You might be surprised by what you can discover about your body by tuning in and putting in a little bit of effort. If done correctly, a few months of observing your basal body temperature (BBT) can give you a ton of answers.

The phrase “trying for a baby” always made me uncomfortable. I felt like the couple was welcoming everyone into their bedroom as well as their personal lives. I had no idea that perhaps it was their way of reaching out for emotional support during a time of excitement mixed with fear.

Nutrition while trying to conceive matters. Not only to ensure your nutrient stores are nice and robust for both pregnancy and postpartum, but also to help with conception.

Knowing what to do when you think you might be pregnant can be confusing. When can you take a pregnancy test? If it’s positive, when do you make a prenatal appointment? What are the guidelines on taking care of yourself before you see a care provider? We break things down here with help from SF-based doula Lauren Miller Brown.

So often women are told to slow down when pregnant, and while for some high-risk pregnancies bed rest is required, in most healthy pregnancies, regular movement is recommended. Hear from Peri Hughes, SF based prenatal fitness expert on how you can safely approach exercise during pregnancy.

As I begin to make sense of my pregnancy and my experience with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), I can now see so much that would have been helpful to know and understand then. In hopes of easing your journey if you or a loved one is experiencing HG — here’s my take.

Up to eighty percent of women experience some type of nausea during pregnancy. Here are a few natural remedies that may help manage and reduce your morning sickness without side effects.

Does your provider make you feel supported, heard, and safe? Do you feel comfortable with the birthing locations that are available to you? If your answer isn’t “yes” to either of these questions, know that you don't have to settle for the status quo. Learn more about choosing a provider and birthing location here.

Acupuncture can alleviate many acute and chronic conditions, including those common in pregnancy. Based on the trimester that you are in, there are specific ways in which you may benefit.

Adding tea into your beverage rotation provides important vitamins and minerals for you and your babe, adds some variety to what may seem like limited choices, and can even help alleviate unwanted symptoms.

Hear directly from a functional nutritionist and doctor of Chinese medicine (both specializing in reproductive health) — what foods to focus on, and other pregnancy nutrition tips.

Prenatals can fill in the gaps of where you’re lacking in your diet, but they obviously aren’t a replacement for eating well.

Massage during pregnancy has been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, back pain, and leg pain. It can reduce excessive fetal activity, risk of premature birth, cortisol levels, length of labor, and the need for medication in labor.

Kate Danson, birth and postpartum doula shows us how you can practice abhyanga at home - this massage is particularly beneficial after giving birth as it can regulate hormones, calm the nervous system, strengthen the uterus, improve sleep, and increase milk flow.

First off, I want you to know that you’re a really good mom. These aren’t just fluffy words. They are facts. You are a really good mom. I know you have so many doubts and fears.

Whatever you may be feeling — just know that it’s common and you are not alone. If you don’t want to have sex, don’t feel pressured to do so, just because the doctor told you to go for it.

Hot flashes and night sweats - some of the most common complaints of early postpartum. But it doesn't always stop after the 4th trimester, and can be a big steamy hot red flag that we need to support one hormone in particular... estrogen.

we love a healthy, delicious cookie - ingredients in these can also help boost milk supply.

This is one of our absolute favorite recipes, especially for Sunday night dinners. It also happens to be an incredible blood-building meal, great for postpartum recovery.

LA postpartum doula Stephanie Matthias shares really practical suggestions for how to prepare for the postpartum period.

You may be wondering if it’s possible and/or worth the investment to get lactation support virtually. In our opinion, it is definitely helpful and worth it to connect. Learn more about what that might look like here.

Feeding your baby: it seems like it should be intuitive, natural, and straightforward. But we've learned that it takes time, patience and some serious dedication — and it doesn’t always turn out as we planned. And that's okay. What’s most important is that your baby eats.

You've got all your baby gear, sure, and are all set for labor… but what about making sure you’re taken care of post-birth? Here are our favorite products for helping with recovery, as well as feeding.

What is the spectrum of perinatal mood disorders? From baby blues to postpartum depression - what’s normal, not normal, and how to recognize when you should get help.

Massage is well known for relaxation, stress reduction, and pain relief — and has unique postpartum benefits including hormone regulation, reduced swelling, better sleep, and improved breastfeeding.

Whether it’s recovering from a difficult delivery, navigating sex, or returning to exercise, a pelvic PT who understands your goals can help you get there.

Five years ago, I walked into the birthing center of a hospital and built walls with rigid rules of how I did - and didn’t - want to bring my son into the world. I believed in the magic and power of my body. I believed in my control.

LC’s can help show you the ropes, answer your questions, give you tips, and be there as a resource until you get into a good groove with feeding your baby.

If you’re eating whole foods and your plate is colorful, you’re setting yourself up to get a greater variety of vitamins and nutrients which is what your body needs to perform at its best- i.e. heal faster.

The more nutrient dense, cooked, delicious things you can have in the fridge that are easy to heat and eat, the better. You’re just setting yourself up to make healthy meal choices.

After birth, starting with foods that are nutrient dense and easier to digest is important, since your body is going through big changes and digestion can be compromised.

Postpartum is actually a time of even more vulnerability in terms of our health and much of this comes down to keeping yourself well nourished and hydrated.

Finding our way can be seriously challenging as we are removed from our natural environment: a village where women dote over us as we recover. In contemporary culture, without such support woven into our lives, it isn’t always clear how we recoup.

I need a moment to be still to see what’s inside. The current pushes and pulls and I cannot find my stroke. I’m lost, unable to find my own voice to soothe.

When you’re pregnant, baby items can seem really overwhelming... especially, the thought of creating a registry. Here we’ve included some of our favorite items (and why).

Those early weeks were always so full of hope, nervousness, and fear - a classic recipe for constant anxiety. Sometimes I would experience these feelings in succession. Other times I felt the weight of all of them, as if they were stacked on my heart, one on top of the other.

Like all new parents, they were astonished by their baby’s perfection. But their time with Julian was short -- because he was stillborn, they had just a few hours to soak in his beauty before they had to say goodbye. This is the letter Dresden wrote to Julian the day after she met him.

Over the course of this time I’ve become familiar with riding these waves of sadness. The waves crash to honor the months of hormones and pregnancy tissue produced, to honor the love, energy and dreams we have been holding. I say goodbye to our Ocean.

Mother — a title that holds so much love, so much weight, so much pain, a swelling experience that consumes and connects us.

We sat down with reproductive psychiatrist Anna Glezer, MD, to learn more about how best to take care of ourselves and our mental health during this time, when to reach out to a professional, and how they can help.