How He Can Support Her on the Fertility Journey

Remember the post I wrote about how she can support him on the journey to parenthood? Today we’re going to address the flip side – how HE can support HER. Because, let’s be honest, the fertility journey looks different for every couple. But one thing remains the same across all couples – it takes both sperm and egg to make a baby, which means you’re in it together. Some couples get pregnant on the first try. Others don’t try, and still end up pregnant. And there are couples who’ve been on the path for a little while, and are still waiting for that positive pregnancy test. If you’re one of the couples who’ve been trying for a while, know that it’s NORMAL. And, it’s normal for her to be emotional. It’s normal for her to feel the brunt of the pain and struggle – and, as her partner, you’re the person she’ll be leaning on for support in most cases. So, how can you support HER while on your fertility journey? Here are my favorite things you can do to support your female partner on the journey to parenthood:

Tell her to take her vitamins!

First and foremost, get your girl on a quality prenatal vitamin. I bet you’re asking yourself why, right? Prenatals aren’t *only* for pregnant women – they should be incorporated before a woman is pregnant. My favorite prenatals – Designs For Health Prenatal Pro Packets – contains potent levels of all necessary vitamins and minerals that play a part in the intricate processes of the formation of body proteins, structural compounds, chemical transmitters in the nervous system, red blood cells, and the developing skeletal system. The earlier supplementation begins, the better because women need adequate nutrient stores to meet the greater nutrient demands of a growing baby. Each Prenatal Pro Essential Packet contains:

• PrenatalPro multivitamin: this prenatal multivitamin contains high levels of all the necessary vitamins and minerals that play a critical part in the development and formation of baby. I love this prenatal because it contains the correct form of each nutrient so her body can actually properly absorb and utilize the nutrients.
• OsteoForce multimineral: a unique formula delivering a synergistic blend of minerals necessary to support healthy bone formation in baby, as well as protecting mama’s bone health. OsteoForce provides the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, potassium and boron, along with vitamins C, D and K – all in highly bioavailable and absorbable forms.
• OmegAvail Ultra fish oil: a high potency omega-3 product, providing 600 mg EPA and 400 mg DHA in each two softgel serving.

Eat to support her fertility

Make sure she’s eating alllllllllll the healthy fats. Our major reproductive hormones – specifically estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol – are made from cholesterol. Cholesterol is literally the mother hormone that turns into each of the necessary hormones to make a baby. I tell clients all the time that without enough cholesterol in the diet – and therefore in the body – it’s like trying to build a house without bricks. It just doesn’t work! We need enough cholesterol coming in consistently in order to make our reproductive hormones. This is why it’s so important to consume lots of high quality fatty acids (i.e. cholesterol). Fats from high quality sources are a critical addition to her diet. Not only do the fats provide the building blocks to make hormones and add nutrients to her body, but they also help her body absorb and utilize other vitamins and minerals from the other foods she eats. Foods high in healthy fats are essential as they deliver fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are often lacking in low fat diets and are essential to optimal fertility and a healthy pregnancy! Healthy fats are found in real, whole foods that are minimally processed. When purchasing animal fats, make sure that they are ALWAYS organic and pasture-based. Toxins are commonly stored in fat cells, so the cleaner the animal, the cleaner the fat. My top 5 foods rich in healthy fats are: Eggs & Extra Egg Yolks Eggs are a fertility and pregnancy superfood! They are incredibly nutrient dense, loaded with vitamin A, choline, iodine, selenium, highly digestible protein, and, depending on what the chicken ate, good levels of vitamin E, vitamin K2, and DHA. Egg yolks are also a great source of choline – a critical nutrient for baby’s brain development that also helps prevent birth defects. Always choose pasture-raised eggs, this guarantees that the chickens from which they come from are feasting on nutrient-rich grasses, bugs, and insects. Coconut Oil Coconut oil (and other coconut products) contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) which are the easiest type of fatty acid that your body can burn for calories, making it beneficial for weight management and quick energy production. MCTs are a very unique form of saturated fat that have been shown to possess antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to help support the immune system, as well as antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral immune benefits. Coconut products also contain a high amount of lauric acid, one of the main fatty acids found in breastmilk. Wild Caught Fish & Seafood Wild caught salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve fertility by helping to regulate hormones in the body, increase cervical mucus, promote ovulation and overall improve the quality of the uterus by increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs. Omega-3’s are also anti-inflammatory, therefore helping to reduce inflammation in the body. In regards to fertility, reducing inflammation is especially important in the pelvic area. Avocados They’re packed with folate, a B vitamin that helps boost fertility in both men and women and prevents neural tube defects. Avocados are also extremely rich in anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fats. Research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week (I actually suggest one avocado per day!), it balances hormones, sheds unwanted weight, and prevents cervical cancers. A recent study found that monounsaturated fat – found in olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds – was better than any other kind of dietary fat for would-be mothers. Experts believe that monounsaturated fats – which are already known to protect the heart – could improve fertility by lowering inflammation in the body. And, get this – it takes exactly nine months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit! Avocados aren’t just delicious, but they are a lovely symbol of fertility and gestation.

Encourage her to orgasm regularly

Yeah, seriously. Whether she’s doing it solo or with your helping hand, regular orgasms help to improve fertility health. Orgasms energize your hypothalamus gland, which regulates appetite, body temperature, emotions, and the pituitary gland, which, in turn, regulates the release of reproductive hormones that induce ovulation and cervical fluid. For those trying to start a family, timing can play a crucial role – a recent report found that women who have orgasms during sex, but after their male partners orgasm, retained more sperm than those who never hit the big O or hit it before their partner. Researchers say it likely has to do with the release of oxytocin that happens with an orgasm. Orgasms can also help create a healthy pregnancy overall, and has been proven to help more women carry to term.

Enjoy the sunshine together

It’s summer, it’s COVID times, and there’s honestly no better time than to enjoy the outdoors. Not only is it essential for your mental health, your lady needs the Vitamin D for her fertility health. Studies show a significant correlation between vitamin D levels and fertility: low levels of vitamin D negatively impact fertility. One study measured vitamin D levels in women undergoing IVF and found the odds of pregnancy were four times higher for women with high vitamin D levels compared to those with a vitamin D deficiency. Another study found that in the group of women with the highest vitamin D levels, 47% became pregnant, while among women with low vitamin D levels, the pregnancy rate was only 20%. One reason it is so essential to fertility and getting pregnant? Because it is needed to help the body create sex hormones and the correct amount of sex hormones which is vital to your overall well-being and fertility. Among women, vitamin D appears to favorably impact endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – the most common female endocrine disorder – as well as boost levels of progesterone and estrogen, which regulate menstrual cycles and improve the likelihood of successful conception. It’s important for your body to manufacture Vitamin D on it’s own through direct sunlight … but there’s a catch: in order for the sun to stimulate your Vitamin D production, the sun needs to be at a minimum of about 50 degrees, or greater, above the horizon. Ideally, the sun should be as close to overhead as possible; the closer to overhead it is, the greater its potential for stimulating Vitamin D production and the less time you have to be in the sun to produce a given amount of Vitamin D. And while I’m a huge proponent of using CLEAN, NON-CHEMICAL sunscreen, it DOES block the sun’s rays that help you produce that Vitamin D. So here’s what you need to do: spend 20-30 minutes of sunscreen-free time outside during those peak overhead sun hours, and your skin will be a happy little Vitamin D producing machine :). It’s also usually necessary for most women to supplement vitamin D as most of us are not getting enough consistent sunlight throughout the entire year. I suggest 5000 IU of vitamin D+K2 to keep levels in a healthy range (above 60). A little fact for you … by being out in the sun for just a few minutes a day, a woman’s body can create between 10,000 to 25,000 IU of Vitamin D!

Sweat together

Sweat while having sex. But also sweat outside, while absorbing the Vitamin D! It’s basically a double whammy ;). Grab your lady and get outside for at least sixty minutes of daily, low impact movement – yoga, power walking, swimming, strength training, hiking, biking, etc. It’ll get her heart rate up, increase circulation to her reproductive organs, and help to improve overall physical and mental health. Focused movement will go a long way in optimizing fertility and increasing the chances of getting pregnant, and maintaining a healthy, full term pregnancy. And, when she’s successfully pregnant, all of that movement you practiced together leading up to pregnancy will come in handy – pregnancy is like preparing for the biggest race of her life, with birth being the marathon. She’s going to need A LOT of energy – during birth and after birth. The healthier she is going into pregnancy, the more likely she’ll have a healthy pregnancy and birth, bounce back a bit quicker postpartum, and be able to maintain the hectic lifestyle that is new parenthood :).

Get her some Castor Oil

Ok, hear me out. Castor oil therapy has been used for centuries to promote healing in the body and, more specifically, the reproductive system. Castor oil therapy has been used for centuries, but is just now becoming a bit more mainstream in American culture. There’s evidence that castor oil therapy has been used for over 4,000 years! Essentially, in this technique, a cloth is soaked in unrefined castor oil (referred to as a castor oil pack) and is then placed on the area of the body you are wanting to heal. The castor oil soaks into the skin and starts to work on the internal organs. Castor oil stimulates blood circulation and heals the tissues and organs below the surface of the skin where the castor oil pack is placed. Stimulating circulation and healing in her internal body is an integral step in increasing her fertility and giving birth to a happy, healthy baby. Castor oil therapy helps to naturally detox the liver, cleanse the lymphatic system, and promote proper circulation – all of which are essential in optimizing a woman’s fertility. Here’s how to set up castor oil packs, and here’s how to use castor oil packs with fertility massage to truly uplevel her fertility.

Make sure she’s not experiencing any true fertility challenges

If you and your partner are not seeing those two pink lines after multiple pregnancy attempts, I’d recommend hormone testing! Hormone testing is a simple and effective way to ensure that she’s not experiencing any hormonal imbalance that can be an underlying cause of fertility issues. By taking a simple, non-invasive, at-home hormone test, your girl can get a better idea of how healthy her hormones, eggs, and reproductive system are. You can find my favorite hormone test here: At-Home Comprehensive Fertility Hormone Testing. So, there ya have it – how HE can support HER on the fertility journey. Using this post together with How She Can Support Him on the Fertility Journey will help you both ensure your bodies are healthy, happy, and ready to create a little human. And, as always, if you’re in need of additional 1:1 support, reach out! I offer consultations for couples trying to conceive and this can be an incredibly important and worthwhile step on your journey to baby. Find a time that works for you both, and let’s connect!