Why planning for pregnancy is more than a prenatal

I am in some groups on Facebook for holistic health and wellness; some of them even moms groups. I always love the pregnancy announcements. “I just found out I am pregnant” and follow it up with “what prenatal should I be taking?” This part makes me cringe a little when I see it. Let me explain below 👇

While I do not recommend one specific prenatal. If you plan to take prenatal’s, why wait until you find out you are pregnant? Hypothetically you would be taking the prenatal especially if you are trying to conceive. I mean my take on it is, if it is safe for a pregnant woman or baby it is safe for an adult, right?!? And if it isn’t safe for newborns or pregnant women, then is it safe for adults?!? Something to consider.

During the first 8 weeks the brain, spinal cord, arms/legs, ears, eyes, heart, bones, blood vessels, and organs have begun to form. By 10 weeks the heart is done developing. Baby’s lips form between 4 to 7 weeks of pregnancy and the palate from weeks 6 to 9 which will contribute to cleft lip and cleft palate. Many women do not know they are pregnant until roughly 6 weeks to 8 weeks after conception where so much has developed. For a baby's development it's essential for mom (and dad) to take proper nutrients prior to conception to help minimize structural and/or functional birth defects. So if women are waiting they find out they are pregnant to start taking essential nutrients, it might not even make a big difference as so much important development for baby has already begun.

On that note one thing I see as a chiropractor when treating adult patients or even children when taking x-rays is spina bifida. Spina bifida is a defect of the tailbone, which can affect the nerves as well at times.  It is considered a neural tube defect. The neural tube finalizes closing around day 28th from conception when most women do not know they are pregnant. When a spina bifida is present often moms nutrients were deficient in key nutrients prior to conception as well as when the baby grows and develops (like many neural tube / midline defects - cleft palate, lip tie, tongue tie). 

Setting yourself up for success before conception will also have lasting effects on your fourth trimester. So much goes into growing a baby, baby ‘steals’ so much of moms nutrients to grow, when baby comes into the world baby can continue to ‘steal’ while breastfeeding.  They say postpartum depletion can go on for 10 years after baby! Combine multiple babies over the years, no wonder mammas can feel worn out, tired, not themselves, depressed. Fourth trimester really starts in trimester zero, in the preconception phase.

Some of my favorite ‘prenatal vitamins’ which are really just helpful for baseline health, creating happy and healthy hormones are: selenium, nascent iodine, vitamin D, and phosphatidylcholine. These are some of the supplements or nutrients I take to help support my body currently and would continue to take if I was pregnant. 

One thing I have learned from the moms I have been interviewing for my podcast is that planning for your 4th trimester when the baby is in the world is helpful. What does that look like exactly? It can be different depending on what stage you are at during motherhood; is this baby number one or baby number ten?

One thing I love love love is the idea of nesting parties. Where your community comes together to help set up the nursery if you plan to have one, helps to organize the house, cleans, does laundry, they help you create nutritious meals and freeze them for easy access, and they just overall lift mamma up on her journey; which is especially great when she is a first time momma.  Even having an event like this a few weeks after the baby is born would be helpful as well. If this is the first baby or tenth baby this will be super helpful to consider on your journey. 

If this is not your first baby have you chatted with your partner about who will help care for the other children during the night, will mamma be the one to get up to feed the newborn and dads helping with the toddlers? Will dad be responsible for taking out the trash and cleaning dishes and mom will be responsible for cooking? Will the household chores change if the birth is vaginal vs c-section? Having these conversations can be useful to know what that post birth will look like for the family.  

One thing to also consider is what you want your birth to look like. Who you want to surround yourself with throughout the pregnancy, birth, and first few months of being a parent (especially if this is your first). Do some research. Does a homebirth make most sense or a hospital birth? Do you want a midwife, doula, or medical doctor present? Do you want to be surrounded with your family and your in-laws during delivery, during the first week of baby's birth, or after the 1st month? When you are in labor do you want all the drugs or nothing at all?  I sometimes think we plan more for our weddings and honeymoon than we do for babies. I can remember as a kid I had my whole wedding planned (it might have changed 100 times over the years) but it is one thing I have given more consideration to than having a baby and how I would prep my body, how my spouse would prep his body, and how we would prep becoming a family of three or four or five or more for the first time.  

Prep for a baby does require more than a prenatal😉 I am always here for you on your preconception journey. Have a beautiful week ahead

💕 Dr. Ashley