The prep list for pregnancy and bearing babies may seem like it’s a million miles long, but if you focus on a handful of high-level factors you may just find that your body will be baby ready in no time.

#1 Eat real food, real healthy fats, clean proteins, lots of veggies, greens, berries and beans. Doing so will help you avoid processed junk and keep your away from sugar laden foods that increase inflammation, mess with your blood sugar and hormone balance.

#2 Stress less. Seriously. Stress is a major player for fertility. If your body is operating under constant stress or is under the assumption that it’s being chased by a saber-toothed tiger or that there’s famine, then your fight or flight mode is engaged. Your brain and body will divert resources to survival and actually prevent pregnancy as a safety mechanism. When you manage your stress and let things flow, your brain and body can ease into breed and feed mode, also known as rest and digest. Without the threats to survival, stress hormones stay out of the way and your body and focus on sex hormones when you’re in baby making mode.

#3 Poop properly. Yep. If you’re not moving your bowels three times a day and producing well-formed “S” shaped stool, then you’ve got some work to do. Bowel movements are your body’s way of removing waste, toxins and excess hormones. Constipation equals stagnation. Lots of hormone imbalance can be remedied simply by getting your bowel movements in gear!

#4 Check-out and Check-In. Get thee to your Ob/Gyn, midwife or GP. Ask for some basic labs to check your general health. A look under the hood before you start trying can save a lot of heartache by identifying anything that needs support. The MTHFR test has saved many women from repeated miscarriages. A full thyroid panel, iron panel and CBC are considered standard screenings pre-conception.

#5 Connect. Take the time to ask yourself what you need in order to conceive. Might you need some adventure or some sweetness? How would it feel to fill yourself with connection and creativity? Explore the things that you may need to release as well as the things you may need to increase. When you are happy and satisfied in your life, you reduce stress and signal to your body and brain that you are ready for more.

Post below and share something that you are doing to prep for conception.