Six practical pillars for preparing for pregnancy in body, mind and relationship
A gentle, science-backed starting point for women, men and couples.
Contents
Welcome
Preparation can be meaningful without becoming another project
Preparing for pregnancy can easily become a stream of lists, restrictions and conflicting advice. Storka offers another way: becoming informed while also nurturing your wellbeing, your relationship and your connection to the journey.
Preconception is not simply a waiting room. It can be a meaningful period in which you learn, reflect, communicate and create supportive foundations for the future—without needing to control every outcome or do everything perfectly.
This guide introduces six practical pillars drawn from the programme modules. Each one comes with three micro-steps you can start this week. Begin with the pillar highlighted in your Compass result, or simply choose the one that feels most relevant today.
You cannot control every outcome. You can choose how you prepare.
How to use this guide
It’s as easy as 1–2–3
The six pillars influence one another, but you do not need to work on all six at once. Your Compass result is a reflection—not a diagnosis, score or verdict.
Use this simple sequence for the next seven days. It gives you a clear place to start while leaving room for normal life and imperfection.
1
Save your action overview Take one screenshot of the compact overview or print it on one page. All 18 ideas are grouped by pillar, with your focus pillar first.
2
Each day, pick one to three steps Begin with your highlighted focus pillar. One step is enough on a busy day; do more only when it feels manageable.
3
Keep them, then add up to three new ones Yesterday’s steps stay. When they feel part of your routine, add up to three new ones—whatever feels calm rather than overwhelming.
Your action overview
Save this page. Start with your focus.
Take a screenshot of this overview. For the next seven days, return to your focus pillar and choose one to three of its steps each day.
Spend 3–5 minutes grounding yourself and listening to your body. You can begin exactly where you are, even while reading this. Sit comfortably with both feet resting on the floor. Notice the room around you and the ground supporting you. Feel your hands and fingers; let your shoulders soften. Take a few gentle breaths in through the nose, allowing your belly to move naturally; pause only if comfortable and breathe out with a soft sigh. Quietly tell yourself, “I’m here, right now.” Then ask: “What am I feeling in my body? Where is there tension, softness or discomfort? What do I need right now?” Nothing needs fixing. If it helps, set a gentle daily phone reminder to return to this pause for a few minutes.
Give yourself 15 minutes to meet uncertainty with compassion and return to what you can nurture. Find a quiet place with a notebook. Take a moment to feel your feet on the ground, then write down a worry that has been taking up space in your mind. Beneath it, make two gentle headings: “What is beyond my control” and “What I can lovingly tend”. Let the first hold what you cannot know or force; under the second, name one caring intention for today, such as resting, getting outside, sharing your feelings or asking for support. End by saying to yourself: “I can care for myself without knowing how everything will unfold.” There is no need to make a bigger plan or find a perfect solution.
Give yourself 20 minutes of wholehearted pleasure through something that delights your senses. Choose something that feels genuinely pleasurable to you: savour a delicious meal without distraction; garden with your hands in the soil; stroll with a friend; dance to music you love; take a warm bath; or sit outdoors and savour the sounds, scents and light. For these 20 minutes, let taste, touch, sound, colour or movement have your attention. There is no outcome to work towards and no need to earn this time. Notice what brings a sense of aliveness, ease or connection.
Begin with abundance: include protein and nourishing fats at your main meals, and eat enough to feel comfortably satisfied. Before chasing the next superfood or aiming for a perfect plate, begin with sufficiency: are you giving your body enough? Start with breakfast, perhaps eggs with sourdough and avocado, or full-fat yoghurt with berries and nuts. At lunch and dinner, make space for foods you enjoy: a satisfying protein such as fish, meat, eggs or another suitable choice; nourishing fats such as olive oil, avocado or nuts; and carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice or bread. You do not need to shrink your portions or remove food groups to prepare consciously for pregnancy. Listen to your hunger, savour the food and allow yourself enough to feel comfortably satisfied. Food is a source of pleasure, energy and abundance, not another exercise in restriction.
Bring colour and curiosity to one meal: explore five naturally colourful ingredients, including a herb or spice you rarely use. Choose one meal and make it a little more vibrant. Keep the protein you enjoy at its centre, then invite in colour: perhaps red tomatoes, orange carrots, purple cabbage, leafy greens and golden turmeric, or whatever is in season. Add a fresh herb or aromatic spice you don't usually reach for—parsley, rosemary, coriander, cumin or paprika. Notice the colours, scent and texture as you prepare and eat. Five is an invitation to experiment, not a score to achieve; use what you have rather than buying a collection of new ingredients.
Make room for nourishing fats: enjoy a meal with salmon, sardines or trout if you eat fish, and savour it with foods you love. Choose a lower-mercury oily fish you enjoy—such as salmon, sardines or trout—and make it part of a satisfying meal. Try roasted salmon with lemon, herbs and vegetables; sardines with tomatoes and olive oil; or trout with seasonal greens and potatoes. Appreciate the flavour rather than treating the meal like a prescription. If fish isn't part of your diet, prepare a meal you enjoy with other food-based fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds. These foods are valuable, but they do not provide the same amounts of the long-chain omega-3 fats DHA and EPA as oily fish.
Keep your body in flow today: change position and move for a few minutes every hour you spend sitting. We often imagine movement as a workout we schedule. Yet our bodies also thrive when we move throughout ordinary life. Our Storka physiotherapist shares a lovely reminder: “The best position is the next position.” Today, notice when you have been at a desk, reading or sitting still for a long stretch. About once an hour, offer yourself 2–3 minutes to change things up: stand and stretch, walk around the room, stroll outside, move your shoulders and hips, or switch between sitting and standing at your desk. A gentle phone reminder can help you remember until it feels natural. If standing is not comfortable or accessible, change your supported sitting position and move the parts of your body you can. There is no perfect posture to hold. Think of movement as a rhythm you return to throughout the day, not a task to tick off.
Pause, listen to your body, then choose 20 minutes of movement that truly meets you where you are today. Movement can be an act of discernment, not a demand to push harder. Before reaching automatically for an intense workout—or deciding to remain still out of habit—pause and ask: “How does my body feel today? What kind of movement would nourish me?” Notice whether you feel restless, energised, heavy, stiff, genuinely depleted, or simply reluctant to begin. Then offer yourself around 20 minutes of movement that responds to what you notice. Put on music and dance freely; enjoy an energising walk; go to the yoga class you love; follow a grounding yoga flow at home; or choose gentle stretches if your body is asking for softness. If your energy or mobility is limited, adapt the time and movements to what is comfortable. The invitation is not to force a workout or use tiredness as another reason to judge yourself. It is to choose movement consciously, with curiosity and care. Afterwards, pause again: “Was this what I needed?”
After one main meal, give your body a gentle 10–15-minute walk and let your muscles help steady your blood sugar. We often think blood-sugar balance is only about what is on our plate. But your muscles have a part to play, too. Today, after lunch or dinner, step outside for a relaxed 10–15-minute walk, ideally soon after finishing your meal. Stroll with someone you love, follow the path around the block, or walk indoors if that suits you better. No power walk, fitness tracker or particular pace is needed: simply let your body move while your meal is being digested. Notice how such a small shift in your everyday rhythm feels. Movement can support the way you process a meal without turning eating or exercise into another set of rules.
Before breakfast, bring your water to an open window, balcony or doorstep, welcome the daylight and notice the morning sky. One little ritual I love in the morning, as I take in the sky, is to remind myself of something Maya Angelou once said: “This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.” I love that thought. Every morning offers us a blank new page—a day we have never lived before, full of possibilities we have not yet discovered. Perhaps you would like to carry these words with you as you sip your morning water and welcome the daylight. Because here is something fascinating: the way we prepare for tonight’s sleep begins with how we greet the morning. Rather than reaching straight for your phone, pour yourself a glass of water and make space for the natural light. Open a window, step onto a balcony or stand outside your door. Look towards the open sky (not directly at the sun): what colours, clouds and qualities of light do you notice today? Take a few unhurried sips. There is no need for a scheduled walk or a fixed number of minutes. Daylight outdoors is typically brighter than light indoors, so step outside when you can. If you wake before sunrise, return to this moment when daylight arrives. Let it become a small ritual of meeting the day with presence.
As evening falls, soften the light at home: switch off bright ceiling lights and welcome warm, low lamps or candlelight. Tonight, as daylight fades, notice the light in your home. Instead of switching on bright ceiling lamps, create a few small pools of warm, gentle light with a dimmed floor lamp or table lamp placed lower in the room. If you love the ritual of candlelight, enjoy a simple unscented candle while you are there, or use a warm LED candle to create a similar glow without smoke. Let this be a conscious change of pace: perhaps enjoy dinner, read or have a quiet conversation in this softer light. Notice how the atmosphere changes as the room shifts from the brightness of the working day to the calm of the evening. Keep enough light for safety, and never leave a real candle unattended.
One hour before bed, put your phone, computer and recreational screens away. Let the evening belong to you, rather than the next thing to scroll. Our screens do beautiful things: they connect us with loved ones, teach us and help us feel part of the world. But how easily one last message becomes half an hour of scrolling, with the day’s news, stories and worries following us to bed. Tonight, one hour before your usual bedtime, give your devices a resting place. Charge your phone away from the bed, close the laptop and step away from recreational scrolling. Keep essential access for caregiving and emergencies, of course. Welcome the warm, gentle lights you created yesterday. Read, stretch, listen to music, take a bath, or be present with your partner, family, children or yourself. You do not need to replace screens with another productive activity. Allow the information of the day to settle. Return your attention from the outside world to your own senses, the space around you and the people in it. The world will still be there tomorrow; tonight, allow yourself to be here.
Welcome fresh air into your home today, and make opening your windows a gentle daily ritual when outdoor air is clean. Long before we hold a future child in our arms, we can begin preparing a home that feels like a sanctuary: a place of warmth, safety and nourishment. It's a quiet intention we send out into the universe: we are making room for new life. And the care we hope to offer a child one day can begin with the care we offer ourselves, here and now. One lovely place to begin is with the very air that fills our home.
We often think carefully about what we eat and drink, yet every day we take thousands of breaths in the spaces where we live. Today, let your home breathe. When the air outside is fresh and it is safe to do so, open a window or balcony door for a little while, or use your home’s fresh-air ventilation system. Take a moment by the opening. Notice the air against your face, the smells and sounds around you, and the feeling of welcoming the outdoors inside. Perhaps make this a gentle morning ritual or a moment you return to each day. There is no need to buy anything to begin. If you would like to take your indoor-air care a step further, consider a properly sized HEPA air purifier for the bedroom, particularly where airborne particles are a concern. A purifier helps filter particles suspended in the air; it does not replace ventilation, removing pollution sources, or occasional damp dusting of settled dust.
Before one meal today, savour a handful of bitter greens, such as rocket or radicchio, and notice how your body welcomes food. We tend to think of digestion as something that begins in the stomach, but it starts with our senses. Before one meal today, make a little room for bitterness. Add a handful of rocket (arugula), radicchio or chicory to your plate, perhaps with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Take a moment before the first bite. Notice the colour, the scent, the distinctly bitter taste and how your mouth responds. You might enjoy the greens first, then continue with your usual satisfying meal. There is no need to fast, restrict food, drink bitter tonics or change the rest of your plate. Consider this a small invitation to savour how intelligently your body prepares to receive nourishment.
Save the EWG Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen lists on your phone, and let them gently guide one choice on your next food shop. There is something lovely about gathering food for the people we love: choosing what is in season, noticing the colours of the harvest, imagining the meals we will share. Even among the busy aisles of a supermarket, we can bring a little of that care back to the way we shop. Today, meet two simple companions from the Environmental Working Group (EWG): the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen. The Clean Fifteen highlights produce where fewer pesticide residues were found in the samples tested; the Dirty Dozen highlights produce where more were detected. Explore the lists here: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/ . Save them on your phone for the next time you shop. Perhaps you choose organic berries or leafy greens when they are available and within your means, and happily bring home conventionally grown favourites too. You do not need to change your whole basket. Let the lists invite curiosity, not worry. Choose what is fresh, colourful, satisfying and accessible. The point is not a perfect basket, but a little more tenderness and awareness in the everyday act of feeding yourself.
Take 20 minutes to name the people who could be part of your village, honour one boundary, and reach towards someone who helps you feel supported. It takes a village to raise a child. Yet so often, modern life asks us to carry everything ourselves, as though a growing family should need no one beyond its own front door. But preparing for new life can begin by tending to the circle of people who hold us, too. Today, give yourself a quiet 20 minutes with a pen and paper. Ask: Who lets me be fully myself, without having to perform, explain or prove anything? Who sees and respects me, even when they do not understand every part of my journey? Whose presence helps me soften? Write down two or three names. Then gently notice where your energy is being stretched thin: a commitment you always say yes to, a relationship in which you leave feeling diminished, or an expectation that is not yours to carry. Choose one kind boundary to protect your energy. Finally, send a message to one person in your village: perhaps an invitation for tea, a walk, or a simple “I would love to spend some time together.” You need not ask them to become part of your future family story today. Begin by nurturing the relationship that is already here. If you are preparing for parenthood without a partner, your village matters just as much. A village can include friends, relatives, neighbours, chosen family and people who care for you in ways both large and small.
Set aside 20 minutes with your partner to name what you each need right now, express one request, and listen to one another without interruption. We sometimes hope the person closest to us will simply know what we need. But even a loving partner cannot always read what remains unspoken. Conscious partnership asks us to take responsibility for understanding our own needs and offering them honestly, while making room for the other person’s truth. Before talking, pause alone for a few minutes. Ask yourself: What do I truly need in this season of preparing for a child? What can I offer myself? Where would support from my partner feel nourishing? Then sit together somewhere comfortable, without screens. Take turns sharing one feeling and one specific, kind request: “I have been feeling uncertain lately. I need more reassurance, and I would love it if we could make space to talk on Sunday.” While one person speaks, the other simply listens, without interrupting, defending, correcting or rushing to solve. When they finish, respond with “Thank you for sharing that with me.” Ask whether they would like comfort, ideas or practical help, rather than assuming. Then swap places. If you are preparing independently, reflect on the same questions and practise expressing one need to someone you trust. This is not a test of how well you communicate; it is a moment to meet each other more consciously.
Share 15 minutes of consensual, unhurried touch or closeness with your partner, with no agenda beyond feeling connected. There is a tenderness that words cannot always reach. In the midst of planning, hoping, wondering and waiting, it is easy for touch to become another thing with a purpose. Today, let it simply be a way of coming home to one another. Ask your partner: “Would a little closeness feel good right now?” If you both wish, sit side by side and hold hands, trace small circles on each other’s palms, gently brush each other’s hair, exchange a shoulder massage or rest together in a comfortable embrace. Give yourselves 15 unhurried minutes. Breathe in your own natural rhythm; there is no need to synchronise or perform calm. There is no expectation of sex, problem-solving or conversation about fertility. If touch does not feel right, choose another form of closeness, such as sitting together with a warm drink or listening to music. You could end by sharing one quiet intention—perhaps “May we meet whatever comes with tenderness,” or “We are where we need to be as this journey unfolds.” If you are preparing independently, enjoy caring contact with someone you trust if welcome, or offer yourself a grounding moment of warmth and comfort. The invitation is to let connection be enough.
01
Pillar 1 of 6
Mindset & Intention
Conscious preparation begins by making space for the deeper meaning of the journey. Deciding to grow a family can be recognised as a milestone in itself—not only as the start of a race towards an outcome.
A clear ‘why’ helps everyday choices feel connected to your values. It also makes it easier to let go of perfection: you can care deeply about this period without needing to control every part of it.
Three micro-steps to start this week
Choose the one that fits your life. One small step is enough.
1
Spend 3–5 minutes grounding yourself and listening to your body You can begin exactly where you are, even while reading this. Sit comfortably with both feet resting on the floor. Notice the room around you and the ground supporting you. Feel your hands and fingers; let your shoulders soften. Take a few gentle breaths in through the nose, allowing your belly to move naturally; pause only if comfortable and breathe out with a soft sigh. Quietly tell yourself, “I’m here, right now.” Then ask: “What am I feeling in my body? Where is there tension, softness or discomfort? What do I need right now?” Nothing needs fixing. If it helps, set a gentle daily phone reminder to return to this pause for a few minutes.
2
Give yourself 15 minutes to meet uncertainty with compassion and return to what you can nurture Find a quiet place with a notebook. Take a moment to feel your feet on the ground, then write down a worry that has been taking up space in your mind. Beneath it, make two gentle headings: “What is beyond my control” and “What I can lovingly tend”. Let the first hold what you cannot know or force; under the second, name one caring intention for today, such as resting, getting outside, sharing your feelings or asking for support. End by saying to yourself: “I can care for myself without knowing how everything will unfold.” There is no need to make a bigger plan or find a perfect solution.
3
Give yourself 20 minutes of wholehearted pleasure through something that delights your senses Choose something that feels genuinely pleasurable to you: savour a delicious meal without distraction; garden with your hands in the soil; stroll with a friend; dance to music you love; take a warm bath; or sit outdoors and savour the sounds, scents and light. For these 20 minutes, let taste, touch, sound, colour or movement have your attention. There is no outcome to work towards and no need to earn this time. Notice what brings a sense of aliveness, ease or connection.
A question to sit with
What do I hope to bring into the way I prepare for parenthood—not only into the outcome?
Goes deeper in the programme: Welcome to Storka · Preconception Mindset
Success can be a way of travelling, not only a destination.
02
Pillar 2 of 6
Nourish & Microbiome
Food is one of the most practical places to begin. Simple meals built from whole ingredients, steady hydration and a varied, plant-rich plate support your wider wellbeing—and a diverse diet also feeds the community of microbes in your gut.
Both egg and sperm develop over months, which is one reason nourishment matters for both biological parents. This is not about restriction or a perfect diet. It is about a few small, repeatable habits.
Three micro-steps to start this week
Choose the one that fits your life. One small step is enough.
1
Begin with abundance: include protein and nourishing fats at your main meals, and eat enough to feel comfortably satisfied Before chasing the next superfood or aiming for a perfect plate, begin with sufficiency: are you giving your body enough? Start with breakfast, perhaps eggs with sourdough and avocado, or full-fat yoghurt with berries and nuts. At lunch and dinner, make space for foods you enjoy: a satisfying protein such as fish, meat, eggs or another suitable choice; nourishing fats such as olive oil, avocado or nuts; and carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice or bread. You do not need to shrink your portions or remove food groups to prepare consciously for pregnancy. Listen to your hunger, savour the food and allow yourself enough to feel comfortably satisfied. Food is a source of pleasure, energy and abundance, not another exercise in restriction.
2
Bring colour and curiosity to one meal: explore five naturally colourful ingredients, including a herb or spice you rarely use Choose one meal and make it a little more vibrant. Keep the protein you enjoy at its centre, then invite in colour: perhaps red tomatoes, orange carrots, purple cabbage, leafy greens and golden turmeric, or whatever is in season. Add a fresh herb or aromatic spice you don't usually reach for—parsley, rosemary, coriander, cumin or paprika. Notice the colours, scent and texture as you prepare and eat. Five is an invitation to experiment, not a score to achieve; use what you have rather than buying a collection of new ingredients.
3
Make room for nourishing fats: enjoy a meal with salmon, sardines or trout if you eat fish, and savour it with foods you love Choose a lower-mercury oily fish you enjoy—such as salmon, sardines or trout—and make it part of a satisfying meal. Try roasted salmon with lemon, herbs and vegetables; sardines with tomatoes and olive oil; or trout with seasonal greens and potatoes. Appreciate the flavour rather than treating the meal like a prescription. If fish isn't part of your diet, prepare a meal you enjoy with other food-based fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds. These foods are valuable, but they do not provide the same amounts of the long-chain omega-3 fats DHA and EPA as oily fish.
A question to sit with
Which meal of my week already feels most nourishing—and could I repeat it once more?
Goes deeper in the programme: Nourish Your Body · Your Mighty Microbiome
Your body is not a problem to solve. It is a relationship to nurture.
03
Pillar 3 of 6
Movement
Regular, enjoyable movement supports circulation, mood, sleep and stress—and less time sitting still matters as much as any workout.
Preconception is not the moment for punishing routines. Walking, stretching, swimming or dancing all count. Let how your body feels, rather than intensity, guide you.
Three micro-steps to start this week
Choose the one that fits your life. One small step is enough.
1
Keep your body in flow today: change position and move for a few minutes every hour you spend sitting We often imagine movement as a workout we schedule. Yet our bodies also thrive when we move throughout ordinary life. Our Storka physiotherapist shares a lovely reminder: “The best position is the next position.” Today, notice when you have been at a desk, reading or sitting still for a long stretch. About once an hour, offer yourself 2–3 minutes to change things up: stand and stretch, walk around the room, stroll outside, move your shoulders and hips, or switch between sitting and standing at your desk. A gentle phone reminder can help you remember until it feels natural. If standing is not comfortable or accessible, change your supported sitting position and move the parts of your body you can. There is no perfect posture to hold. Think of movement as a rhythm you return to throughout the day, not a task to tick off.
2
Pause, listen to your body, then choose 20 minutes of movement that truly meets you where you are today Movement can be an act of discernment, not a demand to push harder. Before reaching automatically for an intense workout—or deciding to remain still out of habit—pause and ask: “How does my body feel today? What kind of movement would nourish me?” Notice whether you feel restless, energised, heavy, stiff, genuinely depleted, or simply reluctant to begin. Then offer yourself around 20 minutes of movement that responds to what you notice. Put on music and dance freely; enjoy an energising walk; go to the yoga class you love; follow a grounding yoga flow at home; or choose gentle stretches if your body is asking for softness. If your energy or mobility is limited, adapt the time and movements to what is comfortable. The invitation is not to force a workout or use tiredness as another reason to judge yourself. It is to choose movement consciously, with curiosity and care. Afterwards, pause again: “Was this what I needed?”
3
After one main meal, give your body a gentle 10–15-minute walk and let your muscles help steady your blood sugar We often think blood-sugar balance is only about what is on our plate. But your muscles have a part to play, too. Today, after lunch or dinner, step outside for a relaxed 10–15-minute walk, ideally soon after finishing your meal. Stroll with someone you love, follow the path around the block, or walk indoors if that suits you better. No power walk, fitness tracker or particular pace is needed: simply let your body move while your meal is being digested. Notice how such a small shift in your everyday rhythm feels. Movement can support the way you process a meal without turning eating or exercise into another set of rules.
A question to sit with
What kind of movement makes me feel most like myself?
Goes deeper in the programme: Movement & Exercise
The best movement is the one you look forward to.
04
Pillar 4 of 6
Sleep & Circadian Rhythm
Stress is a natural part of life and should not become another reason for self-blame. The aim is not to feel calm all the time, but to have a few gentle tools that help your nervous system settle.
Sleep is closely linked: a steadier rhythm of rest supports hormones, mood and daily energy. Small, consistent evening habits often help more than big changes.
Three micro-steps to start this week
Choose the one that fits your life. One small step is enough.
1
Before breakfast, bring your water to an open window, balcony or doorstep, welcome the daylight and notice the morning sky One little ritual I love in the morning, as I take in the sky, is to remind myself of something Maya Angelou once said: “This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.” I love that thought. Every morning offers us a blank new page—a day we have never lived before, full of possibilities we have not yet discovered. Perhaps you would like to carry these words with you as you sip your morning water and welcome the daylight. Because here is something fascinating: the way we prepare for tonight’s sleep begins with how we greet the morning. Rather than reaching straight for your phone, pour yourself a glass of water and make space for the natural light. Open a window, step onto a balcony or stand outside your door. Look towards the open sky (not directly at the sun): what colours, clouds and qualities of light do you notice today? Take a few unhurried sips. There is no need for a scheduled walk or a fixed number of minutes. Daylight outdoors is typically brighter than light indoors, so step outside when you can. If you wake before sunrise, return to this moment when daylight arrives. Let it become a small ritual of meeting the day with presence.
2
As evening falls, soften the light at home: switch off bright ceiling lights and welcome warm, low lamps or candlelight Tonight, as daylight fades, notice the light in your home. Instead of switching on bright ceiling lamps, create a few small pools of warm, gentle light with a dimmed floor lamp or table lamp placed lower in the room. If you love the ritual of candlelight, enjoy a simple unscented candle while you are there, or use a warm LED candle to create a similar glow without smoke. Let this be a conscious change of pace: perhaps enjoy dinner, read or have a quiet conversation in this softer light. Notice how the atmosphere changes as the room shifts from the brightness of the working day to the calm of the evening. Keep enough light for safety, and never leave a real candle unattended.
3
One hour before bed, put your phone, computer and recreational screens away. Let the evening belong to you, rather than the next thing to scroll Our screens do beautiful things: they connect us with loved ones, teach us and help us feel part of the world. But how easily one last message becomes half an hour of scrolling, with the day’s news, stories and worries following us to bed. Tonight, one hour before your usual bedtime, give your devices a resting place. Charge your phone away from the bed, close the laptop and step away from recreational scrolling. Keep essential access for caregiving and emergencies, of course. Welcome the warm, gentle lights you created yesterday. Read, stretch, listen to music, take a bath, or be present with your partner, family, children or yourself. You do not need to replace screens with another productive activity. Allow the information of the day to settle. Return your attention from the outside world to your own senses, the space around you and the people in it. The world will still be there tomorrow; tonight, allow yourself to be here.
A question to sit with
Where am I placing unnecessary pressure on myself in this journey?
Goes deeper in the programme: Master Your Stress · Sleep Your Way to Parenthood
Doing your best does not mean being perfect.
05
Pillar 5 of 6
Environment & Toxins
Good information should create clarity, not anxiety. Understanding the basics of reproductive biology—for both parents—and the phases of the menstrual cycle helps you make informed choices with more confidence.
Everyday environments matter too. You cannot remove every exposure, and you do not need to. Small, calm swaps at home—in the kitchen, the bathroom and cleaning cupboard—are a meaningful beginning.
Three micro-steps to start this week
Choose the one that fits your life. One small step is enough.
1
Welcome fresh air into your home today, and make opening your windows a gentle daily ritual when outdoor air is clean Long before we hold a future child in our arms, we can begin preparing a home that feels like a sanctuary: a place of warmth, safety and nourishment. It's a quiet intention we send out into the universe: we are making room for new life. And the care we hope to offer a child one day can begin with the care we offer ourselves, here and now. One lovely place to begin is with the very air that fills our home.
We often think carefully about what we eat and drink, yet every day we take thousands of breaths in the spaces where we live. Today, let your home breathe. When the air outside is fresh and it is safe to do so, open a window or balcony door for a little while, or use your home’s fresh-air ventilation system. Take a moment by the opening. Notice the air against your face, the smells and sounds around you, and the feeling of welcoming the outdoors inside. Perhaps make this a gentle morning ritual or a moment you return to each day. There is no need to buy anything to begin. If you would like to take your indoor-air care a step further, consider a properly sized HEPA air purifier for the bedroom, particularly where airborne particles are a concern. A purifier helps filter particles suspended in the air; it does not replace ventilation, removing pollution sources, or occasional damp dusting of settled dust.
2
Before one meal today, savour a handful of bitter greens, such as rocket or radicchio, and notice how your body welcomes food We tend to think of digestion as something that begins in the stomach, but it starts with our senses. Before one meal today, make a little room for bitterness. Add a handful of rocket (arugula), radicchio or chicory to your plate, perhaps with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Take a moment before the first bite. Notice the colour, the scent, the distinctly bitter taste and how your mouth responds. You might enjoy the greens first, then continue with your usual satisfying meal. There is no need to fast, restrict food, drink bitter tonics or change the rest of your plate. Consider this a small invitation to savour how intelligently your body prepares to receive nourishment.
3
Save the EWG Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen lists on your phone, and let them gently guide one choice on your next food shop There is something lovely about gathering food for the people we love: choosing what is in season, noticing the colours of the harvest, imagining the meals we will share. Even among the busy aisles of a supermarket, we can bring a little of that care back to the way we shop. Today, meet two simple companions from the Environmental Working Group (EWG): the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen. The Clean Fifteen highlights produce where fewer pesticide residues were found in the samples tested; the Dirty Dozen highlights produce where more were detected. Explore the lists here: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/ . Save them on your phone for the next time you shop. Perhaps you choose organic berries or leafy greens when they are available and within your means, and happily bring home conventionally grown favourites too. You do not need to change your whole basket. Let the lists invite curiosity, not worry. Choose what is fresh, colourful, satisfying and accessible. The point is not a perfect basket, but a little more tenderness and awareness in the everyday act of feeding yourself.
A question to sit with
Which preconception topic currently leaves me feeling least clear or most overwhelmed?
Goes deeper in the programme: Biology of Preconception · Fertility Awareness · Toxins & Detoxification
The purpose of learning is not to know everything. It is to make more informed choices.
06
Pillar 6 of 6
Relationships & Support
Preconception should not automatically become one person’s physical and mental responsibility. A male partner matters biologically through sperm health, practically through shared habits and decisions, and emotionally through listening and mutual support.
Not everyone is preparing with a romantic partner. A trusted friend, family member or professional can still offer meaningful support. Shared preparation begins with space to speak honestly and listen without immediately trying to solve.
What might my partner or supportive person need right now?
What does our relationship or support system need so that we can grow through this journey?
Three micro-steps to start this week
Choose the one that fits your life. One small step is enough.
1
Take 20 minutes to name the people who could be part of your village, honour one boundary, and reach towards someone who helps you feel supported It takes a village to raise a child. Yet so often, modern life asks us to carry everything ourselves, as though a growing family should need no one beyond its own front door. But preparing for new life can begin by tending to the circle of people who hold us, too. Today, give yourself a quiet 20 minutes with a pen and paper. Ask: Who lets me be fully myself, without having to perform, explain or prove anything? Who sees and respects me, even when they do not understand every part of my journey? Whose presence helps me soften? Write down two or three names. Then gently notice where your energy is being stretched thin: a commitment you always say yes to, a relationship in which you leave feeling diminished, or an expectation that is not yours to carry. Choose one kind boundary to protect your energy. Finally, send a message to one person in your village: perhaps an invitation for tea, a walk, or a simple “I would love to spend some time together.” You need not ask them to become part of your future family story today. Begin by nurturing the relationship that is already here. If you are preparing for parenthood without a partner, your village matters just as much. A village can include friends, relatives, neighbours, chosen family and people who care for you in ways both large and small.
2
Set aside 20 minutes with your partner to name what you each need right now, express one request, and listen to one another without interruption We sometimes hope the person closest to us will simply know what we need. But even a loving partner cannot always read what remains unspoken. Conscious partnership asks us to take responsibility for understanding our own needs and offering them honestly, while making room for the other person’s truth. Before talking, pause alone for a few minutes. Ask yourself: What do I truly need in this season of preparing for a child? What can I offer myself? Where would support from my partner feel nourishing? Then sit together somewhere comfortable, without screens. Take turns sharing one feeling and one specific, kind request: “I have been feeling uncertain lately. I need more reassurance, and I would love it if we could make space to talk on Sunday.” While one person speaks, the other simply listens, without interrupting, defending, correcting or rushing to solve. When they finish, respond with “Thank you for sharing that with me.” Ask whether they would like comfort, ideas or practical help, rather than assuming. Then swap places. If you are preparing independently, reflect on the same questions and practise expressing one need to someone you trust. This is not a test of how well you communicate; it is a moment to meet each other more consciously.
3
Share 15 minutes of consensual, unhurried touch or closeness with your partner, with no agenda beyond feeling connected There is a tenderness that words cannot always reach. In the midst of planning, hoping, wondering and waiting, it is easy for touch to become another thing with a purpose. Today, let it simply be a way of coming home to one another. Ask your partner: “Would a little closeness feel good right now?” If you both wish, sit side by side and hold hands, trace small circles on each other’s palms, gently brush each other’s hair, exchange a shoulder massage or rest together in a comfortable embrace. Give yourselves 15 unhurried minutes. Breathe in your own natural rhythm; there is no need to synchronise or perform calm. There is no expectation of sex, problem-solving or conversation about fertility. If touch does not feel right, choose another form of closeness, such as sitting together with a warm drink or listening to music. You could end by sharing one quiet intention—perhaps “May we meet whatever comes with tenderness,” or “We are where we need to be as this journey unfolds.” If you are preparing independently, enjoy caring contact with someone you trust if welcome, or offer yourself a grounding moment of warmth and comfort. The invitation is to let connection be enough.
A question to sit with
What do I want to focus on in my preconception journey, and what do I need right now?
Goes deeper in the programme: Couple’s reflections throughout the programme
Shared preparation is about more than supporting the woman. Both people belong in the journey.
Your seven-day rhythm
Repeat the same simple 1–2–3
You do not need a new plan. Follow this rhythm until the steps begin to feel familiar.
1
Save your action overview Take one screenshot of the compact overview or print it on one page. All 18 ideas are grouped by pillar, with your focus pillar first.
2
Each day, pick one to three steps Begin with your highlighted focus pillar. One step is enough on a busy day; do more only when it feels manageable.
3
Keep them, then add up to three new ones Yesterday’s steps stay. When they feel part of your routine, add up to three new ones—whatever feels calm rather than overwhelming.
At the end of the week
Keep the steps that supported you. Let go of what did not fit, and add one new step only when you feel ready.
Gentle change should fit into your life—not require you to put your life on hold.
A look inside the programme
From a first reflection to a complete journey
This free guide introduces the philosophy. The holistic Preconception Wellness Programme provides the depth, structure and practical support.
Across nine gently paced weeks, more than 100 studio-produced, bite-sized lessons guide you through the science, the why and the practical how of preconception wellbeing and health.
Conversations with field-specific specialists and dozens of handouts, summaries, cheat sheets, exercises, infographics and meditations all share one goal: to give you what you need to know about preconception while making it simple and unoverwhelming. The Introduction and Preconception Mindset modules are available immediately; one new module then unlocks each week.
10modules over 9 weeks8specialists in their fields100+studio-produced lessons
If this guide has helped you see preparation differently, the complete holistic programme is here to accompany you further.
You will explore body, mind and relationship with greater depth, understand why each foundation matters and receive simple practices that can be integrated gradually into real life.
There is no hustle, no expectation of perfection and no promise to control every outcome—only thoughtful guidance to help you enter the journey feeling more informed, connected and supported.
We created Storka while preparing for parenthood ourselves. The principles shared throughout the programme have accompanied us through the birth of our first daughter, a period of postpartum nurturing and conscious preparation before welcoming our twin girls.
Seeing these ideas support other like-minded people has become one of the most meaningful parts of our journey.
Small, sustainable changes Shared preparation
Keep the guide close
Download the 14-page edition to read, print or revisit whenever your needs change.
