Join fertility nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston for a LIVE webchat 12-1pm on Tues July 7th, about how your diet can help improve your (and your partner's) fertility. Yvonne is a Babyexpert regular whose chats are always very popular - so post your questions early for the best chance of an answer!
Yvonne has teamed up with First Response to develop a food wheel to help boost your chances of conception and a healthy pregnancy.

Hi

I have a daughter who is now 9 months old. It took 18 months ttc with her, we are both fairly young and i would say healthy too so not sure why it took so long.

We will be trying again this September when my daughter turns 1 and it scares me to think it could take so long with the next one as i want a small ish age gap.

What can i do/eat to make sure it doesnt take this long? and is it very likely that it will take a long time again?

Thanks very much, Katie xxxx

Hi, I have read conflicting advice on consuming dairy products when TTC. Some say that women TTC should have a portion of full fat dairy a day whilst others say that full fat should be totally avoided. What is your adice on this?
Also, I really dislike the taste of oily fish and I was wondering if there was something else I could eat/take to supplement this in my fertility diet.
Thanks
Tink x

Hi Katie (Gladwin2b)
It is best to give yourself some time to recover from your first pregnancy so I think you are right to wait till your daughter is one. Have you run any tests? I would consider a semen analysis for your man as there is much nutrition can do to support male fertility but you need to know which areas to work on e.g. count or ability to swim etc. I often find mums of under one years olds are a bit tired and run down and feeding their little ones well but not themselves so do spend the next 3 months getting your diet as good as you can. Please see www.tellsyoufirst.co.uk for my First Response fertility food wheel which goes through all the basics of the fertility diet.
Make sure you are eating regularly, 3 main meals and 2 snacks and having some protein such as beans, free-range meat, fish or seeds at each and avoid sweet snacks to help keep blood sugar levels and hormones balanced. Avoid caffeine and alcohol and aim for 8 good handfuls of veg and fruit a day. Also top up on omega-3 fats as these may be depleted from pregnancy and breastfeeding. A good quality purified fish oil capsule (2g of fish oil a day but not cod liver oil) would be ideal.
I would also check when you are ovulating as many couples have sex at the wrong time. First Response ovulation test kits are really helpful as they will warn you that ovulation is likely to occur within 1-2 days. Having sex before ovulation helps get the sperm ready and waiting for the egg (sex every 3 days during the month is ideal for building good sperm levels by the way!)
Just because it took at while last time by the way doesn’t mean it will this time, good luck

Hi Tink-a-belle
We definitely need essential omega-3 fats in pregnancy as they are needed for baby’s brain, eye and nervous system development; they are also needed to keep mum’s brain and body functioning too! In my clinic we used purified fish oil capsules made from small sized oily fish such as anchovy as they are low down the food chain and lower in the potentially harmful toxins from the sea (the reason why the government say only 1 to 2 portions of oily fish a week), we also used algae-based omega-3 which is naturally pure. I would take 2g of purified fish oil a day (usually 2 capsules). Let me know if you want me to suggest a brand.
Dairy fat is not that useful as it has saturated fat which blocks the body’s use of omega-3 fats. The reason you are told to have it despite the fat is because of the calcium content. If you are not a dairy lover then go for the plant sources of calcium as many are also higher in magnesium than dairy making them more usable anyway. Include: chickpeas, figs, green leafy vegetables, parsley, watercress, broccoli, tofu, almonds, Brazil nuts and quinoa.

Hi Yvonne,
My first child had eczema when he was a baby. Next time round, is there anything I can do about my pregnancy/breastfeeding diet to ward off the chances of my next baby being a sufferer? What's the current thinking on peanuts, for example?

Thanks for that Yvonne,
Where do I get the fish oil from? Would it be from a chemist or from a health food type store? If you could suggest a brand that would be great.
I grew up on a farm so I am a milk lover but at the moment I only have it on my porridge and I have eat lots of the other things you mentioned so I must have plenty of calcium in me!
Thanks again

Hi Yvonne,

My partner & I consider ourselves to be fairly healthy. I have a history of endometriosis & we've had 2 miscarriages. I know it may sound silly but i've heard from a friend that there are foods that can heal. Is there anything else that you know of that I could eat to help better prepare & assist my body for carrying a baby with this condition. Thanks, Laura.

Hi Tink-a-belle
My favourite is BioCare Mega EPA, you can get them from Nutri Centre phone number: 020 8752 8436, quote code ZZYB001 for a discount. If you are on any medication or have any health conditions then you will need to check with your GP before taking any supplement s

Thanks

Yvonne

Thanks x

is ok to eat a rare/medium lamb/beef steak whilst ttc? DH reckons it's ok but i don't think it is is it?

Hi Franticmum
Essential fats seem to be the theme today! The omega-3 and 6 fats are really important in keeping away eczema and some of us are more genetically prone than others. If you or your partner gets eczema, asthma or even hay fever then it may be that you and your children are less good at processing essential fats and so need more. Again take fish oil or algae oil (fish oil supplier posted earlier) through pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Another problem can be lack of beneficial bacteria, babies who are C-section born are more prone as they do not pick up the beneficial bacteria as they make their way through the birth canal and so don’t populate their sterile guts with these vital immune-supporting good bugs. If mum has thrush in pregnancy this can also be a sign that her good bacteria levels are low and can affect baby even when naturally born. Beneficial bacteria supplements specifically designed for babies can be given from birth to support this balance. We often use these bacteria along with essential fats in baby (would need to see a nutritionist for essential fat as it is age-dependant) with very good results for baby eczema. We give all our mum’s-to-be in clinic a course of beneficial bacteria in month 8 to support their birth canal environment, if you want a recommendation let me know
Foods which you or baby-to-be’s dad may have an allergy or intolerance should be avoided in pregnancy. If you have an allergy you are likely to know as symptoms are fast and strong. Intolerance on the other hand can be harder to identify and blood testing is the best tool we have at the moment (contact clinic 020 8688 1197 for details or www.optimumnutritionists.com) . I would avoid peanuts in pregnancy as this is such as fast-growing allergy and we don’t really understand why
Thanks
Yvonne

Hi lamby100
Hi

I would avoid rare meat in pregnancy as you never know how well it has been handled and which bugs it may bring. The danger is that you may not realise infection as your immune system may well cope with mild infection but baby’s immature immune system may not fare so well and baby could be affected. I think you are right! Steer clear of BBQ’s when the sunshine returns or take your own veggie burgers, much safer!
Thanks
Yvonne

It's 1pm so no more questions please.
Many thanks to Yvonne for her great advice, as ever. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon, Yvonne!
Web Ed Nicola

Hi Laura (laujai)
Sorry to hear about your miscarriages. Endometriosis can be a problem in pregnancy, even when it is cleared it could be that you have hormonal imbalances which helped lead to the endo in the first place. I would ask your GP to test your oestrogen to progesterone ratio as it could be that you are oestrogen dominant and lower than ideal in progesterone which may contribute to miscarriage. Other symptoms would be short cycle especially short second half of cycle. I would try using First Response ovulation test sticks and check you ovulate around the middle of your month. If the second half is shorter or less than 12 to 14 days ask your GP to run a day 21 test to look at progesterone levels over a few months. If you GP is not keen we can run all the hormone tests by sending you home kits which you post back to the lab. A diet and supplement plan could then be made to help support oestrogen to progesterone ratio (contact clinic 020 8688 1197 for details or www.optimumnutritionists.com)
Please also see www.tellsyoufirst.co.uk for my First Response fertility food wheel which goes through all the basics of the fertility diet.
Thanks
Yvonne

Thank you Yvonne, that is very helpful

Thanks for your questions
If you have any questions on any of the tests or supplements discussed or on our fertility consultations please do contact my clinic manager Sunny on clinic@foodsforlife.co.uk If you have any other questions Sunny will send them on to me. Also see http://www.optimumnutritionists.com/pages/health-issues/natural-fertility-program.php
for details of our natural fertility and pregnancy plans.
I would also advise the new First Response 6 days early test so you know as soon as possible and reduce that stressful waiting time and get on with a great pre-conceptual diet and don’t forget First Response have lots of info on fertility diets and have a section where you can ask a midwife or nutritionist a question see www.tellsyoufirst.co.uk
All the best

Yvonne

Sorry bit late to reply but Thanks very much! The advice is very helpfull!! xx