10 Ways I Increased Fertility To Get Pregnant On First Try
I was always on the fence about having children. I would say my overarching opinion was that I was “neutral.” It’s not that I didn’t want kids, but I also wasn’t staying up at night visualizing life as a parent.
When I was a teenager, I imagined that if I were to have kids, it would be around age 28 (the same as my mom). As I got further in my 20’s, I was like ahhh maybe when I’m like 33.
I want to say that genetics probably do play a big role in this. There’s not really any fertility issues in either of our families, so we kind of assumed that if and when we wanted to have kids, it would happen pretty easily.
So that’s all to say - when Clay and I got pregnant (in February 2025), it wasn’t planned, but it also wasn’t a surprise. I’m not on birth control, I track my cycle and we’re both healthy.
Throughout my entire pregnancy, I’ve thought about how we were able to get pregnant on our first try. I regularly see videos on my social media explore pages about people’s fertility struggles. It’s shocking to me how common IVF and similar treatments are. I don’t want to turn into a conspiracy theorist here, but I think there are A LOT of disruptors in our modern society that are contributing to this.
IVF clinics are a business. They aren’t there to help couple’s become more fertile and conceive without intervention. They are there to sell you something. It honestly breaks my heart that there are SO many people out there who are dreaming and dreaming of having a baby, are paying 100k+, and still aren’t succeeding.
Some of these things might be a little controversial, woo woo, or not backed by science - but they are my personal experience experience and observation. While I have not yet given birth, I do think these greatly contributed to us getting pregnant on the first try, and if they help even one person, then I am happy.
#1 - STOPPED BEING SO BUSY & STRESSED
When you ask someone, “how are things going” - how often do you hear the reply “good…I’ve been busy!” And I’m guilty of answering this way too. In our hustle-society, being busy is an accomplishment because you’re seen as important.
But when you unpack it… I honestly think being busy is kind of embarrassing, or at least not something to brag about. Like, don’t you wish you had more leisure time to yourself? Don’t you wish you could wake up whenever you wanted? Why aren’t you learning how to optimize your schedule? Do you know how to create and implement boundaries? Do you let people walk all over you? Have you not determined what’s important to you and what you can ignore?
Busy can very easily equal distracted. When you are trying to start a family, the last thing you want to be is distracted. In fact, you need to be focused. This is the time to consider where and how you want to raise a child, what you need to do to get your finances in order, heal from trauma that you don’t want to pass along, prioritize your nutrition, move your body with intention, pay attention to those in your inner-circle who are going to have an impact on your child, etc.
And focus requires mindfulness. It requires you to choose where you attention goes, because it can’t go everywhere. So what are you doing that isn’t contributing to your well-being and the well-being of your future child? This right here should easily help identify habits, activities and tendencies that aren’t serving your highest interest.
For me, I think the most important thing I “gave up” (because we always have a choice) is that I stopped allowing myself to be a stressed out individual. Stress is not just a physical manifestation, it effects us emotionally, spiritually, in relationships, at work, our digestion, and everything in-between.
I have always felt this deep desire to maximize my time on this Earth. In my teens and early 20’s, I thought this meant “doing the most” - I traveled abroad, worked insane hours, said yes to everything, took a lot of risks, compromised my sleep schedule, drank frequently, and pretty much ate whatever. While I don’t regret anything because it was all a part of my story, lessons were learned, and I have so many experiences to look back on - I know I was putting so much stress on my body. I don’t even know if I would have been able to get pregnant back then even if I wanted.
In the last two years, I have made such a constant effort to reduce or eliminate stressors from my body and immediate environments. I strive to maintain a regulated nervous system above all else. Maximizing my time on Earth doesn’t have to mean compromising my well-being in order to “achieve” and “accomplish.” It can also mean having a routine I love, making peace with my past, being surrounded by loving friends, having boundaries with work, getting a good night’s sleep, participating in activities that bring me joy, and saying no to things that aren’t aligned.
#2 GOT OFF HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL
I could go on and on about how sad it is that we’ve raised generations of young women on hormonal birth control that has completely messed with their body’s natural rhythms, emotions, skin, menstrual cycle, and so much more. I was on the Depo Provera injection from age 16-24.
There are very few things I regret in life but I really wish I would have never allowed my doctor to put me on that shot, especially at such a young age… and for so many years. I HATE needles and would literally cry, faint, and have to lay down to receive this shot. You’re really telling me that, plus all the side effects of taking my period away, was necessary?
I mean, yes it’s wonderful that I didn’t have any unwanted pregnancy scares but instead, we could have just received more education. I wish I would have just been taught how to track my cycle, in order to understand when I was ovulating.
When I was about 24, I started to question things more and more. It felt so unnatural to continuously do something that made me sick just thinking about. I finally stopped going to my appointments and truthfully - since then, I think I’ve only seen an OBGYN once. I don’t recommend that, but I lost a lot of faith in Western-medicine practices through this experience and have since found more resonance in alternative, holistic, natural and Eastern-medicine practices.
Again, this is just my opinion and experience but once I was no longer blindly relying on a birth control injection to stop an unwanted pregnancy, I started learning so much more about the female body.
#3 STARTED CYCLE SYNCING & GETTING IN TOUCH WITH MY BODY
Getting off hormonal birth control, allowed me to recognize how disconnected and out of touch I was with my body. This allows ties into the first point of being busy and distracted. I was moving so quickly for so many years that I hadn’t really stopped to question why things were the way they were, or what I believed.
Starting my “journey of slowing down” gave me permission to spend time getting to know myself, my values, and the vessel that carries me.
After getting off the Depo Provera shot, it took my body 6+ months to even get an inkling of a period and 2+ years to have a regular consistent period. I look back and shudder. We have been taught that periods are gross and something to hide, yet a women’s menstrual cycle is an incredible indicator of her overall health.
Paying attention to the different phases of your cycle can provide insight into hormonal fluctuations, fertility, mood, activity levels, energy, skin appearance, and so much more.
To get more in touch with my body, I started going to yoga regularly. In the year 2022, I made a goal to go to 200 classes at my yoga / barre studio so it included everything from yin (restorative), to sculpt (yoga with weights), to barre (which is kind of a combo of ballet, pilates, and yoga). Through this intentional movement, I really started to connect with my body in a way that I had never before. I started having more grace and compassion for myself.
I realized I was doing HIIT workouts and weight-lifting when my body was begging for rest. I looked good on the outside but I was deeply tired.
Cycle syncing taught me to prioritize different types of movements at different points in my cycle. The follicular phase (after your period) is a good time for more intense workouts due to higher estrogen levels, while the luteal phase (before your period) is better for yoga, steady-state cardio, and pilates.
#4 CONSUMED LESS CAFFEINE
As I began to slow down (point #1) and my mind / body connection improved (point #2), I realized how harsh other elements of my lifestyle were on my body as well. Being more present in my life allowed me to look at my routines and choices more objectively. I determined that there were some habits that weren’t very kind and loving to myself.
For me, keeping up with hustle-culture meant I was over-caffeinating myself with multiple coffees from morning to afternoon. This gave me anxiety and made it hard to fall asleep before midnight, which really impacted my quality of sleep. To help reduce caffeine intake, while still enjoying having a hot drink in the morning and a cold drink in the afternoon - I started buying “half-caff” coffee beans and I switched to an iced matcha or kombucha in the afternoon.
#5 INCORPORATED ANIMAL PROTEIN
After about years of this “go go go” lifestyle, paired with eating vegan / vegetarian, my body began to show signs. My hair was falling out, my nails were breaking, I wasn’t gaining muscle (despite my workouts), and I felt really tired (but not in a way that more sleep would fix).
I knew I needed to make changes but it was really challenging to mentally overcome beliefs that I held true for so long. Ethically, I have a really hard time eating meat without feeling immense guilt and without overthinking what meat is while I’m chewing it.
I started very small by taking grass-fed liver capsules and fish oil capsules for about 6 months. At the beginning, it was much easier for me to swallow these than to actually eat a portion of meat. Maybe it was placebo, but I started to feel better and get over the mental hurdle.
After that, I began to eat bone broth mixed with tomato soup and some eggs. I was at this stage for another 3 to 6 months. Then I slowly started incorporating red meat and chicken. When I moved to Tulum, I started having more fish because I was so close to the ocean.
The first noticeable physical signs were my hair and nails. Previously, I had thin, brittle, short nails and they began to grow into long, healthy beautiful nails. Likewise, my hair went from being thin to gradually becoming thicker. I was so surprised how frequently I had to get haircuts because of how quickly it began to grow.
Mentally, I still can’t cook meat myself - Clay cooks it for me, or I order it at restaurants. Since I haven’t been able to face preparing it, I only eat it maybe 3 to 5 times a week. For my health, I do wish I could get over it but perhaps with more time.
#6 PRIORITIZED NATURAL FIBERS OVER SYNTHETIC CLOTHING
When I was starting my boutique and began working directly with clothing on a daily basis, I quickly realized the harms of synthetic clothing such as polyester, acrylic and nylon. Since 2021, I have prioritized natural fibers such as cotton, linen, leather, silk, and wool.
There are so many reasons to avoid synthetic clothing (and other synthetic materials), but for this post we can focus on how it relates to fertility.
One issue is chemical exposure. Synthetic fabrics can be treated with phthalates, formaldehyde, and BPA that can interfere with hormone production, including those that are crucial for reproduction. Studies have shown a direct link of polyester leading to conditions like PCOS.
Another problem with synthetic fabrics is that they trap heat and moisture, potentially raising the temperature of the testicles in men. Elevated temperatures can negatively affect sperm production and quality. In women, prolonged exposure to heat from tight synthetic clothing can potentially disrupt ovulation and menstrual cycles.
I know it can be really challenging to avoid synthetics in workout clothes, but if you’re really trying to increase your fertility, then I highly recommend considering making changes. If you must wear synthetics working out, then it’s better to only wear them for the workout to minimize your skin’s contact time with these fabrics. Thankfully, as this information is becoming more widely acknowledged, more brands are coming out with fitness apparel that’s made with better materials.
Plus, in our day-to-day lives, it’s very possible to prioritize natural fibers when dressing for errands, sleep, work, hanging with friends, and lounging around the house. These changes don’t have to be expensive or happen overnight. As you add new clothes to your wardrobe, pay attention to the fabric labels and prioritize cotton, linen, silk, wool and leather. You can also shop secondhand at thrift or resale stores, Depop, Ebay, and Poshmark.
#7 AVOID CONTACT WITH PLASTIC AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE
Not only are synthetic clothes bad for skin to skin contact, the breakdown of synthetic materials results in microplastics and nanoplastics.
Our profit-driven, fast paced world is very dependent on single-use plastic. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to avoid contact. Even if you went zero-waste, lived on your own land, and grew your own food… everything on Earth is connected. These microplastics contaminate water sources and food chains.
They can enter the body against our will through various pathways and accumulate in tissues. It’s hard to wrap your mind around since these particles are so small, but their impact is extremely concerning. They have been linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, disrupted organ function, disease, endocrine disruption (reproductive health), and probably many other unknown long-term effects.
Even though what I’m about to share might not seem like it directly impacts fertility, imagine that to create a life, you need to be as healthy as possible, right?
Since microplastics are recognized as foreign particles by the body, they trigger an immune response and causing inflammation. Chronic inflammation is linked to various diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. They can also accumulate in various organs, including the lungs, liver, kidneys, and even the brain.
If that isn’t concerning enough, let me paint a scary picture for you.
Not only do microplastics affect your fertility for a future child, tiny pieces of synthetic material have even been found in babies still in utero of pregnant women. This proves they can cross the placental barrier, so you can only imagine how they are affect your health as whole.
For these reasons, I prioritize safe materials in our home such as glass, bamboo, wood, natural fibers, stainless steel, and some types of silicon.
Our bedding includes bamboo silk sheets and a linen duvet cover. The blankets on our bed and couch are wool, or clean bamboo as well.
For beauty, I use very few products. Right now my skincare is primarily beef-tallow derived products from Sun & Moo. Read and get a discount here. I also use coconut oil, sesame oil, and 100% cotton towels.
In the kitchen, our pots and pans are PFOA-free. We use wood and silicon utensils. All of our cups are glass. Our plates are ceramic. We bring our own tote bags to the grocery store. We utilize glass storage containers and have a bunch of woven baskets for fruit, potatoes, and vegetables.
Again, all of this takes time, money and effort, so it’s not something to stress about fixing overnight. I just make as many intentional and mindful choices as I have bandwidth for in that moment. We’re far from perfect but small changes add up.
#8 LIMIT ALCOHOL, WEED, DRUGS, AND PHARMACEUTICALS.
I’ve never had an interest in drugs. I tried ecstasy and cocaine on a handful of occasions but only in mild doses. I have never used tobacco or nicotine products (no cigarettes, no vaping, etc). I occasionally dabbled with weed if it was offered but it’s never been my thing.
With the exception of birth control, I’ve also hardly ever taken any pharmaceuticals. I know I took some allergy medication as a child and pain killers when I got my wisdom teeth out, but I think that’s the extent of it. Even for a headache, I’ve never liked taking advil, Ibuprofen, or Tylenol.
I really dislike needles, hospitals, blood and anything of the sort so I try to live a healthy lifestyle to avoid them. Thankfully this has worked because I’ve never been hospitalized, broken a bone, or had any extreme illness. I rarely even get sick. I never got covid. I can’t remember the last time I had the flu. The only thing that stands out in recent years, is getting parasites (I went to Mexico, Colombia and Costa Rica within a few months so not sure where or how I got it).
However, all of this was probably negated by my consumption of alcohol.
From the age of about 17 to 25, I drank pretty regularly. I enjoyed everything from beer to wine to tequila. My friend groups in high school and college always had alcohol around. I worked at a bar and nightclub in college which definitely increased the frequency and amount of alcohol I consumed.
Once I graduated, left that bar industry, made new friends and found healthier weekend activities - I naturally consumed less alcohol being in different environments. When I was 26, I started experimenting with longer periods of sobriety from 1 to 3 to 6 months at a time. Eventually, I decided I wanted to go for 1 year. I completed it and felt amazing, so I kept going until the three year mark.
Then Clay and I went on a break from February 2024 to September 2024. I was coping and unsure of my future so I gave up sobriety. I had alcohol a few days week during that spring and summer, but nothing super frequent.
All in all, within the last 4 years, there’s only been a handful of times where I was really drunk. In most occasions, I would have one or two drinks. This is definitely not perfect, but combined with no tobacco, no drugs, no pharmaceuticals, and very minimal weed - I do think it makes a difference.
#9 BE AWARE OF COLD EXPOSURE AND HEAT EXPOSURE
I briefly mentioned in point #5 that keeping the body’s reproductive parts at optimal temperatures is very important for our reproduction. As everything in nature has duality - men and women’s reproductive parts are sensitive to different environments.
The studies and data are limited but I just have this weird feeling about regular participation in extreme temperatures as a wellness routine.
Let’s look at cold exposure first.
When I was competing in cross-country races and track meets, I utilized ice baths after long runs to aid in recovery. I think there’s certain instances that women can benefit from ice baths, such as during menopause and for fitness recovery, but it might not be ideal all the time.
For women who are trying to increase fertility, perhaps it’s better to be cautious of extreme cold-exposure. Many findings that prove the benefits of ice baths used men in their studies, so we can’t just automatically apply those findings to women. One reason these results could vary is that women tend to cool down faster than men in cold water. The cold temperature can possibly lower progesterone levels.
However, when it comes to men, the cold-exposure can increase testosterone levels and help maintain optimal testicular temperature, which are important for sperm production.
Now let’s discuss heat-exposure.
It’s important to note that there hasn’t been many findings that saunas positively impact female fertility, but there also hasn’t been many that have found any negative affects.
For healthy women, saunas are generally safe pre-pregnancy, during any phase of your menstrual cycle. Saunas are even okay during pregnancy, as long as no complications are experienced (and caution is advised during the first trimester to avoid overheating).
However, it’s a different story for males. Men should be cautious of saunas as testicles are sensitive to high heat. Elevated temperatures can disrupt sperm production, which can reduce sperm count and motility.
#10 TEMAZCAL CEREMONY
I want to share about this experience because I would have never know about it if I wasn’t living in Mexico. In the year before I got pregnant, I did a Temazcal ceremony at holistic hotel in Tulum. For immediate visualization, imagine a sweat lodge deep in the jungle, with a guide. There were about 6 other people there in my group. We were told to wear a swimsuit or minimal clothing.
At the time, I didn’t realize that Temazcal ceremonies are said to positively influence fertility. I had heard the heat, steam, and medicinal plants used in the ceremony are thought to detoxify the body, improve circulation, and stimulate the immune system. I was so curious and wanted to feel it all for myself, and it completely exceeding my expectations.
This is a bit woo-woo but the structure of the Temazcal is very “womb-like.”
You’re inside this small hut that is pitch black and super warm. The steam makes keeping your eyes open a challenge so you succumb to closing them and allow your other senses to take over. The guide makes you feel safe and at ease through his chanting, drums and other instruments. The smell from the burning copal resin and wood logs is euphoric.
Because no one can see or hear you, it allows you to openly process emotions. You can scream and cry and flail around, which can lead to a profound experience of renewal and rebirth. Many people have a lot of childhood trauma that can block them from wanting to be a parent themselves. Being able to let go of these big emotions can aid in healing and preparing the body for conception and childbirth.
The ceremony is deeply connected to the natural world. During the ceremony, I felt a connection with a few of my ancestors that made me feel very protected. It made me feel like no matter what I’m going through, I’m never alone and can always seek guidance from a higher power.
I left vibrating at such a high frequency and felt so “tuned-in” to everything. When our lives are busy, its easy to feel separate from our surroundings but this was such a powerful reminder that we are all connected.
If the spiritual aspect of a Tezmacal ceremony isn’t aligned with you, I will also say that I noticed a big shift physically at a cellular level. Prior, I was always so cold. I could sit in a sauna for 30 minutes and barely sweat. I always had socks on around the house and would wear long sleeves even on moderately warm days. After the ceremony, my body’s baseline completely regulated. I’m comfortable at room temperature now.
BONUS: HAVE A HEALTHY, FERTILE PARTNER
Obviously creating a new life takes both sperm and an egg, so even if I was fertile, I still need the other half in order to get pregnant.
I’m really grateful to have a partner who also lives a healthy lifestyle and has good genetics. In some ways, I am healthier than him. In some ways, he’s healthier than me. Together, we teach each other what we know. We do our best to support the other in areas we know they struggle. For example, I’ve helped Clay quit smoking weed and he’s helped me eat more protein and whole foods.
Clay exercises daily including weight-training, running, biking, and CrossFit style workouts. He’s also really good about recovery, both physically and with nutrition. He cooks the majority of our meals at home. He takes a variety of supplements from creatine to protein.
He hasn’t used tobacco or nicotine products since his mid-twenties, and doesn’t drink alcohol very often. He avoids long exposure to heat such as hot baths or saunas. A year ago, he made a career change that is less demanding, less stressful and allows his more time freedom.
If you made it this far, thank you so much. I wish you all love and support on your fertility, pregnancy, or parenting journeys.