Why Your Preconception Health Is Vital For A Healthy Pregnancy and Postpartum Period with Dr. Labib Ghulmiyyah

We’re digging into how to improve preconception health when we are TTC.

I know it feels like we need to rush to medicated cycles, IUI or IVF to fast-track the chances of having our baby.

After all, this is what happens when we receive a diagnosis of low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve or premature ovarian insufficiency. We go down the path of assisted reproductive technology (ART).

At Fab Fertile, we are not anti-IVF; we’re pro-health.

When we move prematurely to IVF, we are missing crucial steps to work on our health.

During the preconception period, we are in a very powerful position to make targeted changes that positively impact our fertility, pregnancy, postpartum period and our child's health.

But what are the exact steps we need to take right now?

Dr. Labib is part of my team here at Fab Fertile. He is our medical advisor and an integral part of our Couples Coaching program, which uses functional lab testing, diet, and lifestyle changes to dramatically improve conception. If you are struggling with infertility, your body is desperately trying to tell you something. Focusing on your health will either help you get pregnant naturally or, if you do need to go to the fertility clinic, improve your chances of success.

Dr. Labib Ghulmiyyah is Board-certified in OBGYN/Maternal Fetal Medicine and Functional Medicine. He is the author of Reframing the 4th Trimester: A Guide To Postpartum Wellness.


In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why the preconception period is so crucial for postpartum health and the health of your child
2. Complications during pregnancy and how to be your own health advocate
3. Postpartum symptoms and how to know if you are experiencing the baby blues or true postpartum depression/fatigue
4. Functional lab tests that can help identify imbalances with nutrients, hormones, and gut health to improve preconception and postpartum health
5. Factors that influence low milk supply and what you can do about this during preconception
6. How to minimize toxin exposure and supplements can help with detoxification during preconception and postpartum period

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HIGHLIGHTS:

3:20 WELCOME DR. LABIB

4:25 INSPIRATION FOR "REFRAMING THE 4TH TRIMESTER"

• Dr. Labib Ghulmiyyah’s Book | Reframing the 4th Trimester: A guide to Postpartum Wellness
• We need to provide more care in the postpartum period.
• Dr. Labib’s recognition that he had been neglecting his patients in their fourth trimester

6:27 THE IMPORTANCE OF PRECONCEPTION HEALTH

• We spend 12 to 18 months preparing for our weddings, why don't we spend the same amount of time for our babies?
• There’s a lot of focus on having a healthy child, but we can easily forget about our health
• The preconception period is as important, if not more than, the pregnancy itself and the postpartum period
• Optimizing your preconception health increases your chances of getting pregnant and having a complication-free pregnancy

9:25 PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS

• How high blood pressure affects pregnancy and maternal health
• Decreasing the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and pre-term labour
• Optimizing preconception health is the only thing proven to reduce the risk of pre-term labour.
• We don’t yet know the long-term consequences of our increased exposure to toxins

15:28 DEPRESSION & ANXIETY

• Factors that contribute to postpartum depression and anxiety
• The role of stressors, inflammation, hormones, toxins, and gut health.
• Postpartum support is crucial.
• Signs of postpartum depression
• Differentiating between baby blues and postpartum depression

21:15 THYROID HEALTH & PREGNANCY

• How thyroid health can affect postpartum well-being
• Checking TSH alone is not enough.
• Pregnancy is like a stress test for your body.
• The stress of pregnancy can have a significant impact on thyroid and adrenal function
• Symptoms of hypothyroidism

27:03 CHALLENGES WITH BREASTFEEDING

• The role of lactation consultants and the need for support
• Looking at the whole body helps us work on different issues.

30:36 POSTPARTUM TESTING

• The case for postpartum supplementation

33:40 GUT HEALTH

• The gut microbiome changes in pregnancy.
• Working on the gut in the preconception period can help decrease the risk of postpartum depression

35:16 ORAL & VAGINAL MICROBIOMES

• Get Pregnant Naturally
• Episode 437: Why Your Oral Microbiome Matters When You Are TTC with Dr Katie Lee
• Episode 341: Why A Healthy Vaginal Microbiome Matters When You Are TTC

37:56 LIFESTYLE FACTORS FOR POSTPARTUM HEALTH

• Sleep and exercise are critical in the postpartum period
• It's not humane to go back to work six weeks after giving birth.
• Maternity and paternity leaves are essential

42:19 TOXIN EXPOSURE

• Minimizing your exposure is key.
• Supporting the body in detoxing
• How you can start reducing your environmental toxin exposure

47:49 FINAL THOUGHTS

• Dr. Labib Ghulmiyyah’s Website | DrLabibG.com
• Dr. Labib Ghulmiyyah’s Book | Reframing the 4th Trimester: A guide to Postpartum Wellness
• Talk about the postpartum phase and seek help.

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Book your Supercharge Your Fertility Discovery call here with your partner

During our call, we’ll be discussing what you have tried so far and where you’ve faced challenges. This can feel stressful but is designed to help us get to the root cause of your fertility issues and will help me to give you the best possible action plan at the end of the call. However, to reassure you – on this call we won’t be digging into the trauma associated with infertility/miscarriage/loss – rather we are focused on solutions and an ACTION PLAN as to how our Fab Fertile Method can help you get pregnant naturally. 

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Connect with Sarah on social media and learn more about functional fertility solutions that will help you have your baby.

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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahclarkfertilitycoach/

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