Francesca Ogiermann-White is a writer, speaker and consultant specialising in aesthetics and cosmetic surgery.  In addition to being Tatler's Health & Beauty Editor-at-Large, and Chair of the Press Advisory Board for BAAPS, she is the founder of The Beauty Triangle: a platform that educates and empowers modern audiences on all aspects of their health and wellbeing, via intimate panel discussions and immersive events. Francesca is mother to Felix aged two and offers a fresh and deeply informed perspective on beauty for mothers, pregnant women and those preparing to conceive.

Early Days: Preparing to Conceive

We sometimes assume that the journey to having a baby starts when those thin pink lines appear on a pregnancy test – but, for many women, their conception strategy began long before. After all, whether you’re preparing for your first child or your fourth, being in the right space –physically but also emotionally – is key.   

When I was planning for our son, Felix, I threw myself wholeheartedly into the project. As a first-time, hopeful mother-to-be, I had time, and energy, on my side (I know this isn’t always the case when you have an existing child, or several, simultaneously demanding your attention). However, I’m also a health and beauty journalist: which means that I know some excellent practitioners - both medical and complementary – many of whom were indispensable during these early days.  

Understanding your cycle is, naturally, fundamental to conception. And while there are countless apps to help you track and analyse and predict, nothing beats getting to know your body a little better. ‘Being aware of the signs – like fluctuations in body temperature, breast tenderness and changes to your normal discharge – can help pinpoint when you ovulate’, explains naturopath Jenya Di Pierro, who uses natural medicine and herbs to help women conceive.

Don’t overlook the power of good nutrition. ‘Make sure you’re supporting your body by eating nourishing, nutrient-dense foods, such as oily fish, leafy greens and wholegrains’, advises Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Renata Nunes. A skilled physiotherapist, Nunes also performs some incredible bodywork: such as abdominal massage, which eases sluggish digestion, and migraine-eliminating acupressure. (Conception complete, she switches to techniques that are suitable from the first trimester – perhaps to ease back pain, or reduce nausea – a godsend for those suffering with morning sickness).

Supplementation, understandably, plays a big part: adequate levels of zinc (to regulate hormone levels), omega 3 (for increased blood flow and cervical mucus) and folate (the naturally-derived form of folic acid, essential for healthy ovulation and implantation) are the building blocks of a healthy conception, and often hard to obtain through diet alone. Lorna Driver-Davis, a nutritionist and specialist in menstrual and hormonal balance is an excellent first port of call when seeking advice. I also took Wild Nutrition’s Daily Essentials for Women’s Fertility – handy sachets of omegas and a multivitamin blend - in preparation for pregnancy. (Don’t forget about your partner: Wild Nutrition’s Food-Grown Fertility Support for Men is also brilliant for sperm health, testosterone and overall immunity).  

Now, to the therapies. Acupuncture is often relied upon to help regulate the menstrual cycle – and to this day, I credit the exceptional Anne De Mamiel with reinstating my own after polycystic ovaries led to years of absence. However, my monthly check-ins with Ross J. Barr were what truly kept me sane in the lead-up to pregnancy and beyond. In a light, plant-filled room of Claire Mellon & Associates at The Portland Hospital, Barr would station me on the treatment table, a heat lamp warming my bare feet, and place slender acupuncture needles in specific points, to strengthen my body and support conception. Then he would stick tiny, adhesive Calm Patches of his own design on my temples (their scent is strong yet remedial), and I would zone out.

Headspace of another variety can be found through movement. Getting to the gym might be the last thing on your mind; however, it lays the foundations for a stronger body in pregnancy (and for carrying that additional load). 

Headspace of another variety can be found through movement. Getting to the gym might be the last thing on your mind; however, it lays the foundations for a stronger body in pregnancy (and for carrying that additional load). I loved my online workouts with Monique Eastwood, which used minimal props like hand weights and a resistance band (her online app makes fitting a session into the day a breeze). Also highly recommended is reformer Pilates instructor, Laura Montis-Brown (find her at Heartcore in Chelsea), and Paola Di Lanzo (her mat-based, core-honing workouts are unrivalled).

Though when it comes to fortifying one’s pelvic floor, Dr Galyna Selezneva is the woman you need on speed dial. The aesthetic doctor (who works from the Dr Rita Rakus clinic in Knightsbridge) flies the flag for intimate health – and the moment I mentioned making plans to conceive, she promptly sat me on the Emsella – a chair that emits high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy, causing the pelvic floor to contract. ‘It’s a misdemeanour that pelvic floor exercises only begin when you’re pregnant’, explains Selezneva. ‘You want to get these muscles in the best possible shape before you even start to conceive’. (Another wildly talented individual is pelvic health physiotherapist, Clare Bourne, who I recommend to women suffering with painful intercourse, an overactive bladder or anything, really, connected to pre- or post-natal health).   

I strongly, passionately, believe that we can achieve great things when we involve the right people: true experts, who can hold our hand and guide us when we feel lost. That’s the reason that I founded The Beauty Triangle

Of course, conception isn’t the finish line - it’s simply another signpost on a long and sometimes unpredictable pathway. And I haven’t even begun to acknowledge the journeys that those women going through egg freezing, IVF or surrogacy embark upon, all of which are inspiring and frankly medal-worthy. But I strongly, passionately, believe that we can achieve great things when we involve the right people: true experts, who can hold our hand and guide us when we feel lost. That’s the reason that I founded The Beauty Triangle: a health and wellbeing platform that was created to connect consumers with genuine experts through the power of discussion. We cover subjects that are seen as taboo, and we have the conversations that no-one else is having – so that you can make safe and better-informed decisions that are right for you.

The earliest days of pregnancy can be a time of uncertainty, but they can also be life-affirming. I hope that anyone who reads this has a positive experience when they get there.