Preparing for Pregnancy in Everyday Eating

Okay, let's be real: preparing your body for pregnancy is one of those things nobody really talks about because it instantly gets awkward. Honestly, it doesn't have to be! For me, it's not about hyper fixating on charts and temperature-taking, but rather being intentional with what I eat now so my body feels strong, supported, and ready whenever that time comes.

If you've ever wondered, "How do I prepare my body for pregnancy naturally?" then you're at the exact spot I am on my journey.

Hi! I'm Sierrah. My family has been sharing our journey with food and farming through ZOE Farms for the past couple years. Our mission is to heal our relationships with land and animals, and share that healing through to food it produces. I'm here to share my story of healing and preparing my own body... My husband I have been married for over a year now, and we are looking forward to having kids together. I've been researching about the importance of prenatal health, and I hope to help other women find empowerment in living their healthiest and happiest lives.

Here are the everyday habits I've been building around food over the past couple months as I near pregnancy...

1. Building my meals around balance. I've always been a big meat eater, so eating enough protein has never been an issue. Veggies, however, are a different story. I've been far more intentional with eating a well-rounded diet. Trying to work with seasonal veggies from the farm can be a challenge, but I've supplemented with my own homemade juices to be sure I'm getting the proper micronutrients and antioxidants. This looks different for everyone, but ensuring you're getting enough of what your body needs is going to set you up for success in the future.
2. Getting excited about cooking. Using the foods that we grow here at the farm is just half of the story. Getting excited to cook good meals is the other half. My husband and I have made it a fun challenge to integrate certain foods like our Ancestral Blend Ground Beef into our meals at least once a week to get the benefits of organ meat. (It seems like a pasta meat sauce is by far the best way to mask any weird flavor). We also love trying a variety of culture's foods with some of our favorite meals being Greek or Asian inspired.
3. Eating enough. This one is so important. It can be tough for a lot of women because under-eating is so normalized that we barely recognize we're doing it. I never used to eat three full meals (just breakfast and dinner) and now I bring a full lunch to the farm every day. Taking ten minutes to sit, mindfully eat, and slow down while working is also a wonderful reset for any stress held up in my body. I try to keep lunch very low-carb so I don't experience an afternoon crash.

A normal day of eating looks something like this:

Breakfast: Two eggs on sourdough toast with a glass of my homemade greens juice

Lunch: Leftover Ancestral Spaghetti from dinner the night before

Snack: Kimchi (homemade is best using the Napa Cabbage from the farm!)

Dinner: Greek Arayes with a Salad and Roasted Potatoes

I am so happy that so many of our farm supporters are young mothers or women looking to better their health through regeneratively raised food. Women who are supporting their families with the finest food land has to offer, and shaping the next generation. Food is the basis of life, and to create life, we must first eat the food that heals and strengthens us.