Beli Prenatals are HSA/FSA eligible!

6 Ways to Prepare Your Body (Hers and His) For Pregnancy

The road to parenthood is full of twists and turns, and so much feels out of our control. That’s why it’s comforting to know that there are some things you can control. Real talk—planning for a baby is largely a numbers game, and stacking the odds in your favor means doing everything you can to be as healthy as possible during the conception window. And that’s true for both biological parents. The goal is threefold—successfully conceiving, carrying a strong pregnancy, and delivering a healthy baby at birth and beyond. It all starts now, with these six ways to prepare your body (hers and his) for pregnancy.

Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins Now

Taking a prenatal vitamin during pregnancy is a standard practice, but let’s clear up a few things. Quality prenatals, like Beli for Her and Beli for Him, are formulated to support your body before pregnancy, during that all-too-critical preconception window. For her, our prenatal vitamin promotes hormonal balance, increases overall fertility, and protects healthy egg maturation. For him, our prenatal vitamin helps boost sperm count, improve sperm motility and morphology, and counteracts DNA damage. The fact is, low-quality sperm is directly tied to difficulties conceiving, and the health of both the pregnancy and your baby.

Moms and dads-to-be should continue with their respective prenatal vitamins throughout the pregnancy and after, too. When you choose Beli for Her, you’re opting for a proven formula that protects your baby’s development through all three trimesters. Plus, our no-nausea blend can help alleviate symptoms of morning sickness. After the birth, Beli will help you avoid nutritional deficiencies that have been linked to various postpartum conditions—whether you breastfeed or not.

Beli for Him helps new dads keep their testosterone high after the birth—a time when levels tend to drop dramatically.

Keep in mind that prenatal vitamin quality varies wildly, with many of the most popular prenatal vitamins available today failing to meet recommended nutrient levels—yikes. You’re taking these vitamins for a reason, so make sure the brand you’ve chosen can actually deliver.

Cut Back on Alcohol and Caffeine

You don’t necessarily have to become a teetotaler or switch to decaf during the preconception window, but limiting your alcohol and caffeine levels can be helpful. There’s no direct evidence between caffeine consumption and fertility, but preliminary research is making the link. And hey, it can’t hurt!

The science is much clearer when it comes to alcohol. While so-called light drinking (fewer than five drinks per week) doesn’t appear to be an issue, “heavy drinking” does indeed pose a problem.

Of course, you will be cutting out the booze and espresso completely once you are pregnant, so weaning yourself off early will make thing easier in the long run.

Eat Better

Think of it this way—it’s practice for when you’ll start eating for two! It’s not always easy to prioritize healthy foods over convenience (or flavor), but keep your eyes on the prize. A diet rich in fruits and veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, and high-quality proteins is critical for the fertility of both biological parents. This is the food that’s creating the healthiest sperm, preserving egg quality, and helping you get pregnant faster. Remember that next time you’re loading up the grocery cart or reaching for that to-go menu.

Commit to Fitness

The stronger your body is going into your pregnancy, the better. Plus, regular exercise is also linked—surprise—to a shorter timeframe for conception. Shoot for 30 minutes of cardio three times a week, and while you get your sweat on, know that you're actively helping improve sperm count and quality and supporting balance and regulation ovulation, respectively. Make it a date!

Minimize Stress (No, Really)

While researchers don’t really know how or why stress messes with your odds of getting pregnant, the connection is certainly there. Managing stress in a healthy way—think prioritizing sleep, building in down time, creating healthy boundaries between work and home life—can go a long way

Live Clean

Yes, this applies to nutrition and exercise, but it really means awareness of all the hidden environmental toxins. Make a point of checking labels on things like supplements, skincare and beauty products, and cleaning supplies. Exposure to toxic chemicals can wreak havoc on the reproductive system—aging your eggs, increasing chances of miscarriage, slowing fetal growth, and reducing sperm count and quality. So do your research, wear protective equipment if you’re concerned about the safety of a product at home or at work, and do what you can to limit your exposure.

There’s an exciting adventure just ahead, and it’s normal to have mixed feelings about it all. Doing what you both can to manage your collective health now can make all the difference later. Get ready! And get Beli.

Additional Resources

PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility in women, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant. Supplementing with ingredients proven to support women with PCOS can help increase your chances, and so can speaking with your doctor and dietician.

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There’s an essential connection between our minds and our bodies, and when we neglect one, it inevitably catches up with us through the other. For women becoming mothers especially, the body-mind connection is worth paying close attention to. Here's how prenatal vitamins can help.

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The role of a prenatal vitamin is to support the healthy growth and development of growing babies, and minimizing the risk of birth defects is front and center. But can your prenatal vitamins really reduce the risk of birth defects? Absolutely!

Read More

You think you know, but when it comes to male fertility and sperm health specifically, you probably have no idea. Here at Beli, we’ve had an education-first approach to male fertility since day one and today we’re breaking down fact from fiction, sperm edition. Let’s see how you do!

Read More

Between responsibilities at home and at work, commitments that just keep piling up, and a mile-long to-do list, sex may be on your mind, but only in a vague, wouldn’t-that-be-nice kind of way. It's normal! But men hoping to become fathers might be stressing that a waning sex drive is signaling a problem with their fertility (spoiler: not necessarily). Still, it’s true that a man’s fertility and his libido are linked, so let’s hop into all the details, including 4 ways to rev up that sex drive.

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Time and time again, men are an afterthought in the fertility conversation, and it’s setting couples up to fail. In light of recent research confirming–again–that sperm counts around the world are indeed declining, Beli wants to lead the charge. Join us, and let’s make March men’s fertility awareness month.

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Knowing all the facts about sperm doesn’t just make you positively lethal on trivia night, it actually puts you in prime position to optimize your chances of a healthy conception, pregnancy and baby. So let’s get to it, with these 10 facts about sperm that will (probably) blow your mind.

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Shilajit is finally getting the credit it’s due, and we’re proud to point out that our proprietary formula was the very first to include this powerful Ayurvedic compound. Here’s why shilajit is rapidly becoming the darling of the male fertility world–and what you’re missing if you’re skipping it.

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Somewhere between the “let’s have a baby!” conversation and seeing those two pink lines, you’re going to end up researching prenatal vitamins. And trust us when we say you’re going to have a ton of options to wade through. Consider this your handy guide to the best prenatal vitamins for men and women in 2023.

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The second you start looking into fertility testing, the acronyms are everywhere. Chief among them is AMH, or anti-müllerian hormone. Here’s what to understand about your AMH level and what it means for your chances of becoming pregnant.

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Read More

Supplementing with key nutrients in the right amounts not only improves sperm health — think sperm count and sperm motility — it also means optimal fertility health for men in general. And that means the best chance of a healthy conception, pregnancy, and baby. 

Read More

It’s resolution-making time, and a lot of folks have babies on the brain. We got you! We double checked with the experts for the best ways to support and promote fertility for the very best chances of a healthy conception, pregnancy, and bouncing baby.

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Special thanks to Becca, a fertility dietitian at Little Life Nutrition, for today's post! Becca is passionate about helping moms and dads-to-be uncover the root cause of fertility challenges, using nutrition, lifestyle, and functional lab testing to optimize her clients' chance of getting pregnant — a true "no-stone-left-unturned" approach. Here, she shares five ways to boost fertility naturally.

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The role of a prenatal vitamin is to support the healthy growth and development of growing babies, and minimizing the risk of birth defects is front and center. But can your prenatal vitamins really reduce the risk of birth defects? Absolutely!

Read More

You think you know, but when it comes to male fertility and sperm health specifically, you probably have no idea. Here at Beli, we’ve had an education-first approach to male fertility since day one and today we’re breaking down fact from fiction, sperm edition. Let’s see how you do!

Read More

Between responsibilities at home and at work, commitments that just keep piling up, and a mile-long to-do list, sex may be on your mind, but only in a vague, wouldn’t-that-be-nice kind of way. It's normal! But men hoping to become fathers might be stressing that a waning sex drive is signaling a problem with their fertility (spoiler: not necessarily). Still, it’s true that a man’s fertility and his libido are linked, so let’s hop into all the details, including 4 ways to rev up that sex drive.

Read More

Medical science tells it like it is–a man’s health and his fertility are undeniably linked. But what role do genetics play in the fertility factor? It's a good question! In today's post, we're taking a deep dive into exactly how genetics affect male fertility.

Read More

Time and time again, men are an afterthought in the fertility conversation, and it’s setting couples up to fail. In light of recent research confirming–again–that sperm counts around the world are indeed declining, Beli wants to lead the charge. Join us, and let’s make March men’s fertility awareness month.

Read More

Knowing all the facts about sperm doesn’t just make you positively lethal on trivia night, it actually puts you in prime position to optimize your chances of a healthy conception, pregnancy and baby. So let’s get to it, with these 10 facts about sperm that will (probably) blow your mind.

Read More

Shilajit is finally getting the credit it’s due, and we’re proud to point out that our proprietary formula was the very first to include this powerful Ayurvedic compound. Here’s why shilajit is rapidly becoming the darling of the male fertility world–and what you’re missing if you’re skipping it.

Read More

Research shows that the overall health of both biological parents during the preconception window plays a huge role in everything from conception to pregnancy health to the lifetime health of their baby. Luckily, there are simple steps you can both take to improve your health together.

Read More

Supplementing with key nutrients in the right amounts not only improves sperm health — think sperm count and sperm motility — it also means optimal fertility health for men in general. And that means the best chance of a healthy conception, pregnancy, and baby. 

Read More

It’s resolution-making time, and a lot of folks have babies on the brain. We got you! We double checked with the experts for the best ways to support and promote fertility for the very best chances of a healthy conception, pregnancy, and bouncing baby.

Read More

Special thanks to Becca, a fertility dietitian at Little Life Nutrition, for today's post! Becca is passionate about helping moms and dads-to-be uncover the root cause of fertility challenges, using nutrition, lifestyle, and functional lab testing to optimize her clients' chance of getting pregnant — a true "no-stone-left-unturned" approach. Here, she shares five ways to boost fertility naturally.

Read More

PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility in women, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant. Supplementing with ingredients proven to support women with PCOS can help increase your chances, and so can speaking with your doctor and dietician.

Read More

Pregnancy is a time to get really particular about what you’re ingesting. From the cleanest prenatal vitamin you can find to ten months of minimal caffeine and zero sushi, you’re taking precautions. And rightfully so! So what does that mean for your favorite collagen supplement? Can you take collagen while you’re pregnant? You certainly can—with caveats.

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Learning that you’re about to become a mother is truly life-changing news, and it's always helpful to have an immediate next step or two. Start checking things off this little list, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy and minimally stressful pregnancy.

Read More

The role of a prenatal vitamin is to support the healthy growth and development of growing babies, and minimizing the risk of birth defects is front and center. But can your prenatal vitamins really reduce the risk of birth defects? Absolutely!

Read More

Think about good nutrition, and protein is generally front and center. It’s the macronutrient behind so many essential processes and functions in the body, from building and repairing muscle and bone to whipping up hormones and enzymes. And the importance of protein only increases during and after pregnancy. Here's why.

Read More

Beli for Women has all the current nutrient recommendations for prenatal vitamins, including choline, vitamin D, folate, magnesium, and iodine. All the right ingredients, in all the right amounts. But it does beg the question, how exactly does Beli fit everything into just three capsules?

Read More

The second you start looking into fertility testing, the acronyms are everywhere. Chief among them is AMH, or anti-müllerian hormone. Here’s what to understand about your AMH level and what it means for your chances of becoming pregnant.

Read More

Research shows that the overall health of both biological parents during the preconception window plays a huge role in everything from conception to pregnancy health to the lifetime health of their baby. Luckily, there are simple steps you can both take to improve your health together.

Read More

It’s resolution-making time, and a lot of folks have babies on the brain. We got you! We double checked with the experts for the best ways to support and promote fertility for the very best chances of a healthy conception, pregnancy, and bouncing baby.

Read More

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While everyone loves shopping for a new baby – those teensy shoes! – you may feel a little mystified about how to gift all the pregnant people in your life. Good news! We asked a bunch of them what they’d love most this holiday season. So without further ado, we present our holiday gift round-up for your very favorite pregnant people. Trust us, she’ll love it.

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Special thanks to Becca, a fertility dietitian at Little Life Nutrition, for today's post! Becca is passionate about helping moms and dads-to-be uncover the root cause of fertility challenges, using nutrition, lifestyle, and functional lab testing to optimize her clients' chance of getting pregnant — a true "no-stone-left-unturned" approach. Here, she shares five ways to boost fertility naturally.

Read More

In the early days of your pregnancy, it’s fair to want to keep your thrilling news to yourself. But what happens over the holiday season, when you’re probably spending endless hours with your loud, loving, all-up-in-your-business family? We polled our Beli community for the hands-down best way to mask a pregnancy – morning sickness symptoms and all – if you’re dreading the next few weeks with the fam, because this is one surprise that no one should spoil.

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