If you are ready to start a family, then you need to know some helpful tips to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Here’s what you need to know.
Whether you are trying for a baby or not, understanding how your body works when it comes to your increasing your chances of getting pregnant is important. At school, we are often given strict warnings about practicing safe sex to ensure we don’t end up unexpectedly pregnant.
Of course, while safe sex is a good idea for anyone not deliberately trying to have a child, the truth is, pregnancy doesn’t just ‘happen.’ It can be a little trickier when you actually attempt to conceive.
When you and your partner decide you’d like to start trying for a baby, it is a very exciting time. At first, you want to keep it casual and not put too much pressure on it. Just coming off whatever contraception you are on and having sex regularly works for many couples. [Read: 10 birth control options and what each of them can do for you]
Increase your chances of getting pregnant
However, some may be surprised to find out there is only a small period of time during a woman’s cycle where it is possible for them to become pregnant. Missing that window of opportunity happens quite easily. Many couples quickly become frustrated with the process, with women getting confused and upset each time their period arrives.
So, is there anything to ensure you become pregnant? While there are no guarantees, the good news is there are plenty of tips and tricks to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1. It’s all about the timing
Understanding your menstrual cycle and the most likely time for you to conceive each month is one of the best ways to increase your chances of getting pregnant. A woman’s menstrual cycle has different stages. It commonly lasts between 23 and 35 days.
The first day is the first day of your period *day 1* which usually lasts between three and seven days. After this your body begins to prepare for ovulation, a hormone known as FSH stimulates your ovaries to produce mature eggs, and your womb lining begins to thicken.
In the next stage, the egg releases *ovulation* and travels toward your womb. It is during this phase you are at your most fertile. An egg only survives for about 24 hours without being fertilized. If it is not, your body sheds the womb lining and unfertilized egg which is then the start of your next period and cycle. [Read: 15 things women wish men knew about the female body]
For most women, ovulation happens in the middle of your cycle. Ensuring you have sex during this period of time is essential if you want your egg to be fertilized. The good news is that sperm lives in your body for up to five days.
If you miss a day or two around that time, your chances of getting pregnant are not completely obliterated! Knowing when you ovulate can be a little tricky. Understanding how long your menstrual cycle lasts helps, and you can use an ovulation calculator to determine your most fertile days.
Alternatively, using ovulation testing sticks is another good and reliable way to understand when you are at your most fertile. These can be especially helpful for women whose periods are erratic.
2. Have sex regularly
This might be a no-brainer, but having regular sex is the best way to ensure that you get pregnant. Some women think it is a good idea to simply wait until they are at their most fertile. However, not having regular sex means much of the sperm released may already be dead.
Having sex every two to three days ensures that young, healthy sperm are released. Giving you the best chance of one of them fighting their way through to get to that egg! [Read: When women are at their horniest and what men can do about it]
3. Take prenatal vitamins
As soon as you have decided to try for a baby it’s a good idea to start taking prenatal vitamins. They should be taken throughout your pregnancy. Taking folic acid is proven to have a significant impact when it comes to lowering the chances of miscarriage, neural tube defects, and spina bifida.
Ones that also contain B6 and Omega-3 are optimum. B6 helps increase fertility and Omega-3 helps your body absorb the vitamins, and this will also increase your chances of getting pregnant.
4. Eat a healthy diet
Being overweight negatively impacts your fertility. Try to get your weight down and eat as healthily as possible to ensure you received all the nutrients you need to prepare your body for pregnancy.
Reducing the amount of alcohol and caffeine you consume and quitting smoking also help. This is true for your partner too as being overweight, having excess alcohol consumption, and smoking damage sperm quality. [Read: Unhealthy habits: Help your partner beat them]
5. Skip the lube
While you might regularly use lube to increase your enjoyment when it comes to bedroom activities, doing so while trying to conceive lowers your chances of doing so.
Lubricants impact sperm mobility so it is less likely to get to where your egg is waiting! There are some fertility-friendly options out there so you don’t have to give up on it altogether.
6. Take it easy
While it is important to stay fit and healthy both before and during pregnancy, you don’t need to push yourself to the extreme. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as too much exercise!
Overdoing it places unnecessary pressure on your body and causes you problems. By all means, stick to a mild exercise routine to keep active. But try taking up less strenuous sports to improve your core strength such as Pilates or yoga. [Read: 10 baby-free reasons why you missed your period]
7. Relax
Making sure you take time to relax, rest, and recuperate are all important when trying for a baby. If you focus all your time and energy on conceiving it quickly becomes overwhelming, stressful, and upsetting.
Putting too much pressure on yourself and your partner also causes problems in your relationship. No one wants to get down to business if they’ve just had a fight! So, try to relax and let things happen naturally.
We know making a baby feels challenging and time-consuming, but if you find yourself getting upset and irritable try to take a step back. Remember sex is still supposed to be fun and enjoyable regardless of the end result. [Read: 10 naughty sex games for couples to feel really horny in no time]
8. Be in it together
Working to get pregnant often falls solely on the woman. However, there is a lot your partner can do too. Adopting a healthier lifestyle is the first step. Also, keeping his testicles cool, wearing loose-fitting underwear, and keeping his mobile phone out of his trouser pockets all help improve sperm quality, and your chances of getting pregnant.
9. Track your menstrual cycle
Tracking your menstrual cycle will let you know when you are the most fertile. In order to do this, you can use any type of calendar that you want. However, make sure it has enough space for you to take notes. You will be recording the days that you have your period. You can also use an app like Clue or Period Tracker Lite to track your cycle too.
10. Use ovulation tests
Ovulation predictor kits are at-home tests you can use to determine when you are ovulating. Because you’re most fertile when you are ovulating, the kits help increase your chances for pregnancy when you’re trying to conceive. [Read: How to get a girl pregnant – 12 little details that play a big part]
They work by measuring the level of luteinizing hormone in your urine. A rise in this hormone signals the ovary to release an egg. So, when your levels reach a certain level, it means that you are going to ovulate in the next 12 to 36 hours.
11. Have sex when you are ovulating
This might sound obvious, but it’s the only way you’re going to get pregnant. Sperm can live inside a woman for as long as five days, but it has to be under the right conditions.
When you are ovulating, a woman’s body can promote sperm survival by producing cervical mucus that protects the sperm and makes it easier for them to get into the fallopian tubes.
After ovulation, an egg cell can only survive for about 12-24 hours. Since sperm can live up to five days in a woman’s body, this means the fertile winder is about six days long overall.
But it’s best to have sex one or two days before ovulation. This gives the sperm enough time to get to the egg before they start dying off too. [Read: Egg freezing – why freeze your eggs and how to do it right]
12. Lay on your back after sex
Even though sperm can live several days inside a woman, it will help if you lay on your back for a while after sex. Even better, you can raise your hips up onto a pillow for a while.
This will help the sperm stay inside your body and gravity will help them reach the egg. If you get up and go to the bathroom right after sex, some of the sperm might not survive.
13. Have a healthy lifestyle
It’s always easier for a healthy woman to get pregnant. You should eat healthy food and exercise. In addition, you should also have your weight at a healthy level too. Overweight and obese women tend to develop conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts that develop on the ovary can reduce their fertility.
Best positions to increase the chances of getting pregnant
There are also some sex positions that you can use to help you get pregnant easier. So, let’s take a look at some of them. [Read: Sex during early pregnancy – 15 must-know facts to play it safe]
1. Missionary
This is a popular position for many couples who want to get pregnant. It is quite effective for it too. A position where the woman is laying down is best so that the sperm doesn’t have to swim upstream to read the egg.
The missionary position allows for some deep penetration which helps the man get closer to the cervix. This gives a boost to the sperm as they swim toward the egg.
2. Legs up
This position is a variation of the missionary position. Because of this, it also gives the same benefits as the normal version. The only difference between the legs up and the regular missionary version is that this one allows penetration to be even deeper, and that allows the sperm to reach the egg faster.
3. Doggy style
Doggy style is when the woman is on her hands and knees and the man penetrates her from behind. This is also another common position for couples who want to get pregnant. This also allows for deep penetration. [Read: 9 Ways to make doggy style your favorite sex position]
4. Wheelbarrow
If you are a couple who don’t like the “normal” styles like missionary or doggy style, then you can get a little more ambitious with the wheelbarrow. For this one, the woman lies down on the bed or floor mimicking the wheelbarrow yoga position.
Then, the man enters her from a kneeling position between her legs. It sounds like a difficult position, but it’s not too bad. It requires some effort, but it is more interesting to some couples that way.
5. The lounger
For this position, the woman sits back in a chair with her hips on the edge of the seat. Then, the man kneels down on the floor for deep penetration. You can look each other in the eyes this way as the two of you think about how you are making a baby together.
Final thoughts
Everyone thinks that getting pregnant will be easy, but for some people, it’s not. But creating a life together is a beautiful thing, so it’s worth the effort. You just need to know how to do it right.
[Read: The amazing benefits of having sex while pregnant]
We know trying to conceive a child feels like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. By following these tips can increase your chances of getting pregnant. Above all, remember to enjoy the journey.
