If you are trying to conceive, one of the first things you can (and should) do immediately is address your gut health. When our guts are out of balance, it causes rippling side effects throughout our bodies. It’s not just about your bowel movements but also your skin health, your immune system, your brain function and you guessed it, your ability to conceive.
Probiotics + Pregnancy
When it comes to probiotics and pregnancy, probiotic supplementation during pregnancy is a must for a multitude of proven reasons. When you are trying to get pregnant and carry a healthy baby to term, it has never been more important! Having a healthy gut is vital for the health of both you and your baby and to be healthy your gut needs to be full of live bacteria! That’s right. Bacteria. When you hop on the scale in the morning – you can blame about 7 lbs of “you” on the bacteria living in your intestines.
A healthy gut has somewhere around 100 trillion bacteria happily living in it. Our bodies produce these ‘good’ bacteria naturally, but there are a number of things that will upset the balance of gut bacteria, the most common being stress, poor nutrition, and antibiotics.
Can’t I just get probiotics from food?
Historically, our ancestors ate a dramatically more diversified diet than we eat today. They lived off the land and also ate many fermented foods, aiding in a healthy microbiome. Today, it is really difficult to get enough from our food alone because of the food we eat and the ways in which it is grown and harvested. A carrot today has a totally different collection of nutrients from a carrot 100 years ago. Chances are, you also aren’t eating fermented or pre and probiotic rich foods at every meal.
So what happens if you don’t take probiotics? If you are already on the same page with us that digestive health is paramount to our overall health than it will be easy to comprehend that an unhealthy digestive system will not result in a healthy pregnancy, but instead it will likely lead to an overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast. When an overgrowth is present, food cannot be broken down properly, essential nutrients are not absorbed and the immune system is compromised leaving us fatigued and rundown. This overgrowth of bad bacteria can also lead to a higher risk of infections, allergies, and inflammation, which can lead to symptoms of constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, acid reflux disease, eczema and often weight gain. And all of this can be solved, easily with just one supplement.
What kind of Probiotic should I take?
Not all probiotics are created equal. For a probiotic to perform its necessary function, it must naturally survive the stomach’s harsh environment and arrive at the intestines alive. A true probiotic, designed by nature, is a species found in our environment, as well as in our digestive system. Over 95% of probiotic products in the marketplace today do not meet these criteria, which means you are literally flushing your hard earned dollars down the toilet.
To date, the most researched and widely used true probiotic strains are from the Bacillus species. MegaSporeBiotic™ contains strains that have been proven to impede the growth of unwanted bacteria and yeast while strengthening the immune response and producing essential nutrients at the site of absorption. MegaSporeBiotic™ is the first probiotic and antioxidant combination sold exclusively through health practitioners.
We recommend 2 capsules with lunch, but not right away. It is important to start with just ½ a capsule for the first week and increase by ½ a capsule per week until you get to the full 2 a day. If you went straight to two, your digestive system may become a bit overwhelmed and you may be visiting the bathroom more than you’d like.
How will probiotics affect my pregnancy?
If you, as mom, have a poor diet, have taken antibiotics, or have high stress levels – the immunity of your baby changes and will be affected for life. Each of these items alters the good bacteria inside our systems, which in turn is passed down to your baby. Studies have shown that antibiotics in particular can annihilate the good flora in our gut – and in some people, it never recovers back to baseline without intervention. Possibly even worse, babies born via c-section miss out on the bacteria that live in the vaginal canal that kick starts their immunity. Because of this, babies born via c-section have a higher rate of:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Eczema/psoriasis
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Colic
So what can you do? You begin by taking a high-cultured probiotic to support the immunity of both you and baby. In fact, many studies have found adding probiotics to the mother’s supplement regimen BEFORE conception has even greater benefits for your baby. According to these studies, mothers who increase their probiotic intake during pregnancy can reduce their child’s risk of allergies by as much as 50 percent – specifically eczema, asthma and atopic dermatitis. Mom benefits by decreasing her risk of colds and respiratory infection not to mention the chronic constipation some moms experience.
Additional Benefits
Probiotic supplementation during pregnancy may prevent complications like preterm birth and reduce the risk for preeclampsia. Also, probiotics help to reduce inflammation in the intestines, which is believed to lower blood pressure.
These wonderful supplements also have some magical after-pregnancy effects. Research in the British Journal of Nutrition has found that taking probiotics during the first trimester will ultimately help with faster postpartum weight loss.
But the probiotic goodness doesn’t stop there! Preliminary research is finding that taking probiotics during pregnancy can reduce the risk for postpartum depression by altering the neurotransmitters in the gut, which increases mom’s ability to deal and cope with anxiety and depression.
As a soon-to-be pregnant woman, it’s easy to feel bombarded with a multitude of messages about health. We know, we’ve been there. What is most important is to remember to take time to consider your options and make informed decisions for you and your baby.
Learn more about our probiotic and other basic supplements at www.fabfertilestore.com. Use code VIP15 to save 15%.
To learn more about how the Fab Fertile Method can help improve your chances of getting pregnant naturally, apply here. We’ll come up with a plan specifically designed for your situation. We specialize in low AMH, high FSH, premature ovarian insufficiency, and diminished ovarian reserve.
Blog by Samantha Coffin – Fertility Coach at Fab Fertile Inc.
– Fertility Coach at Fab Fertile Inc.
