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‘Trying to conceive’ sounds like fun – with all the ‘making of feet for children’s stockings,’ it sure is supposed to be. However, this can be one of the most nerve-wracking times in a couple’s life. As you get your periods, again and again, month after month, you may be wondering, “What should I do or avoid when trying to conceive?
When the baby fever strikes, there isn’t a drug that can cure it. Every baby sighting gets you broody and pictures of babies send you nesting. Sometimes you’ll be wondering, “Why do I want to get pregnant?” In most cases, it’s just because you want to have a baby; and that is reason enough.
When you have been trying to get pregnant for a while, you are careful to do everything according to the rule book to make sure that you finally have the elusive blue ticks on the pee stick. This article shares 12 dos and don’ts when trying to conceive to help you get pregnant faster naturally.
In this article
12 Do’s and Don’ts When Trying to Conceive
A. Things to Do When Trying to Conceive
If the baby-making mode has been activated and you’re wondering what to do to get pregnant fast naturally, read on to see the dos when trying to conceive.
#1 Get off contraception early
This may sound like one of the obvious dos and don’ts when trying for a baby, but it is a huge problem. Some people have difficulty getting pregnant because of the contraception that they are on. If you have decided to try for a baby, get off the contraception depending on when you’re planning to have the baby and what kind of contraception you’re on.
Some types of birth control may delay conception for a long time even after you have stopped taking them. Some allow you to get pregnant immediately after you get off them. Most hormonal birth control may delay conception as opposed to non-hormonal ones such as the IUD.
Also Read: Why Am I Not Getting Pregnant? 6 Expert Tips To Get Pregnant Fast Naturally
#2 Visit a fertility clinic together
If you’re trying to conceive the old-fashioned way, both you and your partner should visit the fertility clinic to determine what the hitch could be. In most cases, there’s a general assumption that it’s the woman who may be having trouble conceiving, but sometimes, the glitch could be on the man.
The fertility clinic will take different tests to determine what’s causing the snarl-up in the baby manufacturing factory pipes and prescribe the next course of action. Working together is half the battle won; it’s utterly frustrating if only one of you is deeply invested in the baby-making business.
If you’ve been pursuing In-vitro Fertility procedures, ensure that you keep all your appointments and do all that you’re required to do. It’s a long journey that can get frustrating; it needs constant encouragement – even if it means giving yourself the pep talk you need to get through the day.
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#3 Track your menstrual cycle
Knowing your most fertile time of the month is paramount when you’re trying to conceive. You, therefore, need to track your menstrual cycle to know when you’re most fertile and then maximize this period. The menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period, all the way to the first day of your next menstrual period.
Try this Menstrual Cycle Journal: 4 Year Period Tracker
Your most fertile period is on the days you’re ovulating. For a regular 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs about 12 to 14 days before the start of the next menstrual cycle.
On the days you’re ovulating, opt for morning sex to increase your chances of conception. The morning sperm has a slightly higher concentration of sperm than any other time in the day. If you and your partner are struggling with sperm count, this will be a huge boost to your conception chances.
Related Article: 10 Easy DIY Pregnancy Tests You Can Do at Home (Can the Results be Trusted?)
#4 Start taking your supplements
One of the most important supplements that are recommended for pregnant women is folic acid. However, did you know that you should take folic acid before you get pregnant? Folic acid helps the baby’s growth and development in the first trimester. When you’re trying for a baby, you may get pregnant and not be aware of it for a few days or even weeks.
If you don’t take folic acid, your baby may start life without this essential mineral that is responsible for the growth and formation of the brain and the spinal cord. Take your folic acid and prenatal vitamins at least a month before you get pregnant. This will reduce the risks of birth defects.
Vitamin B complex is also a very important supplement for fertility, both you and your partner should be put on it to increase your chances of conception.
Related article: 8 Reasons Why You Should Take Folic Acid in Pregnancy
#5 Watch your diet
One of the easily ignored dos and don’ts when trying to conceive is watching your diet, yet it’s as important as any other precaution if not more. Your body needs to be in top shape with all the necessary nutrients and minerals well-balanced. The best way to do this is by making sure that you’re consuming healthy foods that are filled with all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients necessary for a healthy body that will soon be home to a wonderful baby.
Your diet should be filled with lots of vegetables since they are rich in the vital vitamins you need. Have a good helping of fruits as well as lean meats and complex carbohydrates. Dieting while trying to conceive is one of the best ways to increase your chances of conception.
Read this book: It Starts with the Egg: How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally
Avoid deep-fried and fatty foods as they may cause you to gain weight. Do less processed foods and those with lots of preservatives. Instead, adopt a more natural diet that consists of whole grains, nuts, and berries.
Related article: 15 Best Foods for Pregnancy
#6 Watch your weight
Being overweight does not only make it harder to conceive, but it also increases your chances of miscarriage in early pregnancy. Check your BMI (Body Mass Index) to determine if you’re overweight or underweight, both of which are not good for you when you’re trying to conceive.
A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is thought to be standard while anything below 18.5 is underweight. If you’re above 25, you’re on the overweight side while anything above 30 is leaning on the obese side. Being overweight causes hormonal imbalance which leads to irregular periods and unpredictable ovulation and may affect your chances of getting pregnant.
There also may be an underlying cause causing you to gain excess weight and inhibiting conception. Let your doctor check for any issues such as diabetes and thyroid disease.
Read this book on how to lose weight: Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight
Watching your diet will help you lose weight faster and more healthily. Cut back on junk food, and sweetened drinks, and focus more on eating green leafy vegetables as well as fruits, nuts, whole grains, and unprocessed foods. This is one of the easy and cheap ways of boosting fertility.
Related article: How to Get Pregnant Fast Naturally
#7 Make exercise a lifestyle
Adopt daily movement to help you keep fit for both when you’re trying to conceive and afterward when you’re pregnant. Exercising at least three days a week will keep you fit and help you lose weight might be struggling to lose.
Avoid very vigorous exercises even if you have previously been on an intense exercise regimen. Simple exercises such as a brisk walk or a jog go a long way. You can do about two hours of moderate aerobic exercises every week and two or more exercises to strengthen your muscles.
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The flexibility will be good for when you get pregnant. Losing weight will also decrease your body aches and discomforts such as back pain and joint pain.
#8 Take it easy
It’s only natural to feel anxious and stressed about why you’re not getting pregnant as easily as you thought you would. However, stressing about it only makes it harder to conceive. When you’re stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol which creates a hormonal imbalance. When the hormones are in whack, the ovulation schedule is messed up, making conception harder.
It is true, that it’s almost impossible to relax because you’ve been told to relax, but this is one of the important dos and don’ts when you’re trying to conceive. Try as much as you can to not think about the delays in conception and to adopt a positive attitude. Ease the pressure on each other as well, too much stress and pressure to ‘seize the moment’ may be doing you more harm than good.
When you’re happy and in a relaxed mood, the hormones balance out and ovulation happens as it should and before you know it, you’re buying maternity tops and walking like a duck. So if you’re trying to get pregnant fast and easy, well, stop trying too hard and enjoy the ride.
B. What Should I Avoid When Trying to Conceive?
When you’re trying to have a baby, your lifestyle has to change in a significant way. Here are four things to avoid when trying to get pregnant to speed up your conception and for a healthy pregnancy.
#1 Don’t drink alcohol and avoid smoking
When you’re trying to get a baby, you’ll have to cut back on the booze and the smoking. It may feel like you need to celebrate your last weeks of freedom before the baby arrives and sends you to endless sleepless nights. However, you need to cut back on drinking if you’re wondering how to get pregnant fast.
Can drinking stop you from conceiving? Yes, it can. Alcohol reduces your chances of conceiving as it affects the ovulation cycle. Alcohol may also increase the chances of having a baby with a birth defect or even cause a miscarriage.
Smoking is harmful to you whether you’re trying to conceive or not. When you’re trying to conceive, however, both you and your partner need to quit. Cigarettes contain nicotine, cyanide, and carbon monoxide which reduce the quality of your eggs and the sperm. It may also bar the purpose of your ovaries and even lead to early menopause.
#2 Don’t overdo the sex
This may sound like quite a paradoxical point in the dos and don’ts when trying to conceive, but you need to go easy on the sex. Because the mind is focused on getting pregnant, there tends to be a lot of pressure to have sex every waking moment.
This may end up giving you stress instead of being an enjoyable activity. In the end, it will be counter-productive as anxiety and stress mess up your ovulation cycle. Too much sex will also decrease the sperm count, plan for the sex to be at your most fertile days, and avoid it on the previous days to increase the sperm count and your chances of conception.
#3 Don’t use water lubricants
If for some reason you have to use lubrication, do not use water-based lubricants as they may contain spermicide. If you’re asking what can interfere with getting pregnant, then this is one of the culprits.
Water-based lubricants reduce the sperm’s motility. Motility is the ability and ease of the sperm to move through the birth canal to reach the eggs for fertilization.
#4 Don’t take some prescribed drugs
Some prescription drugs can be detrimental in early pregnancy and some may even cause miscarriage. Some may be causing a hormonal imbalance leading to a messed up ovulation cycle. When you’re trying to conceive, be very careful with drugs and let your doctor know that you’re trying for a baby.
Do not self-prescribe drugs at all, over-the-counter medication is an outright taboo in pregnancy and conception. Talk to your doctor for a list of medications to avoid while trying to conceive. If you’re on long-term medication that may affect the baby or lower your conception chances, get alternatives.
Related Article: 11 Common Pregnancy Problems and Solutions
FAQs
- What should I avoid when trying to conceive?
Some of the things not to do if you want to get pregnant are smoking, drinking alcohol, don’t overdo the sex for better sperm quality, and avoid taking over-the-counter medications without your doctor’s consent
- What can I use to increase my chances of getting pregnant?
The things to do to increase your chances of getting pregnant is to track your menstrual cycle, have frequent sex during ovulation, adopt a healthy lifestyle, and start taking prenatal vitamins.
- How can I prepare my body for pregnancy naturally?
To prepare your boy to get pregnant naturally, start eating a healthy diet with whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. A good preconception diet coupled with prenatal vitamins increases your chances of getting pregnant naturally.
- How long does it take to get pregnant?
There is no set time to get pregnant as some people get pregnant faster than others depending on age and health status. If you don’t get pregnant within a year with regular sex then go to the hospital for a checkup.
Final Thoughts
These do’s and don’ts when trying to conceive aren’t meant to take the joy and fun out of baby-making. They are meant to give you the necessary precautions after ovulation when trying to conceive to ensure that you nail this baby.
Remember to enjoy the process, painful and slow as it may sometimes be. In no time, you’ll have your little bundle of joy screaming in your hands.
Read Next:
- 10 Easy DIY Pregnancy Tests You Can Do at Home (Can the Results be Trusted?)
- Why Am I Not Getting Pregnant? 6 Expert Tips To Get Pregnant Fast Naturally
- 15 Best Foods for Pregnancy
- 8 Reasons Why You Should Take Folic Acid in Pregnancy
