1) You have an irregular cycle or you’re not sure that you’re ovulating
If your cycle decides to show up on its own timeline instead of consistently, it can make it harder to get pregnant (but not impossible!) Or if you’re not sure what the signs and symptoms of ovulation are and you’re not sure how to track it, that can also make it more difficult to time sex appropriately to get pregnant. A prenatal dietitian can help you regulate your cycles and learn about ovulation to shorten your TTC window and better your chances of getting pregnant.
2) You have a condition that can interrupt ovulation (PCOS, thyroid issues, etc.)
Having a condition like PCOS or hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s can interrupt your body’s ability to ovulate consistently. Without consistent ovulation, getting pregnant can be more difficult. Working with a prenatal dietitian to help manage PCOS or help support thyroid function will help your body ovulate regularly so you can start tracking, time sex appropriately, and get pregnant.
3) You want to do what you can to help prepare your body for pregnancy
Improving your nutrition and lifestyle habits prior to getting pregnant can have lasting positive impacts on generations of your future family. Yes, you heard that right. You have the power to improve the health of not only your future children, but their children as well. *mind blown* It can help you to reduce pregnancy and birth complications, too. Working with a professional to navigate what’s helpful during preconception can make a world of difference.
4) You’ve experienced a loss (or multiple) and want to try to prevent future losses
There’s nothing that will guarantee the prevention of experiencing a miscarriage, as the majority are due to a genetic abnormalities. With that said, there are things you can do to reduce your risk, such as supporting quality ovulation and eliminating nutrient deficiencies. A prenatal dietitian is great person to help you with this.
5) You haven’t been able to get pregnant after X amount of time
If you’re in the cycle of TTC month after month and you have yet to receive a positive pregnancy test, it may be time to look further. Insurance and OBGYNs will tell you that you should try for a year of unprotected sex if you’re under the age of 35 or at least 6 months if you’re over the age of 35 before doing any testing. I say bulls*** to that timeline. If you want answers, you should be able to find them on your own timeline. A prenatal dietitian can help order the labs you need and create an individualized protocol based on the results to help get you closer to baby.
6) You’ve decided to undergo IUI or IVF.
You’ve decided to make the investment financially, emotionally, physically, and mentally to pursue IUI or IVF. Nutrition can be a major tool to help optimize outcomes in your favor. A prenatal dietitian (who has stayed current with the research) can help you navigate nutrition and lifestyle decisions to help you maximize your chances of not only having high quality embryos and successful transfer but having a healthy baby.
7) You want to dive deeper and learn more about your cycle and fertility.
You’re curious about your fertility and where it stacks up. You want to know what you can do to improve your cycle or overall nutrition status to better your chances of getting pregnant. Certain labs can help us look into your fertility hormones (AMH, LH, FSH, estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, etc.), your adrenal hormones (DHEAS, cortisol), variety of nutrients, and thyroid hormones, among many others. A prenatal dietitian can help to analyze the results and develop a personalized plan to optimize your fertility.
8) You have a feeling something is off.
You’ve been trying and maybe nothing has happened or you’ve experienced a loss and have a gut feeling that something is off but not sure what the next steps are. Working with a prenatal dietitian can help you navigate what those next steps are: whether it’s diving deeper with labs, working on nutrition and lifestyle habits, or a combination of the two.
9) You have (annoying/painful/heavy/abnormal) period symptoms
Maybe your period is regular but it comes with painful cramps or heavy bleeding or migraines and you’ve been told that’s normal when really, it’s just common. There’s a big difference between common and normal. I’m sorry if I’m the first to tell you this but your period should not be debilitating. If it is, something is up and may require a deeper look. A healthy cycle leads to a healthy pregnancy and, ultimately a healthy baby so looking into it before you get pregnant is a good idea.
10) Simply, if you want to.
You don’t need a reason to add a prenatal dietitian to your healthcare team. They can serve as additional support and be a trusted source of information and advice through this exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) time!
If you’re looking to get answers about your fertility, I am accepting new clients and would love to see if I can help! Apply to work with me here.
