there other supplements that you should be taking? Are you on the right dose of folic
acid for your needs? Should you take folic acid or follinic acid? Should you take folic
acid alone or as part of a multi? And if so, which multi should you take? The short answer
is that you will need supplements when you're trying to conceive, but the supplements that
you take should be personally tailored to YOUR unique needs. Again, as a general rule,
I'd recommend taking your supplements for at least 3 months prior to conception if possible.
Number 4: Make a list of any medical conditions you or your family have which could be passed on
to your baby. Emerging research suggests that the first 1,000 days of life can impact genetic
programming to increase, or decrease the risk of health conditions. If you or your family have
health conditions, your baby will obviously have a higher risk of also having these conditions,
so now is the time to consider which conditions your baby will have an increased risk of and do
your research to find out if there's anything that you can eat during the first 1000 days to reduce
his or her risk. For example, if your partner has eczema, focusing on your vitamin D levels
during pregnancy and breastfeeding may help to reduce your baby's risk of developing eczema too.
Number 5 - Book a consultation with a fertility dietitian - If ever there's a time in your
life for optimising your nutrition, it's when you're planning to conceive, and there's a LOT
to know! I'd highly recommend booking an assessment with a fertility dietitian
to learn what else you can do to optimise your fertility and pregnancy nutrition.
So, make a note in your diary to book a consultation.
Number 6 - Know what you need to eat during pregnancy - Now is also the time to learn about
how to eat well during pregnancy. For example, you'll need to learn about reducing your risk of
listeria and about how many additional calories to eat and when. Now, I may be a little biased,
but I believe that one of the best ways that you can educate yourself on what to eat during
pregnancy is to subscribe to my YouTube channel. All the information on here is evidence-based
and I do my best to provide you with loads of practice tips! So, subscribe, and make sure that
you share it with any girlfriends who are pregnant or may be thinking of trying to conceive soon too!
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments box below, and I'll see you in my next video!