There are usually many reasons why falling pregnant is becoming more difficult today than it was for our mothers, many that we know about including diet and lifestyle, but there is increasing evidence that the amount of sleep that we get can also affect our fertility.
So can having a bad night’s sleep really stop our chances of having a baby?
Yes according to the National Sleep Foundation which says lack of sleep affects our health, our ability to function normally, and even our fertility. Continue reading “Sleep & Fertility: Can More Sleep Really Help You Get Pregnant?” »
For some people, getting pregnant isn’t as easy as it should be. It can often take months to be able to conceive a baby even if both you and your partner are perfectly healthy. In this article I’ll go over some of the more common questions about getting pregnant.
How Often Should You Have Sex When Trying to Get Pregnant?
This will depend on the quality of your partner’s sperm. If he has a high motility and quantity of sperm (you can find this out by getting a test done) then you should aim to have sex every night during your fertile phase.
If you partner has a low sperm count then it is recommended that you wait until every second night to give him enough time to produce enough again.
Can We Use A Lubricant When Trying For A Baby?
Many lubricants such as KY jelly are not good when you are trying to get pregnant because they either don’t allow the sperm to pass through them, or may even kill them off before they reach the egg. The only lubricant that is known to be ‘sperm friendly’ is PreSeed.
Otherwise use nothing at all and increase your foreplay to make sure that both you and your partner are sufficiently aroused.
Are Some Positions Better For Making A Baby?
While experts agree that there isn’t ‘one’ optimal position for conceiving many say that any positions that allow for deep penetration (so the sperm is deposited right at the entrance to the cervix) can help when trying for a baby.
These positions include missionary and doggie style. However people have fallen pregnant using a variety of positions, and so don’t think you need to limit yourself to one or two only.
How Long Does Sperm Live?
Depending on the vaginal environment, some sperm have been known to live up to five days which is why you can get pregnant even if you have sex days before you actually ovulate.
If you would like more tips on how to fall pregnant then look around my blog which has lots more ideas and tips for getting pregnant.
If you have been trying to get pregnant for some time then you’ll know how frustrating the waiting game can be. Add to that the misconceptions and stories on improving your fertility and you’re left wondering when the best time to attempt baby making is, what positions you need to use and whether your fertile mucus is ‘egg white’ enough.
Fortunately if you want to maximize your chances of getting pregnant then there are some tried and true methods that you can try to help bring the stork closer to your door.
The two main factors you need when trying to conceive a baby is to make sure you are ovulating (and know exactly which day that is in your cycle) and also to give the sperm the best chance of reaching the egg by improving your cervical mucus.
The first is easy enough to find out; you’ll just need a method of determining your ovulation day. You can try charting your temperature watching for signs of ovulation, or use prediction kits such as ovulation tests or saliva monitors.
The second fertility factor: your cervical mucus is a little more tricky. Most women are blessed with abundant cervical mucus and other’s need a little help. Evening Primrose Oil is known to help improve your cervical fluid as is drinking lots of water. All these little tips will help your body know how to fall pregnant.
Trying To Conceive (TTC)
How Do You Get Pregnant Fast? The Most Effective Way to Reverse Infertility and Finally Get Pregnant
How do you get pregnant and reverse infertility? As easy it is for others to get pregnant, there are also others who find it hard to do so. People having problems in conceiving a baby may have thought that they have tried everything possible on their list but are still unsuccessful which may result to depression and hopelessness.
But there are just few things that couples need to learn if they want to have a baby. Knowing about this information will help couples to have the baby that they’ve been wanting for a long time.
So, how do you get pregnant fast? First and foremost the obvious, cut down on the use of contraceptive pill or injectable as their effects on the body is hard to flush away. If you stop using contraceptives the chances of your pregnancy will also increase.
Second, consider living a healthy life. Stop drinking alcoholic beverages and stop smoking as these unhealthy practice poisons your body that may impede the production of healthy hormones and cause infertility.
Detoxify your body by eating natural foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals that you and your soon-to-be-baby needs. Bear in mind that your body will be the vessel of the baby for 9 whole months. So if you want your body to become a nice place for your soon-to-be baby to live in, then consider changing your bad habit, eat healthy and live healthy.
It is also helpful to exercise as it is a great way to distress yourself and take away all the trash that has accumulated in your body. A regular exercise will help in gaining balance of your body system and will be able to release a more fertile and healthy hormones that will help increase the rate of you getting pregnant.
Stress is one of the many factors that may hamper pregnancy, so stay away from stressors as much as possible. Stop asking yourself how do you get pregnant and relax and enjoy.
Third, check any prescription or over the counter medication that you may taking and are not sure if they are harmful or may have affected your chances of getting pregnant, it’s always wise to read the contraindication of everything you take, it is usually in the fine print.
Fourth, engaging in a frequent, long and passionate love making with your loved one is also a key to easily get yourself pregnant. Sex is a necessity among husbands and wives to strengthen the bond between them but don’t do it every day.
Plan to have a loving sex with your partner at least three times a week to continually bond with your partner and also increase your chance to get pregnant and make sure you end up your section on the missionary, traditional position and stay in that position for at least 2 minutes after you both finish. Plus, sex is also a great way to distress you.
So if you are wondering how do you get pregnant, follow the above tips to get started and you will be on your way to get pregnant faster that you may think possible.
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It’s a good idea, before you even start trying for a baby, to get your health and fertility checked by your GP or OB GYN to make sure you are in tip top shape. After all it’s much easier to carry a baby (and get pregnant firstly) if you know what you are dealing with upfront.
Usually the first thing they will check is your weight, abdomen, breasts and blood. You’ll also probably have a pelvic exam, Pap smear and a check for any STD’s during this first appointment.
They won’t do any invasive procedures such as checking for blocked fallopian tubes yet – that is usually for later if you haven’t conceived within twelve months.
This first appointment is also a good chance for you to ask any questions you might have about getting pregnant and the best times to have intercourse.
If you already know that you have a condition that might affect your fertility such as endometriosis, cysts or thyroid problems then you can discuss with your doctor the best treatment options that you can do right now.
The results of your initial consultation tests should come back within about a week. The blood test will show whether your immunizations are up to date and you’ll get to know if you have any STD’s or not and how to treat them.
If you are currently on medication, your doctor will also go over which ones are safe during pregnancy and help you get off those that are not.
You’ll also be advised to stop birth control and your doctor will let you know how long after stopping birth control you’ll most likely be able to conceive and other tips on how to fall pregnant.
If you want to get your partner checked out at this time then you can also make an appointment at your IVF clinic or sperm clinic to check to make sure his sperm contains good motility and volume. Although most couples don’t check this until after a few months trying to conceive without success.
Are you trying to have a baby? There are many ways to get pregnant and give your body the best chance of conceiving. This article will go over some of the best ways you can increase your fertility and finally have that baby of your dreams.
The most common misconception when it comes to trying to get pregnant is that you must have intercourse on Day 14 to conceive a child. The reason for this myth is that the average day for someone to ovulate is on day 14; however it is just an average. You might ovulate later or earlier in your cycle and could be missing your peak day.
So your first step to getting pregnant is determining your ovulation day. You can do that in any number of ways, but the most popular are by charting your temperature, using ovulation predictor kits, saliva monitors, checking the position of your cervix or keeping track of your fertile cervical mucus. You can either do one method or two or three to find out your ovulation day.
The next step is to make sure that your cervical fluid is plentiful as this is what the sperm uses to swim up the fallopian tubes to find the egg. You’ll notice that your cervical fluid (cf) becomes wetter and slippery as you approach your ovulation day. The most fertile cf is said to resemble egg whites and be stretchy and clear.
You can increase the amount of fertile cervical fluid that you produce by drinking lots of water, as this is what your body uses to make it. There are other tricks to increase the amount too, like eat carrots and take evening primrose oil to improve its quality.
You should also try and conceive using positions that involve deep penetration as this deposits the sperm close to the cervix and so they have a better chance of reaching the egg (and don’t have as far to swim).
Getting pregnant is becoming a problem in our world with now 1 in 6 couples experiencing problems trying to conceive. Knowing how to fall pregnant will help you give yourself the best chance of having a baby.
Today there are so many women struggling to fall pregnant (I know because I’m one of them) and so I’ve searched around for the best tips I know to help you speed up the process to having a baby. So keep reading so I can show you how to get pregnant fast.
Now I’m going to assume that you don’t have any medical reasons why you can’t conceive such as blocked tubes or endometriosis (if you are unsure it’s worth getting checked out by your doctor).
But if you are like me and the doctors can’t find anything wrong with you or your partner then here are some tips to help you conceive much faster.
First off you need to make sure that you are as healthy as can be. That means eating good food, including lots of healthy fruits and vegetables and lean proteins. This goes for your partner as well – since you want to make sure that his sperm is also strong and healthy.
Next you need to do some exercise. I know, I hate exercise too – but just walking for half an hour day will help you to get pregnant fast because it increases your circulation. You need good circulation if you want all those reproductive hormones to function correctly.
Drinking water also helps increase your metabolism and circulation and can help balance your hormones.
Now that you are in good shape it’s time to determine your ovulation day. I’m not going to go into too much detail about that here (if you have been trying to fall pregnant for any length of time I’m sure you know how to determine your ovulation day).
So now you need to have sex around your ovulation day including the day prior, the day of and the day after to make sure you catch that egg. Try and enjoy intercourse as studies have shown that women who have an easier time falling pregnant have a healthy and enjoyable sex life.
And finally just relax. I know, I hate it when people tell me to ‘just relax’ too – sometimes I want to just smack them, but stress hormones can interfere with fertility so try deep breathing, yoga or other relaxation techniques. At the very least it will keep you sane during this already stressful time.
My blog is filled with lots more tips and advice on how to fall pregnant, so feel free to have a look around. Baby Dust to you.
Birth Control , Trying To Conceive (TTC)
How Long Does It Take to Get Pregnant After Taking The Pill?
Taking birth control is a great way to prevent pregnancy and the pill is a good option for many women who are not ready to start a family. But usually there will be a time when you ARE ready to make babies and so you quit taking the pill and wait … and wait. What? Why aren’t you pregnant already?
The truth is that while some fertile women will get pregnant immediately after stopping birth control, for the majority of women it does take some time.
Most pill’s work by preventing ovulation (when the body releases an egg) so if you are not ovulating then you can’t conceive. Depending on how long you’ve been on the pill, it can take a few months for your regular cycles to return to normal.
For most women their cycles usually resume after around two to three months, but it’s possible to take up to twelve months for the hormones in the body to restore full fertility.
While you are waiting it can be a good idea to start charting your fertile signs so that you know if you are ovulating or not and when in your cycle that you do. Most women who have been trying to conceive will chart their cycles so that they have a better understanding of what is going on in their bodies.
You can do this with a body basal thermometer and recording your temperature on a chart. You will need to take your temperature at exactly the same time everyday when you wake up. Even before you get out of bed.
You will notice that in the second half of your cycle your temps will be slightly higher indicating that you have ovulated. The reason for this is that the hormone progesterone that is released in the second stage increases your bodies temperature slightly.
Other signs that your body is able of getting pregnant is taking note of your cervical mucus. During your most fertile phase, you will notice that your cervical mucus changes from creamy to an almost eggwhite quality. This is a good sign that your body is about to release an egg and that you will be able to conceive.
Most women who have taken the pill will conceive within twelve months of stopping but if it seems to be taking you longer or you don’t notice any of the fertility signs I’ve mentioned then visit your health care professional for advice.
Jump over to how to fall pregnant fast for some more tips and ideas.
Supplements That Help Fertility , Trying To Conceive (TTC)
Secret Foods That Promote Fertility and Boost Your Chances of Getting Pregnant
It is becoming well known now that foods can help and even heal certain conditions and that is definitely true for fertility. With the rise in awareness about the effect food has on our hormone levels is it any wonder that in today’s nutrient deficient menu now has thousands of women unable to fall pregnant. So if that’s true, how can you fix it?
Well the first thing to remember is that old saying ‘you are what you eat’. That means you need to eat foods that nourish the hormone system and increase fertility. By doing so you will allow your body to know how to fall pregnant fast by itself.
Many specialists are recommending that you eat and act like you are already pregnant. And that includes no alcohol, no smoking and drinking lots of water. Try and pretend that you are at a luxury health spa and eat as healthy as you would there if you were on a body cleanse program.
So that’s fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish and whole grains. While that makes sense, there are also some foods your probably haven’t thought about that can help promote fertility. They are:
Goji Berry
Many women also swear by taking extra nutrient rich foods such as the goji berry which contains high levels of antioxidants, essential amino acids and vitamins A and C. Many practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine also recommend the gogi berry.
Floradix
Other nutrients that many women are lacking are enough iron in the diet. There have been studies that suggest that low iron is linked with infertility. So eating foods high in iron such as beans or taking an iron supplement like Floradix can help improve your iron levels and therefore increase the odds of conceiving.
Grapeseed Oil
Women trying to get pregnant should cook with oil that has essential fatty acids as these are well known to balance hormonal levels. Grapeseed oil is a good oil to choose and it tastes delicious as well.
Wheatgrass
Folic acid is important for preventing birth defects like spina bifida and it also can help you produce healthy eggs. One of the most nutrient dense ways of getting your folic acid requirements is by taking a wheatgrass shot.
Maca Root
And finally another important ingredient for conception is maca root which has very high levels of zinc. While maca root can be hard to find (it’s grown in the Peruvian mountains but you can probably find supplements in your local health food store) it can be worth it, as studies are suggesting it’s a potent fertility booster.
So there you go, some of the secret fertility foods that you may not have thought of.
So can caffeine affect your fertility? Yes it can. Studies have shown that a high caffeine consumption (that’s around 5 cups per day of coffee) can contribute to decreased fertility in women. While the findings are not exactly clear on why this is the case, it’s worthwhile to lower your intake of coffee, tea, cola drinks and even chocolate while trying to conceive.
One particular study found that women who had more than 300 mg of caffeine per day had lowered their chances of getting pregnant by 27% compared to women who didn’t have any at all. However some other studies have shown no correlation at all between caffeine and fertility so it can be confusing to know who to believe.
You are going to have to decrease your caffeine levels anyway when you do get pregnant as it can affect the baby (and in some cases has been linked to miscarriage), so starting now is worthwhile for your health anyway.
So how much is too much when it comes to how much caffeine you can have when trying to conceive?
You should aim to consume no more than 200 mg per day. That’s the level that is linked to raising the chances of miscarriage.
To put that into perspective, a regular cup of coffee contains 100 mg, a soda drink has 50 mg and energy drinks usually have around 80 mg per can. That means that even if you can’t live without your morning coffee, as long as you limit yourself to no more than two cups per day then you’ll be fine.
If you do currently have more than that, don’t go cold turkey as this can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as headaches. Instead wean yourself off gradually by lowering your intake by a small amount every few days. You can alternate with decaffeinated drinks or add more milk to your coffee.
Below are some tables of the caffeine levels of certain regular drinks and foods:
Caffeine Charts
Coffee
coffee, generic brewed 8 oz 102-200 mg
coffee, Starbucks brewed 16 oz (grande) 330 mg
coffee, Dunkin’ Donuts brewed 16 oz 206 mg
caffÉ latte or cappuccino, Starbucks 16 oz (grande) 150 mg
caffÉ latte or cappuccino, Starbucks 12 oz (tall) 75 mg
espresso, Starbucks 1 oz (1 shot ) 75 mg
espresso, generic 1 oz (1 shot) 30-90 mg
coffee, generic instant 8 oz 27-173 mg
coffee, generic decaffeinated 8 oz 3-26 mg
Tea
black tea, brewed 8 oz 40-120 mg
green tea, brewed 8 oz 30-50 mg
decaffeinated black tea 8 oz 2 mg
Starbucks Tazo Chai Tea latte 16 oz (grande) 100 mg
Nestea 12 oz 26 mg
Snapple 16 oz 42 mg
Lipton Brisk iced tea 12 oz 10 mg
Soft drinks
Coke 12 oz 35 mg
Pepsi 12 oz 38 mg
Jolt Cola 12 oz 72 mg
Mountain Dew 12 oz 54 mg
7-Up 12 oz 0 mg
Sierra Mist 12 oz 0 mg
Sprite 12 oz 0 mg
Energy drinks
Red Bull 8.3 oz 80 mg
SoBe Essential Energy, berry or orange 8 oz 48 mg
SoBe No Fear 8 oz 83 mg
Desserts
dark chocolate 1.45-oz bar 31 mg
milk chocolate 1.45-oz bar 11 mg
coffee ice cream or frozen yogurt 8 oz 50-60 mg
hot cocoa 8 oz 3-13 mg
The two week wait can be a frustrating wait, especially if you have been actively trying to conceive. It’s during this time that many of us start to analyse our bodies in case it gives us some clues as to the early pregnancy signs and symptoms that we might be experiencing.
This blog post will go over some of the early signs of pregnancy (even some very early signs) so that you can see if you have some of these symptoms too.
‘Feeling’ Pregnant
Some women just claim to know when they are pregnant, long before they ever take a pregnancy test. If your intuition is buzzing that there is a bun in the oven then you just might be correct.
Tender Breasts
One of the very early signs of pregnancy is sore and tender breasts. When your body is preparing for pregnancy one of the first things it does is release hormones which in turn can make your breasts swell in preparation for milk production later down the track.
So you might start to notice that your breasts look bigger, have some bluish veins appear or the nipples could darken in color.
This is especially noticeable at night-time if you sleep on your side or your stomach, as your breasts become uncomfortable in those positions.
Tiredness
Tiredness and fatigue is another early pregnancy sign and if you are feeling like you just want to lie down and take a nap all day, it could be because the hormones that your body is releasing are causing this.
Nausea
While nausea and morning sickness doesn’t usually appear until you are 5 or 6 weeks pregnant, many women are extra sensitive to the pregnancy hormones and start to feel sick very early on. If you are feeling a little queasy and it isn’t from your greasy lunch, then it might be due to pregnancy.
A Final Note
I must admit that when I was trying to conceive I waited for every little sign or symptom that I could and because many symptoms are the same or similar to what you get before your period is due anyway so it can be confusing.
In fact, most months I was convinced I was pregnant when in fact I wasn’t. (Ironically the two times that I was pregnant, I didn’t have nearly any signs and was convinced that AF was arriving – both times I even wore a pad because I kept thinking I would need it because I felt crampy (another pregnancy sign by the way)).
Anyway, the only real way to be sure that you are pregnant is by taking a home pregnancy test or getting a blood test by the doctor which will confirm it.
In the meantime, don’t stress too much and enjoy the two week wait.
One of the questions that most people ask when they first start trying for a baby is how long does it take to get pregnant? If I believed my biology teacher, it would have happened the very first time that I had unprotected sex. Alas he has a lot to answer for because for me it took quite a lot longer than that.
Even for perfectly healthy couples, unprotected intercourse does not always result in a positive pregnancy test the first month that they try. For the average couple, the statistics seem to indicate that:
50% will get pregnant within 4 months
75% will take up to 8 months
90% will conceive with 1 year
That means the odds are in your favour that you will fall pregnant within twelve months of trying. Of course that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore fertility options before that time. In fact many doctors recommend that the older you are when you are trying to conceive the earlier you should seek to rule out any other possibilities that could be causing your infertility.
Which Factors Influence How Long Should it Take to Get Pregnant?
There are certain factors that can determine whether it will be faster or slower for you to get pregnant. These include:
Age: It’s much easier to get pregnant under the age of 35 than over. It takes the average older mom around double the time to conceive than it does a women in her 20′s.
Medications: Certain medications that you are taking will affect your fertility and chances of getting pregnant. If you are uncertain whether yours might be one of them, discuss your options with your doctor about a safe alternative.
General Health: The healthier and fitter that you are, the easier it is to get pregnant. Many studies have shown that couples with a more active lifestyle increase their chances of conception over couples that don’t. That includes giving up harmful substances such as cigarettes, alcohol and drugs.
Stress: I know it’s annoying when people tell you to ‘just relax’ when you are trying to conceive, but there is some basis of truth to it. By treating your stress in a positive manner such as taking a yoga class or indulging in a warm bubble bath each night, you can boost your odds of getting pregnant.
Enjoy Sex: It’s true that couples that have a healthy and enjoyable sex life usually have an easier time of getting pregnant. Once sex becomes a chore then it can decrease your fertility, so try and spice things up again and enjoy sex.
How Long Will it Take to Get Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control
If you’ve been taking birth control pills or other hormone control methods including Depo Provera then it might take you a little longer to get pregnant than someone who was using barrier methods such as condoms to avoid pregnancy.
The reason for this is that it might take at least three to four months for your body to return to normal and your fertility to be restored. Usually a good indicator that you are back to peak fertility is when your menstrual cycles return to a regular schedule again.
But of course every woman is different and some women are able to get pregnant almost immediately after stopping birth control.
How Long Did it Take You to Get Pregnant?
For me it was a struggle to conceive and for my first child it took 18 months and my second just over 2 years. Of course I had issues with a short luteal phase and unbalanced hormones and both times I needed a little boost to help things along.
For my first pregnancy what worked for me was taking a Chinese herbal medicine that included herbs such as Dong Quai and False Unicorn Root. It tasted disgusting, but I took it everyday and in the second month of taking it found out I was finally pregnant.
My second pregnancy wasn’t quite as easy (and yes I did try the Chinese herbs) and in the end it was the fertility drug Clomid that helped me conceive. I was only my third cycle of Clomid when I found out that it had worked and I was finally pregnant again. Funny thing was, because it had taken so long to get pregnant, I didn’t believe the pregnancy test at first and thought the Clomid had caused a false positive! LOL.
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