Spring is on its way and nature is starting to wake up after a nice long (or short, let’s be honest, it was a mild winter) winter hibernation. If you’re starting to feel a little more lively, a little more frisky and a little more flirty, it could be that, like your inner spring, your body is being flooded with fertile friendly hormones! The sun is peaking through, you may be starting to see some grass again, the air is fresh and… you know know that spring is near.
Just knowing that spring is coming can make you feel like you would when your body is in its inner spring, also known as your follicular phase (or that period of time between the start of your menses and ovulation). I figured, why not take this time to talk about the signs that you’re ready to have a baby!
If you’re not feeling quite ready and you’re not sure where to start, check out my fertility prep blog post! You may also want to review how you can start and stick to a nourishing diet if that’s where you’re needing support! For more tailored fertility support, you can call or email anytime 🙂
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s dig into what signs are typically present when you’re ready to have a baby x0x
You Can Feel Your Babies’ Presence
Stick with me here. As woo-woo (I really don’t like that word) as it sounds, it’s truly a sign that you’re ready to have a baby. Many women feel the presence of their baby before they’re even conceived, like a sweet little nudge or hug that you can feel coming from them from beyond. That nagging feeling that they are ready to meet you, that feeling you have that you’re so ready to meet them.
In more “relatable” terms, maybe it feels like your ovaries are screaming! Have you ever heard that one? While this term is used loosely, it’s often used when women are ready to be mothers, their hormones are screaming at you to procreate!
If you’re feeling that urge, it’s highly likely that you’re one step closer to being ready to have a baby. If this is where you’re at, take the time to lean into it. Listen to the cues, the signs, symptoms and messages that your body is trying to share with you in order to maybe help make the process happen!
Your Menses are Breezy
The way your menstrual cycle plays out through the month is a sign of the current state of your hormonal and reproductive health. So, if your menstrual cycle, including your bleed and all symptoms tied to it are breezy through the month, then dare I say – you’re well on your way to being well prepared for fertility and to have a baby 😉
A normal cycle typically lasts 3-7 days, starts off medium to heavily and gradually tapers off (with no breaks or dry periods), bleed is red and discomfort is generally mild throughout with minimal emotional fluctuations.
A menses that falls outside of that normal picture, is one that needs a little TLC to best support fertility, pregnancy and postpartum. While it’s true that your hormones change in pregnancy, you’re best to support yourself a much as possible ahead of time!
For the sake of mentioning it, an abnormal, irregular or imbalances menstrual cycle looks like: excess clotting, excess or too little of a bleed, a lack of bleed altogether, a menstrual bleed that lasts more than 7 days, a bleed that happens every two weeks, moderate to severe body pains and cramping. If this sounds like you, it’s time to talk.
If everything is honky-dory, and your month to month is relatively easy, it’s a sign that your body is likely ready for a baby!
Your Cervical Mucus is Flowing!
Before you ovulate, your body should produce ample cervical mucus that’s clear (like egg whites!).
If you’re noticing its presence around days 12-16 of your menstrual cycle, it’s a sign that your menstrual cycle and it’s affiliated hormones are likely in a good place.
Our reproductive system works best when we are balanced, both inside and out. When we are in a perpetual state of fight, flight or fawn, our body considers this as a state that is unfit for reproduction, and therefore has the ability to put a halt to it. When the body does not feel safe, it tells us so by affecting our menstrual cycles and fertility. This is the basis of the work we do in the fertility program.
So if your juices are flowing and you’re feeling ready to go on a month to month basis, I’d say you’re well on your way to being prepared to conceive!
You’re Feeling Energized, Rested & at Peace With Yourself
Ideally speaking, prior to conceiving, your body and your mind is feeling good!
You’re feeling like you’re in a mentally stable place, you’re resting well and getting regenerative sleep through the night. You’re also feeling strong and energized through the day! This one is especially important to help maintain your health and wellbeing while you’re navigating pregnancy! My holistic pregnancy guide talks more about this if you want to dive deeper.
In any case, it’s wise to be feeling metabolically fit before trying to conceive in order to support your conception odds, to help you feel your best throughout pregnancy, and to support you in your postpartum journey!
So if you’ve done the work, you’re feeling great in your skin and you’re thinking now might be the time to try to conceive? You just may be on the right path 😉
Your bowels are Moving Well
Yeah, I talk about bowel health a lot – but it’s so important!
If you’re eating well, you’re actively moving your body, you’re pooping regularly and adequately (meaning you’re likely digesting and assimilating your food, yay!) then you’re one step closer to best supporting your body through your fertility and pregnancy journey!
Remember, being ready to have a baby also looks like supporting your body ahead of time to support your odds at conceiving more easily and supporting pregnancy – it’s all connected at the end of the day.
Reasons I have to mention bowels? Food tends to have a bit of a harder time moving through women in pregnancy, especially the later months – so supporting bowels means supporting pregnancy, helping you feel better and helping with birth, too – can’t forget that!
If you need help with your bowel movements and bowel health, book a discovery call, let’s chat!
Your Partner is Also Putting in the Work to Support Your Babies’ Arrival!
Being ready to have a baby requires work from both parties involved. Your partner should be just as excited and amped up for a baby as you, mama. So if your husband has been putting in the work along with you, then you’re well on your way! It takes two to tango, and for both parties to feel ready (both mentally and physically) is highly underrated – you are a team after all!
If you want to further solidify your preconception preparations, why not take the time to sit down and have a nice long chat about the ways you foresee your fertility, pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience may play out! Why not chat about what your goals are, how you see your family growing, what challenges you may experience and how you would ideally handle them! This is how you continue to grow and learn together – what a journey!
I’ve put together a guided review of some of the most important Preconception Talk Points that I have personally done with my husband twice so far. I highly recommend checking it out 🙂
Your Have a Safe Space to Welcome Your Baby
You don’t need a huge house or have a huge savings account to have a safe space to welcome your baby. The most important thing you need to have set up for the early days, is a safe space for your baby to sleep and get around in a car if you need to travel.
At the end of the day, your baby needs closeness to you, a safe bed, a crib or cot to sleep in and a coherent and sober parent sleeping next to them. Often times, the safest and easiest place to sleep your baby is in your own bed, but for that, I recommend doing some research about safe bed-sharing steps. I have really appreciated the support that Taylor Kulik provided along my journey.
So if you’ve got a bed, you’re definitely one step closer to being ready in that sense, otherwise – you thankfully have time to sort that out for yourself 😉
You Are Ready to Have a Baby If You Agree With These Statements:
– You are excited to expand your family (planned or unplanned)! That said, I believe that babies come when it’s the right time, whether we think that’s the case or not.
– You are capable of letting go and you are willing to accept change as it presents.
– You understand that you will never be 100% ready – because let’s be real, we are never truly ready.
– You are in a good relationship with your partner and you are able to communicate respectfully with them.
– You have a good support system in place, if not, you are able to get the support you need.
– You believe that your body is the perfect host for growing new life
– You are prepared to put in the work in addressing any fears you may have in connection to birth and postpartum
– You grasp the concept that the choices you make for yourself in preconception, in pregnancy, birth and postpartum have the ability to affect not just yourself, but your baby too.
– You accept the fact that your baby will be their own individual, with their own wishes, desires and dreams – they may even look different from yours.
Signs You’re Ready to Have a Baby: Summarized
When your menses play out smoothly through the month, your energy is balanced through the day, you’re feeling good, you and your partner are in alignment with the decision to procreate and you generally feel a pull to having a child enter your family – that’s when you know.
It’s not always straight forward, or it might hit you like a brick – in my car with my first, there was a day where a flip just switched and I knew it was time. If it’s unplanned and you roll with it, you might find that you lean into it with time – either way, I wish you an easy, smooth and happy transition through whatever phase you’re in.
If you find that you are in need of some hormone support, bowel support or fertility support, book a FREE discovery call and let’s chat.
You might also want to read a little more about how your period can affect fertility or what you can do to support a holistic pregnancy in either of those blogs!
You can also reach out by emailing or call any time.
For more free fertility, pregnancy and digestive support, sign up to my newsletters to get updates on new blog posts and ongoing events!
Wishing you all the best,
Veronique, CNP
Your fertility and nutrition coach.
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