The Slow Conception Movement

Have you heard of the Slow Food Movement? The movement was founded in Italy in 1986 in response to the growth of the fast food industry. Slow Food is basically the opposite of fast food, it's all about choosing sustainable ingredient options and taking time to prepare foods with traditional methods. By slowing down, you can find pleasure and value in the process of preparing and eating food — not just the result.

Each year, the Slow Food community celebrates Terra Madre (Mother Earth) Day on December 10th. It's a day to look at where our food, our basic nourishment, comes from, and what our food future looks like. Of course, at Conceivable, we couldn't help think about how this all might relate to baby making, so we asked ourselves a few questions:

How can Slow Food ideas be applied to baby making? Can we radically change the way that we think about building new people? Can we make impeccable choices in our own lives that will have lasting, positive effects on the person that we create?

We can and we should.

Research shows that nutrition even before conception changes genetic expression in the fetus, that the mother’s psychological state during pregnancy can affect early childhood development, and that a mother’s preconception weight can affect the child’s birth weight and chances of adult obesity.

A growing body of research even shows that dad’s nutrition and age can affect genetic expression in his offspring. That’s right, boys—it takes two to tango, so you need to hold up your part of the bargain.

Implementing positive lifestyle changes like better nutrition and regular exercise takes commitment and time. I’m not telling you to stop wanting a baby every minute of every day with every part of your being—use that desire to make positive changes in your life now. Let it guide and inspire you to create the most wonderful person you can.

Can we radically change the way we think about building new people? We can and we should.

While interventions such as IVF, IUI, clomid, and injectables may certainly be part of a comprehensive solution for some families, they are not the only ingredient that goes into the health and wellness of your baby. The rest of the recipe lies with you. Just like a chef may search meticulously for the best ingredients to create a truly superlative dish, making sure your baby-making components are top notch now will pay off in the final product.

There’s an old Chinese saying: “Before you plant the seed, you must prepare the soil.” Nothing could more accurately describe Conceivable’s approach to fertility wellness. We want to show you how taking the time to improve your general health now can benefit both your fertility and your babies. Slow down and take this time to prepare the best ingredients possible for your future child.