How I got pregnant (besides the obvious)
infertility treatment, dutch test, minerals, ovulation, post birth control, chiropractic care, infertility journey, prenatal nutrition
It is not uncommon these days to have a difficult time getting pregnant. Is it because we are having more conversations around infertility, there are more options available to help or are things like birth control making it more difficult? Maybe it’s a combination of all three…but regardless of the reason, if you are one of the many that is struggling I want you to have hope. Our bodies were DESIGNED to do this. I know there are so many things you can do right now to support your body and end up with a positive pregnancy test before diving into very expensive options. Plus, most doctors make you wait for at least a year so these are all things you can do right now to balance your hormones.
For me, I never did intense tracking but I did hormone testing from time to time and usually found that my progesterone was low. Low progesterone is common after coming off birth control, when you’re under extreme stress, have nutrient deficiencies and/or not eating enough. I dove into all of these areas because I unfortunately was impacted by all of them. I took them one at a time and spoiler alert: I did get pregnant without any medical intervention. If that is what you’re looking for or maybe you’re starting to consider a family, keep reading on how I successfully ovulated and got pregnant!
I did the DUTCH test.
As I mentioned, I got hormone testing from time to time and specifically did not get a blood test since they are not as accurate. Every test has its flaws, but if done right the DUTCH test is very helpful in understanding your current hormone level. My test results showed that my estrogen was way higher than my progesterone, which is very common post birth control. Actually, I was barely making any progesterone at all, which was unfortunate because I had been off birth control for over a year. This helped me draw focus on raising progesterone and lowering estrogen to promote regular ovulation.
Eating enough.
I came from a season where I was dieting a lot, and smaller portions became the norm even when I wasn’t dieting. I had to take an honest look at what I was eating and how much. I started tracking again just to simply use it as a tool to see where my current intake was at. I made changes like drinking fruit juice in the morning and adding more fruits for snacks to increase healthy carbs and potassium. I also was more strategic about protein in my diet so I ate more eggs, included protein powders more frequently and kept high quality beef in the regular rotation. It takes a LOT of energy and nutrients to ovulate, and it takes even MORE when you get pregnant so the body has to know it’s going to be fueled properly.
I started taking Full Well Prenatal Supplements and Beef liver.
Full Well has a lot of nutrients, but it specifically has vitamin E which can be really helpful for ovulation. Beef liver also has a wide variety of nutrients to support gut health and liver health. Both gut health and liver health are connected to balancing hormones so it’s important to look into gut health if you have any symptoms and are not ovulating regularly. Both supplements are very nutrient dense and while I promote food first, these really help fill the gaps and recover from post birth control syndrome (one of the reasons that I think so many women struggle to get pregnant).
I drank minerals (still do) 1-2 times a day.
If you have read any of my blogs, instagram posts, Pinterest etc. you know I am obsessed with minerals so while I feel like I talk about this all the time, I couldn't create this post without. It truly is foundational and a permanent staple in my routine. Plus, it’s extremely helpful during pregnancy, prepping for labor and for postpartum. I bet I start drinking 3 a day when I breastfeed postpartum. Minerals are the “sparks'' to so many reactions in the body including hormone production. Low minerals is a common reason for poor period health and continues to add stress on the body (which we know stress is the worst for getting pregnant). Here is the mineral powder I drink daily.
I started seeing the chiropractor regularly.
If I am honest I used to think chiropractors were witch doctors, but turns out, like any profession, you have to find the good ones. I lucked out finding an amazing practitioner, Dr. Jess Bohlke, in Kansas City. I have scoliosis so we were treating that, but then we added regular appointments and acupuncture to help regulate my cycles. The consistent visits helped me regulate my nervous system which is vital for hormone production. The nervous system includes the brain, which is where hormone production starts so if your nervous system isn’t getting some love too, that is where you could be getting stuck. When I would see her regularly I would have less back pain, better gut health and less cramping around my periods. This was a sign things were moving in the right direction. She specializes in women’s health and infant care so she has helped many women on their pregnancy journey and I’m excited to bring my baby boy later this year.
Of course every BODY is different and there is no one magic formula, but knowing what your body is struggling with and how to support it goes a long way! Remember, hormones are signals so if you’re not ovulating regularly it’s a SIGN something deeper is going on. I don’t say that to scare you, but again to give you HOPE that there is a path forward. Your body isn’t broken and probably just needs some TLC. Anytime I hear the word broken I think of the Japanese art, Kintsugi where broken parts of a piece of art is filled with gold. This art is built on the idea that embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. That is what I envision for any women’s health journey especially when it comes to infertility.
