Planning for Baby Starts Here

Regular physical activity can help regulate hormones, improve mood, reduce stress and prepare your body for the physical demands of pregnancy and childbirth. Talk to your OB or midwife before starting a new routine, especially if you have underlying health conditions.

• Goals for Exercise
  • Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (e.g., brisk walking, swimming, biking)
  • Include strength training 2 – 3 times per week
  • Focus on low-impact activities that promote cardiovascular health and flexibility
• Tips for Exercise
  • If you’re new to exercise, start with 10 – 15 minutes a day and build gradually
  • Avoid high-risk sports or intense training without medical guidance
  • Consider yoga or Pilates for core strength and stress relief

Sleep plays a vital role in hormonal regulation, immune function, and reproductive health. Poor sleep may impact menstrual cycles and ovulation.

• Goals for Sleep Health
  • Aim for 7 – 9 hours of quality sleep per night
  • Maintain a consistent bedtime and wake-up time
  • Create a calming bedtime routine (limit screens, caffeine, and late meals)
• Tips for Sleep Health
  • Try journaling, meditation apps, or progressive muscle relaxation before bed if you’re struggling with sleep
  • If snoring, fatigue, or insomnia are ongoing, consider a sleep evaluation

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight can improve fertility, reduce risks during pregnancy, and support a smoother recovery postpartum

• Guidance for Healthy Weight Management
  • A healthy body mass index (BMI) range for conception is typically between 18.5 – 24.9, but every body is different
  • Losing just 5 – 10% of body weight (if overweight) can improve ovulation and hormonal balance
  • Gaining a healthy weight (if underweight) can also improve fertility outcomes
• Tips for Healthy Weight Management
  • Focus on whole foods, balanced meals, and steady activity rather than rapid weight loss
  • Work with a provider or dietitian to set personalized, realistic goals
  • There is no such thing as “perfect”. Small, consistent steps make a big impact.

Why Quitting Smoking Matters:

• Even before conception, smoking can:
  • Affect hormone levels and ovulation
  • Increase the time it takes to get pregnant
  • Reduce egg and sperm quality
  • Increase the risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy
• During pregnancy, smoking is linked to:
  • Premature birth
  • Low birth weight
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Tips to Quit Smoking
  • Set a quit date and share it with your partner or support person
  • Identify your smoking triggers and plan alternatives
  • Replace smoking breaks with short walks, journaling, or deep breathing

Quit nicotine today by attending our smoking cessation classes.

Why It’s Best to Stop Alcohol Now:

• Alcohol can:
  • Disrupt your menstrual cycle and hormone balance
  • Affects ovulation and egg quality
  • Make it harder to track your cycle accurately
  • Increase the risk of birth defects, often before you even know you’re pregnant
• Tips to Quit Alcohol
  • Switch to non-alcoholic alternatives like sparkling water with lime or mocktails
  • Let friends and family know you’re cutting back for health reasons
  • Skip social triggers like bars or late-night events while you build new habits
  • If cutting alcohol feels difficult, talk to your provider. There’s no shame in needing help.

• An average woman’s fertile window lasts five – six days. Sperm can live in your body for up to five days.
• Your best chance of pregnancy occurs when you have intercourse one – two days before ovulation.
• A small rise in basal body temperature indicates that ovulation has occurred.
• Consider tracking ovulation for two – three months before trying to conceive to understand your body’s ovulation cycle and pattern.
• Conditions like PCOS, thyroid disorders, or stress can affect ovulation.

Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) are an easy way to track ovulation. They are an at-home urine test that detects a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), signaling that ovulation is likely to happen within the next 24 – 36 hours. OPKs are available at most drugstores.

Download our Ovulation Tracker Worksheet

There’s a lot of advice out there about getting pregnant, but not all of it is true.

Myth #1: If you’re healthy, you’ll get pregnant right away

Even healthy couples can take time to conceive. On average, it takes 6 – 12 months for many couples trying naturally. Age, timing, and other factors all play a role.

Myth #2: You can get pregnant any time during your cycle

You can only get pregnant during your fertile window, which is about 5 – 6 days before ovulation. Tracking ovulation helps identify your most fertile days.

Myth #3: Men’s fertility doesn’t decline with age

While men can remain fertile longer than women, sperm quality declines with age, and older paternal age has been linked to certain risks for baby.

Myth #4: You don’t need to see a doctor until after a year of trying

If you’re under 35 and have been trying for 12 months, or over 35 and trying for 6 months, it’s time to talk to a provider. You should also seek help earlier if you have irregular periods, a known condition (like PCOS or endometriosis), or concerns about sperm health.

Myth #5: Birth control delays fertility for months or years

For most people, fertility returns quickly after stopping birth control. Some methods (like the Depo shot) may take longer, but many can conceive within weeks or months.

Myth #6: Stress causes infertility

Stress alone doesn’t cause infertility, but chronic stress may interfere with ovulation or sexual desire. Managing stress is good for your overall health, but fertility issues usually have a medical cause.

Myth #7: You don’t need to worry about fertility until your 40s

Fertility starts to decline in your early 30s and more noticeably after 35. It’s still very possible to get pregnant, but understanding your fertility timeline can help you plan ahead.

Myth #8: Position, timing, or supplement can guarantee pregnancy

No single tip or trick guarantees conception. A healthy lifestyle and understanding your cycle help, but sometimes medical guidance is needed.