I have quite a few friends who are trying to conceive at the moment – some for the first time, others for the second or third time. No matter how many babies you have, trying to conceive is a stressful time – the secrecy that you might not want to share with anyone can make you feel alone. The waiting can be torture. The disappointment when another month goes by without a positive test is crushing. Over the years I have heard so many hints and tips about how to make that much wanted baby, and so I am sharing my top tips with you all – just in case anyone needs them 😉
- Have sex! Ok, this might sound like a really stupid tip, but so many people expect it to just happen on the odd occasion they get it together. It might, but it might not. For the best chance, have sex every other day around the middle of your cycle – for an average 28 day cycle, it would probably be a good idea to go for every other day from day 10 – day 18 to cover the most fertile period.
- Track your cycle. A lot of women (myself included) don’t have an average 28 day cycle, and don’t ovulate right in the middle. To make sure you are having sex at the right time, you can use an ovulation kit (available from Boots, Tesco, pretty much everywhere). They work in the same way as pregnancy test sticks – you pee on them and they tell you if you are ovulating. You need to do them every day until you get the positive result (some use lines that need to be the same colour – I prefer the smiley face ones as there is no discrepancy over the result).
- Lie down after sex. It is recommended that you lie fairly still for 10-15 minutes after intercourse to allow the sperm to reach the cervix. Also try not to go to the toilet until 15 minutes have passed. Give the little swimmers the best chance 😉
- Don’t stress. I know this is easier said than done, but try to maintain a relaxed attitude – not just in relation to getting pregnant, but in general. The less stress your body is under, the more likely your body is to respond, settle into a regular cycle and make the perfect conditions for implantation of an embryo.
- Try acupuncture. There is some evidence to suggest that acupuncture can help lower stress levels, regulate hormone levels and increase your chances of becoming pregnant. It can’t hurt to try – just make sure you go to a registered practitioner.
- Check your diet and lifestyle. Give up (or at least cut back) on cigarettes, alcohol and caffeine. These are things that aren’t that great for any stage of your life, and so giving them up now will create a healthy body for you, and give your baby the best start.
- Don’t count the days. Calendar watching only stresses you out. Remember that most couples under 35 will conceive within a year. Some will conceive much faster than that, but anything up to a year is considered normal. Many people take longer than a year to get pregnant, and that’s totally normal too – but if you’re worried, then by all means pop along to your GP for a check up to put your mind at rest.
- Most of all – enjoy it! It’s a lovely time that you and your partner can share, this secret bond you have trying to create a new life.
Are you trying for a baby now? Do you have any other tips?
Great piece. I am trying to conceive my 3rd at the moment and have been doing so for 8mths now. I’ve been blogging about it on my own blog and also The Beebies Baby Store blog for anyone that’s interested in a personal journey. I’m thinking of trying reflexology this month as my friend recommend it when she conceived her rainbow baby. I am definitely trying all the above but perhaps now succeeding in the stress less area!
great tips! Although I am not trying to conceive , these tips sound like they would be really useful if I ever was to!
Thanks for the post hun x
Abbi xx
I did most of these and hey presto fell quickly pretty quickly! Great advice 🙂
Helen X
Helen G recently posted…Glossybox September 2014 – Review
I used charting as my cycle was about 49 days. I became obsessed about conceiving and got really upset & stressed when my next period came. We had a trip away planned to celebrate my hubby’s birthday. We weren’t stressed & we weren’t ‘trying’. We were having fun & a wonderful time. When I realised that’s when we conceived I couldn’t believe it.
My biggest tip is if you’ve been trying for a while, plan a trip away or a really fun night out. Don’t think about babies, enjoy each others company, talk about fun times and see what happens. It’s not a guaranteed thing but taking the stress away is worth a try.
Good luck to everyone trying for a baby xxx
Great tips although it’s unlikely I’ll ever conceive again! x
Donna recently posted…Review: Steroplast Kids First Aid Kit
Lying down is such a simple one but totally necessary and totally effective
Karen recently posted…Today She Walked 19 September
Good tips. It can be so stressful and an emotional time. #MMWBH
What a fabulous and informative post! Even though my baby making days are over now, I am one of those woman who only ever had issues falling pregnant the first time round, after that it was pretty easy {sorry for those who are struggling! My heart goes out to you guys} – thanks so much for linking up with the #MMWBH xx
Great tips. We were very lucky as we conceived on one of the first times of trying. This was good, but obviously meant that we didn’t do as much of point 1 as I’d hoped! Also, I found that me doing your point 3 didn’t really have much impact 🙂
The DADventurer (Dave) recently posted…5 Things I Probably Shouldn’t Do As A Dad
Great tips, but brings back loads of memories of years of trying before I got pregnant with Baby x #MMBH
You Baby Me Mummy recently posted…Fun on the HUGGIES® Pull Ups® Bus
Not trying but interesting to read; good points to keep in mind too …. thanks for sharing 🙂
Awww I feel a but sad I probably won’t get the chance to go through all this again 🙁 !!!
Beth Twinderelmo recently posted…Reasons why people SHOULD NOT DROP BY UNANNOUNCED
Great post – it can be stressful but also just one of the most exciting times ever! Fabulous tips and good luck to all those going through it now xx
good tips found you via #thelist
Fab tips huni, Thanks so much for linking this post up to #TheList x
You Baby Me Mummy recently posted…A space to grow