That’s right – we are expecting our third child this February and we could not be more excited!
Was this planned? You bet – and we are so very grateful to be growing our family once again.
You mayyyy have been wondering with all the preconception talk recently when this announcement would come. Well, here it is!
I did in fact go on my own preconception journey recently, which sparked this post on how a Doctor of Physical Therapy can support your preconception proactively and this post on exercising with your cycle to support fertility and conception.
Preconception is literally the epitome of preventative care. You get to set yourself and your baby up for success right from the start. Incredible, right? That’s why I’m such a huge proponent of preconception care and have deep dived further into it with each subsequent preconception phase when ready to grow our family
[If you are in this season – I have a Preconception Course diving into allll the things I did to prepare my own body – and what I have seen work for my past preconception clients, too]
So, what did I do this third time around that was different from the other two?
Nourishment
For starters, I switched my prenatal. Working in the realm of perinatal care via my Physical Therapy & Holistic Wellness Private Practice, I have learned SO MUCH in collaborating with other healthcare professionals in the perinatal space this past year. One such professional is Alyssa Broadwater, RD. She’s a pregnancy specialist Registered Dietician Nutritionist right here in Columbus, Ohio. Her and I have done a number of workshops centered around before, during and after pregnancy care for women – and through presenting together, I personally have learned so much from her and have been grateful to implement a number of recommendations into my own preconception journey.
Here’s some adjustments that I made to my nourishment routine this time around that I feel positively impacted my First Trimester experience (I’m talking no morning sickness – learn more in my next blog post later this month!):
FullWell Prenatal
- FullWell Prenatal (code DRKAYLA for 20% off) – why? This was my biggest hesitation to switch to, because it’s EIGHT PILLS a day. BUT – it’s so worth it. The nutrient Choline is unable to be paired down to 1 or 2 pills – which is the most common dosage in most prenatals you see in the Supermarket. Full Well has the research-backed recommendation of Choline that is not found in most prenatal on the market. Bioavailability of ingredients is also of HUGE importance to me. Many common prenatal vitamins use synthetic versions of vitamins or minerals – such as Folic Acid instead of Folate. Our bodies can actually negatively react to these synthetic forms! This is what ultimately had me make the switch to Full Well and my goodness, I think it’s made a huge impact on my nutrient repletion after breastfeeding x15 months with Baby #2 and giving me 3 months of nourishment preconception for Baby #3.
Desiccated Beef Liver
- Desiccated Beef Liver (code DRKAYLA for 10% off) – why? Move over kale, organ meats are the most nutrient dense foods out there. I LOVE taking this in pill format 2-3 times a week. For me, this is the easiest way to *actually* work it into my weekly line-up. I do try to cook with it from scratch, but with a busy family life I just found myself not getting around to it in the weekly meal prep line-up. SO, supplement form it is. If I do whip up any of Lily Nichol’s Beef Liver Recipes I’ll use Perfect Supplements powdered form or use raw liver from our farm share if on hand in the freezer! Seriously – liver and heart organ meat is incredibly nutritious and you are doing yourself a disservice if you do not begin adding this into your weekly line up!
Collagen Powder
- Collagen Powder (code DRKAYLA for 10% off) – why? Perfect Supplements third party tests for heavy metals, pesticides, hormones, etc. – which is why I strongly recommend and prefer this brand to those you can find on the shelves at the Supermarket. Collagen is literally the building blocks we use to support our own joints, ligaments, muscles and fascia – it’s also the building blocks our body will pull from to support a growing uterus and baby! I put a scoop daily in my hot black coffee – habit stack this supplement with something you are already having! This is my method for always working it into my routine.
Bone Broth
- Bone Broth – Love making my own or purchasing locally from We Are Rebol or Covey Rise Farms. Super high in Collagen and incredibly helpful for gut health, too!
Stress Management
I quit the job that stressed me out and did not respect my family time. Ooooof. That’s not something everyone can do, and it was not something I was able to make happen until my second kiddo was 9 months old, but wowwww have I been more calm, less stressed, less anxious and all-around zen leading up to this next kiddo.
Do I still have life stressors? YES. We all do. Always will. That is an ongoing aspect of life. But what stressors can you adjust? What can you let go of that no longer is serving you? For me, that was a job. I left and started this private practice. Does that come with its own stress points? You betcha. Do I LOVE what I am doing and identify those stressors as “eustress” – aka “good stress” – yep! This means that I can feel the pressures of a long work day, but it doesn’t wear me down. Or put me in a bad mood when I’m home. It motivates me.
Another important proponent of stress management is understanding we can’t always alter life stressors thrown our way – again, they’re inevitable – but we can determine how we respond to these instances.
For instance, choosing to breathe from your diaphram when stuck in rush hour traffic that is backed up even more due to an accident. Instead of cursing and hitting the steering wheel and feeling mad that you’re going to be late to where you’re going – instead, pause. Breathe. Say a prayer of gratitude that you are safe and not in said accident.
Movement
Exercising at a moderate intensity on most days of the week actually improves your fertility. That’s because exercise helps optimize your egg quality, reduces incidence of ovulatory disorders and stimulates egg production.
If able, exercising with your cycle can help you give your body grace at the times it would most benefit from slowing down – for instance, during the Luteal Phase when a fertilized egg is traveling down the fallopian tube seeking to implant (AKA – the beginning of pregnancy and new life)! Knowing this two week time-frame, I chose exercises in line with calming my nervous system during those days. For me, this included yoga, walking in nature, diaphragmatic breathing exercises, and mat Pilates. These forms of movement all created a safe space for baby to begin growing within.
I also love looking at exercise as preventative care for YOU to feel your strongest. The stronger you go into pregnancy, the stronger you are during and after. So – I focused a lot on hip and gluteal strengthening, core strength and enjoying exercises on my belly that I know start to not feel good later in pregnancy (such as postural exercises focusing on muscles attaching to the shoulder blades). This is where my Physical Therapist brain really gets working – I’m allll about giving the body the tools it needs to support itself through life’s demands. Since I know what common aches and pains are during pregnancy – I worked to strengthen those areas ahead of time to hopefully avoid issues during and after this pregnancy!
Also – by creating a routine of movement while having good energy levels pre-pregnancy, it makes it that much easier to continue during pregnancy!
Pregnancy Test: Positive
I have closely tracked my menstrual cycle for years using the Natural Family Planning method. My app predicts when the first day of my next cycle will be, so when it didn’t come… well, I took a test immediately. Our oldest two kiddos were in another room playing, and I could hear their sweet voices as I saw two pink lines immediately appear. Cue the tears! There’s something about seeing that positive test that makes allll the emotions flow. Seriously. Whew! Next came a prayer of gratitude, and then I began wrapping my head around the fact that my husband and I were about to be outnumbered – hah! I left the test there on the counter for my husband to discover when he came home from work. I cleverly positioned myself in ear shot to hear his reaction. It was so fun to have this little secret between us before going on to share with our children and families in the coming weeks.
Now, we are excited to share with YOU.
More To Come….
This is the first pregnancy I’ll be journaling my experience publically here – my blog – and via my @drkaylaborchers on Instagram. It’s been almost a year since opening the doors to my private practice. This is the first pregnancy I’ll have to navigate as an entrepreneur. Without paid maternity leave. Without specifics detailed for me on when I need to return. I get to choose how this time unfolds – which is pretty wild!
So I’ll be over here soaking in this special season, planning for some time away from 1:1 care (don’t worry – I’ll be back!), and setting up some incredible group programs to help guide you through your own Preconception, Pregnancy & Postpartum journeys – seasons I have literally just experienced and am currently living out. I am excited to share this journey from both a personal and professional lens – while also inspiring you to create a Holistically Well experience into your own journey of motherhood.
Schedule a (free) call with Dr. Kayla here!
Empowering you on your journey into and through motherhood literally lights me up. If you are on your own preconception journey or in the early stages of pregnancy, don’t hesitate to reach out. My goal is to help this special life season be as smooth (and enjoyable!) for you as possible, without common pain points that so many women portray as normal.
On the contrary, let’s feel good, stay active and create the pregnancy in optimal health that you desire! We dive into all this (and more!) inside of my Holistically Well Pregnancy Program. See you inside, my friend!
