Tips on Getting Pregnant - 5 Tips To Improve Your Fertility
When was the last time you have heard some tips on getting pregnant? As soon as people know you are trying to conceive something in the way they talk to you seem to change.
If you have just started trying everyone seems to have a tip or two for you on how to speed up your journey of getting pregnant; if you have been trying for a few months and they haven't heard you're pregnant yet things often become a little bit more annoying.
Instead of giving you tips on how to get pregnant they suddenly start saying things like "You will get pregnant when it's meant to be" or "Just relax and it will happen.
" Unfortunately, these sentences not only make you feel bad, they are not really helpful either.
Luckily though, there are indeed a few things you can actually do that will help you get pregnant faster; especially if you have already been trying for a few months.
1.
Your Weight Can Affect Your Fertility Your chances of getting pregnant are much better if you are at a healthy weight; being overweight or underweight can negatively affect your fertility.
It has been known for a long time that being obese can lead to a fertility problem known as anovulation where your body doesn't release an egg during your menstrual cycle.
However, newer studies have also found that even if your BMI (Body Mass Index) is only in the overweight category (BMI between 25 and 29.
9), you have a lower chance of becoming pregnant.
Any extra fat cells in your body produce a constant stream of the sex hormone estrogen.
This low, but constant stream in turn suppresses other hormones; for example the hormones FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Luteinizing Hormone), two of the most important hormones when it comes to fertility and a regular cycle.
Being overweight also comes with an increased risk of developing PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).
A hormonal imbalance causes women with PCOS to produce too much testosterone, which in turn can cause your body to stop ovulating.
Good news is if you are overweight, even a five to ten per cent loss of body weight can be enough to get your hormones back in balance and in turn increase your chances of getting pregnant.
2.
Timing Is Everything: Basal Body Temperature When it comes to trying to conceive timing really is everything.
You are only fertile for a few days each cycle and since these are different for every woman, it's essential to find out when your most fertile days are.
One of the methods you can use to find out when you usually ovulate (this is when your body releases an egg) is called BBT charting.
BBT stands for Basal Body Temperature and is your body temperature at rest.
At rest in this case means ideally in the morning after at least 4 to 5 hours of sleep.
Hormonal changes in your body are responsible for a slight increase in your body temperature after ovulation.
You can see and track this increase (about 0.
4° to 1.
0° Fahrenheit or 0.
1° to 0.
5° Celsius) if you take your temperatures every day of your cycle.
Ideally, you have a so-called Basal Thermometer that shows you your body temperature with two decimal places instead of one for increased accuracy.
Alternatively, a fertility monitor can do all this for you automatically (see Fertility Monitor Reviews).
3.
Observe your Cervical Mucus Another very good method to find out when you are fertile is to observe your cervical mucus.
Have you ever noticed that your vaginal discharge changes in color and consistency? That's totally normal and actually nature's way to help you get pregnant.
Virtually all women experience a pattern of changes in their cervical mucus throughout their cycles.
If you learn how to distinguish between these different types of mucus, you'll soon find that you will be able to tell when you are approaching ovulation.
As you are getting closer to your most fertile days, your cervical mucus usually changes to a wet, slippery fluid, very similar to egg white.
This egg white cervical mucus is usually clear in color and you are often able to stretch it up to a few inches between your fingers.
The best day to start checking your cervical mucus is the first day after menstruation has ended.
Then simply check your mucus every time you go to the bathroom.
If you have trouble getting a sample, try doing some Kegel exercises.
This will help to get some mucus to flow down to the opening.
Once you have the sample start rubbing it between your fingers and concentrate on the consistency first.
Does it feel slippery, dry, creamy, or lubricative? Also take a note of the color.
Is it clear, white, or yellow? Next, try to stretch it between your thumb and your index finger.
Does it stretch? If yes, how far? It's best to keep a little journal with your observations each day, and soon you'll find you are able to tell in advance when you are about to ovulate.
4.
Reduce Stress As Much As Possible Stress does not directly lead to infertility, but it can be the cause of several other symptoms that can indirectly make it harder for you to get pregnant.
As you know it's important to know your most fertile days to plan intercourse accordingly.
Stress, however, is one of the most common reasons of delayed ovulation.
Stress can affect the functioning of your hypothalamus, the part of your brain that does most of the work when it comes to your reproductive system.
It regulates the pituitary gland that is responsible for the release of two of the most important sex hormones, LH and FSH.
This in turn can delay - and sometimes even completely prevent - ovulation.
If you are under a lot of stress at work or in your private life, it's important to try to reduce the stress as much as possible; for example take some time off work if you can and enjoy a few lazy days with your partner.
When was the last time you treated yourself to a massage or a spa treatment? Often, trying to get pregnant itself is one of the major reasons for stress in your life.
Maybe stop actively trying to conceive for a month or two and just enjoy life and most importantly sex again, just because you and your partner want to and not because you are ovulating.
5.
Maintain a Healthy Diet If you are trying to get pregnant your body should be as healthy as possible, and a healthy diet plays a big part in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
But what exactly is a healthy diet when it comes to trying to conceive? Studies have shown that your body needs certain vitamins and minerals to function perfectly.
These include:
Many experts, however, believe that it is best to still take a vitamin- and mineral-supplement.
These are often specifically available for pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive, and contain all those important vitamins and minerals.
It is especially important to take a folic acid supplement before trying to conceive.
Researchers have found that women taking at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day at least 3 months before they start trying to get pregnant reduce the risk of their baby getting born with neural-tube defects significantly.
If you have just started trying everyone seems to have a tip or two for you on how to speed up your journey of getting pregnant; if you have been trying for a few months and they haven't heard you're pregnant yet things often become a little bit more annoying.
Instead of giving you tips on how to get pregnant they suddenly start saying things like "You will get pregnant when it's meant to be" or "Just relax and it will happen.
" Unfortunately, these sentences not only make you feel bad, they are not really helpful either.
Luckily though, there are indeed a few things you can actually do that will help you get pregnant faster; especially if you have already been trying for a few months.
1.
Your Weight Can Affect Your Fertility Your chances of getting pregnant are much better if you are at a healthy weight; being overweight or underweight can negatively affect your fertility.
It has been known for a long time that being obese can lead to a fertility problem known as anovulation where your body doesn't release an egg during your menstrual cycle.
However, newer studies have also found that even if your BMI (Body Mass Index) is only in the overweight category (BMI between 25 and 29.
9), you have a lower chance of becoming pregnant.
Any extra fat cells in your body produce a constant stream of the sex hormone estrogen.
This low, but constant stream in turn suppresses other hormones; for example the hormones FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Luteinizing Hormone), two of the most important hormones when it comes to fertility and a regular cycle.
Being overweight also comes with an increased risk of developing PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).
A hormonal imbalance causes women with PCOS to produce too much testosterone, which in turn can cause your body to stop ovulating.
Good news is if you are overweight, even a five to ten per cent loss of body weight can be enough to get your hormones back in balance and in turn increase your chances of getting pregnant.
2.
Timing Is Everything: Basal Body Temperature When it comes to trying to conceive timing really is everything.
You are only fertile for a few days each cycle and since these are different for every woman, it's essential to find out when your most fertile days are.
One of the methods you can use to find out when you usually ovulate (this is when your body releases an egg) is called BBT charting.
BBT stands for Basal Body Temperature and is your body temperature at rest.
At rest in this case means ideally in the morning after at least 4 to 5 hours of sleep.
Hormonal changes in your body are responsible for a slight increase in your body temperature after ovulation.
You can see and track this increase (about 0.
4° to 1.
0° Fahrenheit or 0.
1° to 0.
5° Celsius) if you take your temperatures every day of your cycle.
Ideally, you have a so-called Basal Thermometer that shows you your body temperature with two decimal places instead of one for increased accuracy.
Alternatively, a fertility monitor can do all this for you automatically (see Fertility Monitor Reviews).
3.
Observe your Cervical Mucus Another very good method to find out when you are fertile is to observe your cervical mucus.
Have you ever noticed that your vaginal discharge changes in color and consistency? That's totally normal and actually nature's way to help you get pregnant.
Virtually all women experience a pattern of changes in their cervical mucus throughout their cycles.
If you learn how to distinguish between these different types of mucus, you'll soon find that you will be able to tell when you are approaching ovulation.
As you are getting closer to your most fertile days, your cervical mucus usually changes to a wet, slippery fluid, very similar to egg white.
This egg white cervical mucus is usually clear in color and you are often able to stretch it up to a few inches between your fingers.
The best day to start checking your cervical mucus is the first day after menstruation has ended.
Then simply check your mucus every time you go to the bathroom.
If you have trouble getting a sample, try doing some Kegel exercises.
This will help to get some mucus to flow down to the opening.
Once you have the sample start rubbing it between your fingers and concentrate on the consistency first.
Does it feel slippery, dry, creamy, or lubricative? Also take a note of the color.
Is it clear, white, or yellow? Next, try to stretch it between your thumb and your index finger.
Does it stretch? If yes, how far? It's best to keep a little journal with your observations each day, and soon you'll find you are able to tell in advance when you are about to ovulate.
4.
Reduce Stress As Much As Possible Stress does not directly lead to infertility, but it can be the cause of several other symptoms that can indirectly make it harder for you to get pregnant.
As you know it's important to know your most fertile days to plan intercourse accordingly.
Stress, however, is one of the most common reasons of delayed ovulation.
Stress can affect the functioning of your hypothalamus, the part of your brain that does most of the work when it comes to your reproductive system.
It regulates the pituitary gland that is responsible for the release of two of the most important sex hormones, LH and FSH.
This in turn can delay - and sometimes even completely prevent - ovulation.
If you are under a lot of stress at work or in your private life, it's important to try to reduce the stress as much as possible; for example take some time off work if you can and enjoy a few lazy days with your partner.
When was the last time you treated yourself to a massage or a spa treatment? Often, trying to get pregnant itself is one of the major reasons for stress in your life.
Maybe stop actively trying to conceive for a month or two and just enjoy life and most importantly sex again, just because you and your partner want to and not because you are ovulating.
5.
Maintain a Healthy Diet If you are trying to get pregnant your body should be as healthy as possible, and a healthy diet plays a big part in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
But what exactly is a healthy diet when it comes to trying to conceive? Studies have shown that your body needs certain vitamins and minerals to function perfectly.
These include:
- Vitamin A, B, B6, C, D, E
- Folic Acid
- Copper
- Potassium
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Pantothenic acid
- Thiamin
- Zinc
Many experts, however, believe that it is best to still take a vitamin- and mineral-supplement.
These are often specifically available for pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive, and contain all those important vitamins and minerals.
It is especially important to take a folic acid supplement before trying to conceive.
Researchers have found that women taking at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day at least 3 months before they start trying to get pregnant reduce the risk of their baby getting born with neural-tube defects significantly.
