The very decision to start a family is really huge! Once you’ve already decided, you probably don’t wish to delay. So, you better start planning ahead of time if that is the case. You might think that the key to conceiving fast is all about sex, but it’s not. Actually, a fast and successful conception is not just depended on having sex at the right time.
More than that, it is crucial to create a perfect environment so that the sperm can actually meet the egg and a healthy embryo eventually grows into a healthy baby. So, baby-making doesn’t just involve fun sex. You’d definitely want to put in some serious planning into baby-making. Well, to ensure a quick conception you need to follow a few lifestyle as well as functional tips.
Go off contraceptives:
Have you been on the pill since college days? Well, it is high time you toss it away, way ahead in time, if you want to try for a baby and conceive fast. Experts like reproductive endocrinologist that women must let go of any kind of hormonal birth control at least 9 months before they plan to start trying to get pregnant.
It usually takes quite (actually, few cycles) a while for your body to start ovulating normally so that it is primed for pregnancy. Again, this will play on your side, since you’ll have time to track down your cycle to judge the exact time of ovulation, which basically is vital for the timing of baby-making. Remember that when you are first off-the-pill you are more fertile.
Don’t miss out on your fertile days:
Fertile days in a month are those when your egg is all set to go! Despite how many times you get horizontal with your partner, you’ve got to figure out your fertile days and never skip them. Yes, you have to find out when you ovulate. This is the key to getting pregnant successfully. Not knowing the exact time when you ovulate is one of the biggest mistakes patients make, according to doctors.
You basically have a total of 6 days in a month with high chances of getting pregnant, which includes five before you start ovulating, plus the day of ovulation. Many doctors recommend OPK’s (ovulation predictor kits) for a more accurate calculation of the time of ovulation. Ideally, you just need to minus 14 days from the precise length of your cycle, so as to determine when you ovulate. Now, you need to act quickly because you surely don’t want to miss your most fertile time since an ovulated egg is only viable for 24 hours.
But if the predictor charts are making you stressed, just keep them aside and calm down. Wait for your body to give signs and you’ll know. Increased libido, bloating, stretchy cervical mucus, increased sense of taste & smell, breast tenderness etc are the symptoms that help in recognizing ovulation.
Have Sex before Ovulating:
It is needless to say that nothing happens if you skip out this part. An important thing to know is that sperms survive up to a week. So, you don’t need to have sex every day. But, if you figure out when you are ovulating, having sex before that will always increase your chances to have positive test results. You’d need some sperm to stick around in your fallopian tubes or uterus, to greet your egg when it debuts.
For instance, a 28-day cycle is the most typical when you ovulate on the 14th day of the month.
Do’s of Sex Session:
Separating myths from facts, here are the dos:
- The fact is there is no set timing during a day to have sex. Sperm count is at its peak in the morning according to some sources but, when you’re in the baby making mood it is best to do it before hitting the hay. This ensures that you stay on your back for long afterward.
- There isn’t a thumb rule that you have to follow a single sex position that works best in the process of conception. Nonetheless, you might want to stick to the position that lets you lie on the back after sex. The reason obviously is scientific.
- Doctors say that when it is over you should be in a position where you lie on your back. This is essential because it’ll allow the sperm to pool down easily as the natural slope of the vagina is downwards. Nothing works better than this. So, thumbs up to lying down after sex.
Don’ts of Sex Session:
- You definitely cannot rely straight on your postcoital bliss to get pregnant fast. But, you don’t really need to worry if you don’t have an orgasm. The speculation that orgasms boost chances of conception by drawing more sperm in the vagina and uterus has no scientific proof.
- Don’t panic about briefs vs. boxers. Men encounter fertility issues at times that root out from a condition in which the testicles become excessively heated up which can ultimately impact the sperm production. Thus, some sources will tell you to favor boxers over briefs for easy conception. But, experts have turned this down as there is no scientific evidence which confirms that this will pace up the pregnancy timeline.
- People have a general notion that lubricants give sperms a leg up. But, facts reveal that this can actually obstruct your efforts of getting pregnant. Lubricants vary in the formula. The pH balance in the vagina can be changed and the sperm mobility can decrease due to many formulas. So, either enhance natural lubrication via longer foreplay or use a “sperm-friendly†lubricant.
- Make sure you don’t engage in activities, like hot tubs, long runs or saunas, which can raise your body temperature after sex. It can sabotage your baby-making chances.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle!
Self Care- it goes a long way when you’re trying to figure out ways to boost your chances of getting pregnant quick. It isn’t new that the phase of pregnancy and delivery is really critical when the body has to undergo and succumb to some major challenges and changes.
So, you’ve got to start the journey at tip-toe and to do that you need to make a few simple and positive lifestyle changes. Here are some top tips:
A preconception checkup:
When you want to get pregnant fast it is vital that consult a doctor to talk out your overall health and ask for suggestions of necessary lifestyle changes. After all, the healthier you both are, the more is the probability of conceiving faster.
There are other issues also that you might want to discuss with a doctor like hereditary fertility issues. Plus, pregnancy is tough on gums and teeth. So, you don’t want to skip a visit to your dentist. Maintaining a hygienic oral health is important before getting pregnant. This owes to various sources that have linked premature and underweight babies to poor oral health.
Prenatal Vitamins are vital:
Several studies conclude that folic acid is one among the vital nutrients that is essential at each stage of development for the baby-starting from promoting ovulation, encouraging fertilization to giving support to ensure early embryo survival. There are good over-the-counter options available.
You can also start taking a doctor’s prescribed prenatal vitamin that is safe. Safe prenatal vitamins like Vital Concept’s MAMA and Eu Natural’s Conception Fertility Prenatal Vitamin are available on Amazon. However, do verify with your physician before use. Some of the natural sources of folic acid are beans, spinach, orange juice, strawberries etc.
Take it easy!
This may come as a surprise but, getting pregnant faster is closely related to keeping down the stress levels and staying relaxed as much as possible. Trials to convince can be overwhelming but the key is to take it easy. Try activities that make you relaxed and calm like a fun dinner-out, deep breathing exercises etc. The chances of pregnancy can be delayed if there’s tremendous pressure and stress on one another.
Get some exercise together:
Both can get a fertility boost by staying fit and that calls for some healthy exercise habits. You need to prepare your body for pregnancy. If you’re not much into exercising then innovate ways in your daily life to compensate, like avoiding lifts, get back home walking by getting off the bus a few stops early etc.
If that sounds boring, taking dance lessons or jogging together can be both fun and effective. But, even work-outs have to be balanced, don’t overdo it. Excessive workout as per studies can mess with fertility and menstrual cycle.
Healthy Eating:
Fertility and food are close friends. You can definitely boost your chances of getting pregnant when both of you maintain a balanced and healthy diet. Eat fiber, fruit and reduce the salt content. Obesity can make conceiving soon a tough challenge. So, maintaining a balanced diet is essential.
You need to eat all kinds of food that will help in boosting the progesterone levels in the body, which is basically a key hormone that maintains pregnancy. It is also vital when it comes to supporting early implantation and ovulation. Thus, as said earlier, your diet must include whole grains, lots of veggies and fruits. Most importantly, avoid processed foods and sweets as much as possible.
Measure your caffeine sips:
Many sources say that you may have fertility problems if you consume excessive caffeine. No need to be upset, you don’t need to quit your loved coffee. All you have to do is curbing down the quantity on a per day basis.
Cut down on daily booze!
It is actually best to avoid drinking at all if you want to conceive fast and that goes for both you and your partner. Too harsh, is it? At least, cut down on the regular quantity of alcohol intake. But, for women, doctors suggest that it is best to give drinking a break when the trials of conceiving are on and even afterward.
If you’re asking about after conceiving scenario, it’s better that you don’t even then as it might harm the child; particularly in the weeks before you understand that you have actually conceived. Even for men, excessive alcohol consumption can reduce their fertility.
Quit Smoking:
In both women and men, smoking is said to reduce fertility. Plus, if you’re still on smoking when you conceive, it can be dangerous for your baby. If you are up for baby-making, it is high time that both of you help each other out to quit smoking.
It is not just fertility which at stake for a woman. The chances of you getting pregnant can be sabotaged. Plus, smoking can increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. In women, smoking lowers the ovulation probabilities and estrogen levels while in men, both the quantity and quality of sperm lowers.
Break the monotony, revive the romance!
In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, the work stress is so much that finding enough time for yourselves become overwhelmed. If you are planning to have a baby soon, you’ve got to take the initiative. To relieve the pressure and stress and at the same time enjoy some together-time, an extended weekend holiday trip can do wonders.
For your information, there are specialized travel agencies today that can make your baby-making break totally worth it with the perfect arrangement and ambiance setting.
Well, there are times when you cannot really afford a long holiday. In that case, make some free time in your daily schedule itself to revive the romance between you and your partner. A long phase of ‘trying to conceive’ can become really stressful for both you and your partner. The feeling that you are just having sex to conceive is very common can be burdening as well.
So, why not rekindle the atmosphere of a date and shut out the fertile thoughts out the window. Just going with the flow can also make you lucky.
Get-set-go to test!
The sooner you know that you’ve conceived the better. As soon as you have the positive results, you can take the doctor’s advice on prenatal care and also ensure that you keep your drinking and eating habits as healthy as possible. The best way to go ahead with testing is to wait until the expected date of your period. See if you miss it, and then test to get more accurate results.
Getting Pregnant- When to call in help?
Ideally, healthy couples who have unprotected and frequent sex can conceive within 12 months. One study concluded that 38%, 68%, 81% and 92% conceive after 1 month, 3 months, six months and 12 months respectively.
Nonetheless, at times you might need help in conceiving. For instance, say you are in the early 30’s and are a healthy couple and you have tried to conceive for a year without contraceptives. If you still fail to conceive, you may speak with a fertility specialist. At the end of the day, you need to remember that many studies say that the possibility of getting pregnant in a month, even when at the peak of fertility, is 1:5. Under the same circumstance, if both of you are over 35 years, hit the specialist’s door after six months of trying. This basic reason for that being the fact that fertility decreases with age. If you delay more, the chances of success with fertility treatments also become stringent.
Conclusion:
Thus, the actual key to getting pregnant fast is to stay fit, relaxed and maintain a healthy and balanced diet. To boost your chances of conceiving, however, it is always helpful to follow these tips. You never know, it might become your best way to get pregnant quickly!