Preconception Health

When my husband and I began dating seriously, we discussed future hopes and plans.  One thing we immediately agreed upon was that we wanted to try to start a family as soon as we were married.  As a woman in my early 30s, I observed several friends who married with the same hopes and plans, and found they were unable to conceive.  Still more perplexing many who had conceived delivered children with serious behavioral issues.  I then purposed to do all that was possible to insure that my body was able to conceive and also give our children the best chance to thrive.

I visited my gynecologist and had a list of questions for her.  She said that I could be checked for STDs, I could take a prenatal vitamin and stay away from cigarettes, but that was all the counsel my OB-GYN had for me and I was already taking a prenatal and was not sexually active or a smoker, so the visit was not productive.

My mother had met Maureen McDonnell, a registered nurse, through a mutual friend.  Maureen works with women prior to conception to minimize the risks mentioned above and she also worked with children with behavioral disorders.  I telephoned Maureen and she had the answers I had been searching for.  Maureen and I lived in different states, so through a series of emails and conversations, she took a extensive medical history.  Maureen helped me determine the additional supplements my body needed; she helped me to discover a food allergy (that was later confirmed by a blood test) and advised me to increase my natural progesterone levels.  Maureen became my health and conception coach before I ever conceived.

When my husband and I were married in January 2010, we conceived within 6 weeks (everyone was counting the months – lol) and our beautiful healthy boy that I carried full term was born in November 2010.  Since Jack’s birth, Maureen has been my advisor on breast feeding, first foods and a vaccination schedule that makes us comfortable.  As my husband and I consider more children in the future, Maureen is already beginning to advise me on what simple things I can do to ensure I give our next child the best start possible.  She has been my most valuable advisor and I have and will continue to recommend her services to other women.  Thank you Maureen!

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