At Peoples Rx, we absolutely love supporting people on their fertility and conception journey. It is our joy to help families find the perfect natural products to help them have healthy pregnancies. We also love compounding special products for the sweet little babies that need special care. Here are our top recommendations for the preconception period, prenatal care, postpartum support, and baby products every parent should have on-hand.
Fertility Tips
If you are just embarking on your fertility journey and wondering what nutrients you may need, we suggest folate and CoQ10 for both men and women. Folate 1000 by Pure Encapsulations contains the methylated form of folate, which is more bioavailable for most people. For men, improving folate levels can lower the risk of sperm abnormalities and may also boost sperm count. For women trying to conceive, folate can regulate stress and inflammation in the body. Proper supplementation of folate before and during conception is vital to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Men can also benefit from zinc supplementation because zinc can improve sperm quality. I often recommend Zinc 30 by Pure Encapsulations.
More recent studies have been looking into the impact of CoQ10 on both female and male fertility. Coq10 is an antioxidant known for helping the body produce energy. The current recommendation for CoQ10 for fertility is about 200-600mg a day. I suggest starting at 200mg and consulting with your doctor about what dose might be ideal for you. Consider NuMedica’s CoQ-Clear 100 Ubiquinol, 1 softgel twice a day, as a great place to start. Lastly, some women may benefit from the herb vitex, also known as chaste tree. In many of the cases I have seen where women are finding difficulty conceiving due to a suboptimal level of progesterone,vitex has shown to improve progesterone levels naturally and support conception. Gaia’s Vitex Berry can help bring balance to periods that seem a bit irregular and provide fertility support. Follow the recommendation of 2 capsules a day.
Prenatal Tips
Congratulations, you’re pregnant! When it comes to choosing the right prenatal supplement, quality is key. A high quality supplement supports the pregnant person and can help set the baby up for a healthy life ahead. Spoiler alert, most grocery store supplements are just not good enough. Fortunately, Peoples offers prenatal supplements that have the most bioavailable vitamins and minerals shown in current research to aid proper development of the fetus. One of our top recommendations is Thorne’s Basic Prenatal. This product takes out the guest work of trying to figure out which supplement is ideal for which phase of fertility and conception. It will support a pregnant person from pre-conception through pregnancy and nursing. The suggested recommendation is 3 capsules a day with a meal. It’s okay to take 1 capsule with each meal, which may make it easier on those who are battling nausea and food aversions.
A prenatal DHA (omega-3 fatty acid) is also necessary. What is most important when choosing a great prenatal DHA is finding one that sources the omega-3s from clean sources and has the right amount of DHA per suggested serving. We recommend Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA which uses omega-3s from wild and sustainably sourced sardines and anchovies from the South Pacific and Atlantic oceans. These softgels are easy to swallow and have no fishy aftertaste. The suggested dose is 2 softgels a day, which provides 480 mg of DHA and a total of 830 omega-3s. If you need a fish-free omega-3 alternative, try our Sunwarrior Algae-Based Omega-3 which contains 500mg of DHA per 2 softgels. (Available in select locations.)
Postpartum Tips
Baby is here – yay! For postpartum care, I recommend staying on a good supplement regimen like the Thorne Basic Prenatal and the Nordic Naturals DHA. Women who choose to nurse their babies will also benefit greatly from adding minerals to their water to stay hydrated. Doing so will help them feel less parched and potentially help maintain optimal breast milk production. I advise adding Trace Minerals Drops to water or even a pinch of Premier Pink Salt. Keeping breastmilk production up can feel like a full-time job for a nursing mom. Help her out with a box of Traditional Medicinal’s Mother’s Milk Tea and brew her 3-5 cups a day for extra support. The herbs in this tasty blend have been shown to boost lactation and because it does not contain caffeine, a mother can drink it throughout the day.
A sometimes sensitive topic most moms do not get enough support with is postpartum hemorrhoids and tearing. If you are struggling with hemorrhoids, ask our compounding pharmacy to formulate a soothing healing cream. Our quality compounded creams can support tissue healing and lessen discomfort. It is estimated that 9 in 10 first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some degree of vaginal tearing. We also offer specially formulated creams for healing vaginal tears so mothers don’t have to suffer with uncomfortable stinging, pain, itching or bleeding.
One more insider tip for the nursing mom I must share: If she’s getting irritated nipples from nursing, we can help! Our compounding pharmacy formulates a popular prescription nipple cream that’s safe and easy to use and can provide comfort and healing ASAP.
Baby Stuff!
What about that precious baby? We have everything a little baby needs for an extra healthy start! Humans need a lot of nutritional support from early on in life and the following are the top products I like to start them off with. Klaire’s Ther-biotic Baby Probiotic added to breastmilk or formula is great for promoting good gut bacteria. I also recommend Nordic Naturals Baby DHA Drops and Baby’s Vitamin D Drops. Lastly, every baby bottom deserves the very best. Our compounding pharmacy can whip up a custom diaper rash cream by prescription order to promote healing of those sweet little baby booties.
At Peoples, our wellness experts and knowledgeable pharmacists are eager to help support your growing family with the best possible products! Swing by one of our 4 locations soon so we can help you find the right solutions for you.
If you have comments and/or questions about this blog, email us at blog@peoplesrx.com.
Dr. Lauren Sanchez, ND* helps people who want to feel their best and gain more energy and optimal wellness through a plant-based diet. Learn more about her approach to wellness and schedule a visit with her here. Learn about Peoples Rx practitioners who are available for consultation both virtually as well as in person here.
*Although licensed in other states, Naturopathic Doctors are not currently licensed in Texas. To support licensure efforts, please visit www.txand.org.