You and your partner have talked it over and after a lot of hard work getting your life and finances in order, you feel you are ready to take the plunge and get pregnant.

Congratulations! This is an exciting time as you embark on the next chapter of your life together as a couple!

Before you take a step down the road on your fertility journey, let’s make sure you are as physically ready as you are emotionally.

Optimal Fertility Shows In Your Cycle

When your body is ready for a healthy pregnancy, it will show all the signs of a healthy cycle.

Your period should:

• Arrive every 28-30 days

• Fresh red blood only

• No adverse symptoms – PMS, PMDD, cramps, brown blood, headaches, emotional symptoms etc.

• Last 4-5 days with moderate flow

If you have anything except this, we have a little work to do. A healthy period, no pain during ovulation and the appropriate rise and fall of energy throughout the month are all indicators your body is healthy and well equipped for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.

What If My Cycle Doesn’t Look Like This?

If your cycle doesn’t show up like the one outlined above, all is not lost. 

It is common in our culture for women to be on birth control right up to the moment they decide to get pregnant. The doctor tells them to go one cycle off of the hormonal birth control then start trying. 

This often sets couples up for frustration. The longer you have used hormonal birth control, the more deeply your body is depleted with key nutrients you need for optimal fertility. 

Hormonal birth control is the only medication designed to interrupt a healthy process in the body. Your body has to kickstart this healthy process again once you go off of it. Often there is a transition of several months for many women before they are ovulating predictably and are set up for conception success.

Using herbs, steam, nutritional therapy and even sound healing, we gently nudge the body in the direction it always tries to strive for – optimal health.

Women and Men Have Equal Roles

I know this sounds very obvious, but men and women have equal roles in this conception equation.

I say this very elementary statement because historically our culture looks at just the woman for reproductive issues – but is slow to also look at the male.

As you get started, it is important to take a look at men’s vital sign of health as well. A semen analysis tells the story of your partner’s health the same way a woman’s period is a vital sign of her health.

Taking a good look at both of these measure of health before beginning your conception journey sets you up for success!

Want an in-depth look at what both partners should consider as markers of health for optimal conception? Check out Empowered Fertility in our digital course catalog The Tao of Women.