What I Did Differently to Prepare For My Second Pregnancy
Preparing your body (and mind) for pregnancy is one of the most important things you can do for your baby’s health but also (and especially) your own well-being as a mom.
Society doesn’t typically honor how demanding the process of growing a baby is and without at least some intentional preparation, many moms can be at increased risk for challenges like infertility, nutritional depletion, and mental health disorders.
As a mom who struggled a lot during my first postpartum and a holistic nutritionist and functional women’s health practitioner who works with other moms through this period of life, I knew that I wanted to give this area more attention and especially time when it came to my second pregnancy.
Compared to my first pregnancy, there were many things I did differently to better support my fertility (especially at "advanced maternal age”), mitigate nutritent depletion, and keep my body strong and energized throughout (because pregnancy when you already have a kid to care for is way different than when you don’t!).
Here are the top areas I focused on to fully prepare myself for pregnancy this time:
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Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It’s not a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to diagnose or treat any condition. I am sharing my experience but please do not misconstrue this information for personalized advice!
01. I gave myself time.
This was likely the most impactful thing I did—allowing myself the time I needed to fully heal and replenish from my first pregnancy...
(And honestly, simply enjoy having my body to myself, work on growing my business, explore my own interests, and more.)
This is not the “norm” in our society that often pressures moms to have “2 under 2” so I just have to say that if you feel you need more time, it’s okay! (There will be 5 years between our boys and while I don’t have the full experience to comment on the age gap yet, so far it’s been great and I know there will be many pros and probably some cons too but it's what works best for our family).
We knew we’d want to have another for a while so I started making changes around 2 years before we officially began to try—which isn’t always necessary but also, it’s never too early nor too late to begin if you know a future pregnancy is a goal.
02. I focused a lot on nutrient replenishment.
I won't lie, for a while, I worried that another pregnancy would worsen my health and the symptoms I struggled with postpartum would return (but spoiler alert: they have not)!
I had made some pretty big nutrition changes when healing depletion and continued those so I did not overhaul my diet by any means.
However, I did make sufficient nourishment my top priority, especially filling up my body's nutrient stores.
A year or so before we started trying to conceive (TTC), I did make some slight and very intentional nutrition and supplement tweaks to ensure I was nourishing myself fully and meeting all my nutrient needs (especially for minerals) particularly those required for ovulation and healthy hormone levels and needed in higher demand during pregnancy.
A few key foods I prioritized incorporating into my diet: Wild fish (especially shellfish like oysters), tropical fruits, bee pollen, high-quality dairy foods especially butter and milk, and leafy green vegetables.
Compared to last time: I had a much more restrictive nutrition mindset even just a few years back. I'd started moving away from that thankfully prior to my first pregnancy but my main focus was eating enough calories without much of a specific focus on key nutrients for fertility and pregnancy.
03. I ran functional lab testing to understand exactly what my body needed.
To help guide the above changes I made, I turned to lab tests to get answers vs. guessing at what I needed. I ran a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) about a year before we started TTC to check my mineral levels and then 6 months later to check in and assess any changes.
I also ran a Tiny Health gut test (I love that they have a preconception/pregnancy-specific one) and DUTCH comprehensive hormone panel mostly because I was curious and believe these should be yearly tests to check in on our health! I used the Inito Fertility Monitor to track a few cycles beyond that to ensure my hormone levels were optimal.
(I’ve been using the Fertility Awareness Method to track my cycles for years so I didn’t change anything there but it’s worth mentioning because this was a huge piece of my preconception journey! Understanding your menstrual cycle helps you pinpoint when you’re fertile vs. not so is important for achieving (and also avoiding pregnancy depending on your goal). It’s also a great tool for learning your body and seeing potential areas that need support.)
All of this information gave me insight into what was going on in my body and helped me identify where I needed extra support (but also helped me understand my body more and trust its capabilities).
Compared to last time: I wasn't trained in reading these functional lab tests so didn't utilize them. I actually didn't even know about HTMA before or even during my first pregnancy so having this tool at my disposal this time around especially was a game-changer.
04. I prioritized building strength, especially pelvic floor and core health.
Like many moms, I struggled with many pelvic floor symptoms postpartum so I wanted to do anything I could to prevent or at least lessen them but also simply feel strong during pregnancy.
This meant staying committed to consistent strength-training and following a well-designed program (I have been exclusively following kettlebell strength programming inside Strength Training for Happy Hormones and then The STHH Club since 2021)…
But also challenging myself more in my workouts, lifting heavier weights, and eating (and sleeping) enough so I could build muscle.
(And I’ve especially appreciated that I've been able to adapt my workouts through pregnancy at each stage with the different “tracks” inside STHH!)
Compared to last time: I did prioritize strength training through my first pregnancy but still did a lot of Cross-Fit/HIIT-style training sessions that didn't help me build (or at least maintain) muscle and strength. I fortunately didn't have symptoms until postpartum with my first pregnancy but also, didn't have the awareness to even prioritize this aspect, and wish I had!
05. I focused more on supporting my egg quality.
Because this time around I was older (age 36 vs. 31 with my first), I figured it couldn't hurt to prioritize this because egg quality does decline with age. And if we were to struggle to get pregnant, I'd want to focus on it anyway so why wait?
This mostly meant bringing in some extra antioxidant support via supplementation (see a few I used below!), prioritizing some specific foods in my diet (like fatty fish, dark leafy greens, and deeply colored berries), and also working to reduce stress and improve my resilience to it (including through all of these other areas).
(The book It Starts With The Egg is a great place to learn more if you're interested!)
Compared to last time: I didn't even think to do this but could have focused on it! Even though I was younger, egg quality is important for many reasons including sufficient progesterone levels and a healthy embryo.
To help me with all these things, a few supplements I prioritized:
(Please always discuss supplements with your healthcare provider!)
Some other tips for those in this season now or looking toward it:
Enlist mental health support if needed, especially if TTC after experiencing a loss, birth trauma, or difficult postpartum period. Physical health is important but there's no true distinction between body and mind. Mental health is just as crucial for your journey into motherhood.
Work with a root-caused focused practitioner particularly if you're struggling with cycle/hormone-related symptoms or fertility-specific challenges. (This is one of my specialties and favorite areas to support women. You can apply here to get on my 1:1 waitlist and learn more about my services).
Keep in mind that your partner's health matters, too. The responsibility to prepare for pregnancy shouldn't only be on those carrying the baby. Sperm health is really important, too and can impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes as well.
Lastly, I will say this:
I have without a doubt felt much better during this pregnancy at age 36 than during my first at age 31. I've had more energy, I've felt really strong, and my labs have all been great. I’ve enjoyed being pregnant and never felt like it held me back whatsoever from showing up as a mom to my son throughout!
While it might seem like I did a lot to prepare, I feel like I've actually been able to streamline and simplify way more overall (especially thanks to lab testing and the wisdom I’ve gathered over the past few years). I also just really trusted my body. These things have been so helpful for my stress levels and mental health (so don't feel pressure to do everything by any means)!
I’ve taken what I’ve learned on my health journey as a mom including healing postpartum and preparing for pregnancy, my research into the world of minerals, and my clinical experience helping hundreds of other women reclaim their health in motherhood and turned it into a 6-week course called Reignite Your Spark.
I built this program because we all deserve to be thriving-not just surviving in motherhood. We deserve to feel incredible- energized, balanced, strong, and resilient- in our bodies as well as in control of our health (especially during the preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum seasons!)
And we all deserve to have the right knowledge and tools to help us heal in a way that’s sustainable and doesn’t push unrealistic pressures or expectations.