How to Get Pregnant
Some couples just seem to glance at each other and end up with a bun in the oven. For everyone else, here are some guidelines for turning fun-and-tumble sex into successful baby-making.
Understanding the Physiology of Babymaking
When trying to conceive, timing intercourse can make a big difference. Once you’ve determined your likely ovulation date, start having baby-making sex 5 days prior to the egg being released. Since an egg usually survives only 12 hours after being released, the fertility window ends shortly after ovulation.
Ovulation takes place 14 days backwards from the last day of your cycle, so in a consistent cycle, you’ll always know when the egg is being released. If your cycle is irregular, you can still predict ovulation using one of the following:
- Track your basal body temperature (BBT) daily, first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. A slight rise (one degree) indicates ovulation. By charting your cycle entire cycle, you will also be able to monitor the ….
- Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) test urine for a rise in hormones that precedes ovulation. These kits are available over the counter, but they can be pricey, and sometimes unreliable.
- Monitor cervical fluid. Just prior to ovulation, cervical fluid takes on the consistency and color of raw egg whites. Some women notice this easily, while others find the change hard to detect.
- Check cervical position. With a little practice, you can check the position of their cervix to determine ovulation, when the cervix is very high up in the vagina and harder to reach than at other times during your cycle.
In cases where the male has sperm issues, it’s best for couples to have intercourse every other day to allow sperm to regenerate. Consider, too that most lubricants act as spermicides even if they are not advertised to kill sperm. You can use egg white as a sperm-friendly, natural lubricant right out of the fridge. For those looking for something less, um, culinary, Pre-Seed is a great sperm-friendly lubricant.
Lifestyle and Supplements to Maximize Fertility
Prospective parents, it’s time to get healthy! Now’s your chance to finally quit smoking, stop binge drinking, and quit depending on sleep medications, caffeine and other chemicals you can do without. Start exercising, see a therapist to get over your issues with your mother-in-law, stop over-working, and start eating healthy.
Consider visiting a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner to bring your body into balance and improve your health. Herbal remedies and acupuncture can help both men and women prepare for pregnancy by reducing stress and for women, regulating menstrual cycles.
Start taking quality, food-based prenatal vitamins that have folic acid (such as New Chapter Organics) as well as daily fish oil supplements. Your partner should take daily fish oil, too. This supplement helps improve both sperm and egg quality and soothes the nervous system in parents-to-be. Omega 3’s will also help insure the health of the unborn baby’s brain.
One of the biggest challenges of trying to get pregnant is the stress that inevitably mounts. When couples are fixated on the process, they forget to have fun and just enjoying having sex. Studies now suggest stress may be the culprit of infertility up to 30% of the time.
If stress seems to be getting the better of you in the baby-making process, pack your bags, go on vacation, and just stop thinking about it. More babies are made from this carefree approach than a stressful obsession with getting a positive pee-stick.