How To Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy: A 2-Year Guide

This article contains additional reporting by Jennifer Chesak .

If you are getting closer to starting your parenthood journey, you may be wondering how to prepare your body for pregnancy.

Elizabeth Zapp, MD , a doctor at Parsley Health, recommends getting a wellness plan in place at least a year ahead of the time you want to start trying.

That way you can start prepping yourself mentally, physically, and nutritionally, which will push your body to peak health for conception and beyond. Parsley Health works with people at every stage of this journey.

Here’s how to optimize your diet, exercise, and stress management ahead of having a baby, whether you’re six months, a year, or even a couple years from getting pregnant.

2 years before trying for a baby

Detox your body from any harmful substances.

A while before getting pregnant, you’ll want to quit substances—like recreational drugs and smoking or vaping—and reduce your alcohol intake. These may seem obvious. However, less obvious toxins are in our health, beauty, and cleaning products.

These toxins can often act as endocrine disruptors . Some products contain chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA) , in the packaging or in the ingredients, that could change the balance of your hormones and negatively affect your fertility .

Endocrine disruptors may also be passed on to the fetus during pregnancy or to a child during nursing. This may affect their brain development and normal levels of hormones.

Healthy detoxing from these substances involves using chemical-free health products and supporting the body's natural detox processes through good sleep , nutrition, stress management, and exercise, Dr. Zapp says.

Clean up your diet.

If accessible for you, eat organic. You’ll encounter fewer chemicals in food that way.

Dr. Zapp recommends eating as many plants as possible and loading up on healthy fats . Omega-3 fatty acids are especially important for fetal brain development .

Get good-quality protein with every meal and aim for a daily intake of around 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight.

If you eat mostly plant-based, make sure you get protein from whole grains, such as quinoa, and from high-protein plants like spirulina . If you eat soy protein, go with organic soy in the form of tempeh, edamame, or tofu, Dr. Zapp says.

Exercise caution with seafood quality, especially closer to pregnancy. “Choose wild seafood and lower-mercury fish," Dr. Zapp says.

Maintain a healthy weight.

“It’s great to go into pregnancy at a healthy weight, which will make for an easier pregnancy and delivery,” Dr. Zapp says. She recommends a BMI somewhere between 18 and 30.

BMI range

• 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal weight
• 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight
• 30 or higher is considered as having obesity
  

You should work with your doctor to determine what a healthy weight looks like for you, given your family and medical history.

Obesity is often associated with infertility because of the potential for hormonal dysregulation. Having obesity might also contribute to more complications during pregnancy and delivery, Dr. Zapp adds.

However, being underweight while pregnant or while trying to get pregnant could also be a concern.

Those who are underweight , Dr. Zapp says, may not have regular menstrual cycles. If you’re underweight, you may also be at greater risk for complications.

A healthy pregnancy requires some weight gain. Therefore, those who have obesity or are overweight while pregnant will need to wait to lose weight until after giving birth and getting clearance from their doctor.

Find a routine for exercise and stress management.

Developing a regular exercise routine can be beneficial. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that most pregnant people can continue the workouts they were doing before getting pregnant.

Specifically, ACOG recommends healthy pregnant people get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. But if you do vigorous aerobic activity or are highly active, you’ll likely be able to continue that during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about any concerns.

Dr. Zapp adds that your pre-pregnancy routine should be a balance of strength, cardio, high-intensity, balance, and flexibility movements.

Managing your stress levels is also a major part of preparing your body to get pregnant. High levels of the stress hormone cortisol can negatively impact other fertility hormones.

Exercise is helpful for mitigating stress, but so is sleep. Establish a sleep routine of a solid seven to nine hours each night, Dr. Zapp says.

Also, cultivate a support network that you can lean on while you’re trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy.

“Preparing for pregnancy is all about changing what you can control about your health, like establishing a healthy work-life balance,” Dr. Zapp says. “And for what you can’t control, there’s mindfulness.” She recommends finding a type of meditation you enjoy most and practicing it daily.

Consider genetic counseling.

If you have a family history of genetic disorders, genetic counseling may be warranted. Getting started about two years before trying to conceive can be helpful.

1 year before trying to get pregnant

Start regulating your cycle.

Regular ovulation is crucial for pregnancy. If you have a regular period each month, you are likely experiencing regular ovulation.

“If you’re thinking of getting pregnant and you’re not having regular cycles," Dr. Zapp says, "work with your doctor, and get evaluated to make sure there’s nothing additional going on, like PCOS or thyroid issues , both common problems that could contribute to infertility.”

Many people struggle with hormonal imbalances that lead to irregular periods, but Parsley Health doctors and providers frequently help resolve these imbalances.

Consider prenatal vitamins.

You may wish to start taking prenatal vitamins a year before you plan on getting pregnant. At the very least, Dr. Zapp recommends adding a prenatal three months before you try.

Prenatal vitamins ensure you're getting enough folate in your diet to prevent birth defects. You might not get enough of this B vitamin, found in eggs and green leafy veggies, from food.

Parsley offers a prenatal multivitamin , which also includes omega-3s, iron, and vitamins A, C, D, and E.

6 months before trying to get pregnant

Switch to medications that will be safer for pregnant women.

Most medications have not been tested on pregnant people. “It often comes down to a risk-benefit discussion with your doctor,” Dr. Zapp says.

If you have depression or another mental health condition that requires medication, you may need to remain on your regular prescriptions, she adds.

If you take medication for high blood pressure, especially an ACE inhibitor , you should work with your doctor and switch to something safer for pregnancy, like a calcium channel blocker, Dr. Zapp explains.

Also discuss with your doctor any medications you take for controlling blood sugar and whether they need to be switched.

If you’re on oral or topical retinols for acne or wrinkle prevention, find a safer solution before trying to get pregnant, Dr. Zapp advises.

Stop taking hormonal birth control.

When preparing your body for pregnancy, an important step is to stop any kind of birth control to make sure you have regular cycles without it. With hormonal contraceptives that prevent ovulation, your ovaries may need time to adjust.

Look into your nutritional markers.

Measuring your nutritional levels is important in general, but you should definitely have a handle on your levels before trying to conceive.

At Parsley Health, doctors look at important pregnancy nutrients like vitamin D3, iron, omega-3’s, selenium, zinc, and magnesium levels, says Dr. Zapp.

Iron is particularly important when you’re pregnant. Your doctor will evaluate your levels and help you optimize, through diet or supplements , anything that’s not in range.

Prepare your immune system.

Along with solidifying nutrient levels, you’ll want your immune system to be strong and equipped to fight any diseases that can cause issues throughout pregnancy.

Make sure that you’ve been adequately vaccinated, Dr. Zapp says. Also, it’s a good idea to check in with your OB/GYN about getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening before thinking about becoming pregnant.

Takeaway

Planning to have a baby does take some thought and self-care. But these steps can help support a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and more.