TTC in 2026?
If I were trying to conceive in 2026, there are a few things that I would already be doing, and a few things that I would soon start. Read on to get my top 8 actions for 2026 pregnancies!
(I’ve included some links in this blog, some but not all of them are affiliate links. It doesn’t impact which products I recommend, as I wouldn’t affiliate with any brands that I don’t agree with)
Take a Folic Acid supplement - this one is one of the basics, and you’ve probably heard the recommendation before. The best time to start taking this supplement is 3 months prior to trying to conceive, but if you’re past that mark, don’t worry! Just start as soon as you can.
You should opt for a supplement of 400mcg daily, like these from Vitabiotics or Holland & Barrett. If you have diabetes, sickle cell anaemia or a history of neural tube defects in your other children, you should consider a higher dose - I’d recommend you get that prescribed by your GP (or talk to your Diabetes Team).Take a Vitamin D supplement - folks, ALL of us should be taking a Vitamin D supplement in the winter, TTC or not! But if you’re trying to make a baby, it is even more important, and you should be taking Vitamin D year round. Correction of Vitamin D status has been seen to improve IVF outcomes, and plays a role in hormone production and immunity in all women. In terms of supplements, 10mcg per day is enough for most people.
Make every effort to get 5-a-day - whether it is starting the day with stewed apple, yoghurt and granola, or having fruit as snacks, or roasting up a huge tray of veg for the week, it is important to get enough fruit and veg and PLENTY of variety. For more fruit and veg info, check out my 5-a-day blog post.
Give Up Being Vegetarian - thats right. coming from an ex-vegetarian, this recommendation might sound a little strange. This isn’t an absolute must, but in order to make your life easier and eat the most normal, natural foods available, I would consider giving up being vegetarian. In fact, that is exactly what I did do. Having two portions of oily fish per week provides recommended intake of Omega 3, in its active, useful form. If you were to get Omega 3s purely from plant based foods, you need to be eating a lot of nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocados. Even then, due to the low conversion rate of plant-based omega 3s to the ‘useful form’, you may not be meeting your body’s requirements. It is do-able, but it takes a lot of dedication. Oily fish can be a whole lot easier. So being vegetarian? It might not be the answer.
Exercise Sensibly - sensibly being the key word here. note: not as you are. For some women, continuing their normal exercise may be fine, for others it might need to be toned down, or ramped up a little. For those suffering with missing periods (due to Hypothalamic Ammenorhoea), toning down exercise and buidling up your nutrition is vital. For others, who might be struggling with increased body weight, building up your exercise routine can help give you, and your little one, the best chances of a long and healthy life. So there we are. Sensible exercise is key. If you are concerned about your exercise:nutrition ratio, we can talk about it, just book in here.
Face Your Food Demons - so this might not be relevant to everyone, but I KNOW it will be relevant to more people than will initially admit it. To prepare yourself for taste changes and nausea in motherhood, and raising children to have a healthy relationship with food, it is ESSENTIAL that you can do that for yourself too. It is not always easy, and some of the things we think and feel about food are so ingrained that we don’t even realise they are a choice. I encourage you to eat a variety of foods for a variety of reasons: for health, for enjoyment, for socialising, for nutrition, for sharing, for fun. And be okay with that. If there is a certain food or food group that you avoid, ask yourself why? Ask yourself if you would want your children to have that habit too?
Eat Your Grains - We all love carbs. Lets be realistic. But some carbohydrate sources are sliiiightly superior to others. And carbohydrates do not deserve the bad rap that they get. So I would encourge you to eat your carbs, love your carbs, and opt for whole grain versions as often as possible. That includes oats, barley, quinoa and rice. For more info on grains, check out the wholegrains for fertility blog.
Consider your dietary gaps - as much as we would all love to eat perfectly, and be confident thst we do. It is important to be pragmatic and understand if we have any gaps in our diet, and if they are realistic to fill with food, or if a supplement might better suit us at this time. For example, people who follow a vegan diet are more likely to be lacking in certain nutrients such as B12, iodine and selenium - to combat this, the Vegan Society have a supplement on offer that covers these gaps. For someone who is vegan or vegetarian, intake of Omega 3s might not be meeding their requirements, so I would recommend taking an Omega 3 supplement, such as these by Proceive or Together Health (note, these ones are vegan but significantly lower dose).
If you’ve got concerns or worries about your nutrition while trying to conceive, you can book in for a 1:1 consultation with me here.