Anna-Maria is the founder of BabyFORTE®, a high-quality dietary supplement for fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding. She has been in the healthcare industry for over 10 years and, combined as a mother of two, is THE expert on how to best prepare for a healthy pregnancy. I am very happy about the interview with her!

1. Dear Anna-Maria, tell us how you came up with the idea of ​​founding BabyFORTE®?

It has always been my dream to become an entrepreneur. I had the idea for BabyFORTE® on a sunny Saturday afternoon in 2010: I met a good friend who told me that she and her husband are now actively planning a family. She showed me what supplements she takes to prepare for a possible pregnancy. “Classic” pregnancy vitamins, something natural and special micronutrients for fertility. It all seemed very complicated to me. That day I decided to do better. This is how the idea for BabyFORTE® was born. I was working for a rapid diagnostics manufacturer at the time. Our portfolio consisted of fertility pregnancy tests and tests for food intolerance. The business models are similar in many respects in terms of distribution channels and quality assurance. This technical background helped me a lot, especially at the beginning.

2. In your opinion, what are the most important points to consider when planning a child?

The desire to have children is a nice moment to get to know your own body better. Many women stop using hormonal contraceptives and it takes time for the body to find its natural balance again. The stronger the hormonal balance is restored, the easier it is to interpret the signs of fertile and infertile days. A desire to have children is a good reason to learn to read these signs. Furthermore, I think it makes sense to check your own vaccination status again and to go to the dentist. Not all medical treatments are good for the baby, and if you do need treatment, it's often better to get it done before you get pregnant.

3. What should you pay particular attention to when you want to have children when it comes to nutrition? Do you have to change them completely?

A healthy, balanced diet is best for health in every situation. If you want to have children, it is of course nice to pay a little more attention to this, because your own body becomes the home of a new life during pregnancy. The mother's body provides all the nutrients, but also has to give them away - an important and equally demanding task. We are offering two BabyFORTE® products for this time: BabyFORTE® Fertility is very popular with women who not only want to prepare their bodies for pregnancy but also want to do something specifically for fertility and hormones. Alternatively, we offer BabyFORTE® FolsäurePlus, which was developed less specifically for fertility and more as a highly practical companion for the desire to have children, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

4. Now the pregnancy test is positive. What has to be considered now?

5. Do I have to pay attention to something when taking BabyFORTE® fertility or pregnancy vitamins?

High doses of vitamins should always be taken with a meal. This helps the body process it and makes it easier to digest. Otherwise, it is important that women with an overactive thyroid consult their doctor. As a rule, it is better for these women to take fertility and pregnancy vitamins without iodine. Since last year we have also had BabyFORTE® without iodine in our range.

6. What makes the BabyFORTE® products so special in detail?

On the one hand, we rely on a wide range of micronutrients when it comes to ingredients: We combine "classic" vitamins for fertility and pregnancy with high-quality extracts, amino acids and plant substances. On the other hand, we are very restrictive when it comes to the use of animal ingredients, binders, release agents and dyes. Many of our customers appreciate that our daily portions are one or two capsules at most. Nobody likes to swallow pills! And we have very personal customer service because we're a family business, not a corporation.

7. Do you have any special tips for promoting female fertility?

During the cycle there is only a window of three to five fertile days. Knowing these can help. If you are unsure, fertility trackers or ovulation tests can help. Otherwise, I don't think much of checklists or to-do lists to have children. They quickly escalate into stress and pressure to perform, and you quickly lose sight of what it actually means to have children: a wonderful and courageous decision and one of life's greatest adventures.

8. Can the man also do something to speed up getting pregnant?

The man can not only do something, he is also very good at it. After all, in half the cases the desire to have children lies with the man and he provides half of the genes of the New Life. Little stress, a healthy diet and exercise are very beneficial for the healthy development of sperm. They can also develop better if men avoid hot baths and tight pants. Over the past few years, we have noticed time and again how committed men are to this topic: we receive e-mails from customers that start with sentences like “My wife and I are pregnant...”. I think this is a great development and our answer to this is the MascuPRO® Fertility vitamins for men, which we have developed with the same love and scientific care as the BabyFORTE® line.

9. Finally, to be clear: what myths are there about the desire to have children or pregnancy that should finally be cleared up? ☺

There are so many myths surrounding pregnancy. I'll tell you about three things about which we keep getting inquiries: 1. You can influence the sex by timing the conception. - There are a few theories surrounding this rumor because sperm with XY chromosomes (boy) swim faster than sperm with XX chromosomes (girl).In fact, there is no study that provides evidence that the theory is correct. So you have to be surprised when it comes to the gender of the baby. 2. Only women have a "biological clock". - Sorry men, it would be nice. Male fertility also gradually decreases from the age of 40 and sperm from older men increasingly show genetic defects. So men - get to the family planning. :) 3. Breastfeeding creates a very special bond between mother and baby. - Breastfeeding is beautiful for many women and babies and they can also enjoy it to the fullest. But if a woman can't or doesn't want to breastfeed, that's wonderful too - the love between mom and baby is just as big and deep and she's just as good a mother.

What a wonderful final sentence, dear Anna-Maria, I can only agree with that. Thank you very much for the great interview, I wish you all the best for you, your family and BabyFORTE®.

Photo Credit: BabyFORTE®