It might seem a little odd that trying to get pregnant could be stressful, but it certainly can be! You have the many uncertainties, visits to the doctor and specialists, and the well meant advice of friends and family.
All of this can add up to a lot of stress, which is couner-productive to your goal: having a baby! When my wife and I were unable to have a baby, a lot of stress was caused when our friends were all having babies and talking to us as if there was something wrong with us.
Personally, we were married for 5 years before we succeeded in having a baby. It took numerous visits to the doctor and specialists before the cause was revealed. Apparently the advice worked: we had 8 healthy and very lovely children!
Here are some useful tips on how to get pregnant (besides the obvious!):
Ignore your well-meaning friends and family. They mean well, but a lot of this advice is just not good. You can be polite and so on, but stick to sound, well-founded advice. After all, it is a human being you are creating!
Educate yourself by reading up on how to have a baby. There is a good reading list at the end of this page.
Stop smoking, if you do smoke. It would seem very obvious, but smoking can greatly reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Numerous studies show that your odds can be reduced by as much as 40%! Not to mention the harmful effects of smoking on an unborn fetus and newborn baby!
Vitamin/Mineral Supplements should be used to help balance your hormones. Our stressful lifestyles can easily deplete the hormonal system, which plays a huge role in trying to conceive a baby. There are many excellent sources of natural supplements.
Have sex at the right time. Find out when your ovulation occurs and start having sex 2 or 3 days before. This is because the sperm can live inside your body for up to 5 days. You can find out when ovulation occurs by keeping track of your body temperature, checking your cervical mucus, or counting the days.
Watch your weight. Excessive dieting or obesity both can reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Dieting can wreak havoc with your hormones, thus making pregnancy more difficult. Obesity is associated with lower conception rates, and generally is unhealthy.
The missionary position is often recommended because of the deeper penetration. Other positions obviously work, but might be less effective because the sperm can flow out of the vagina. There are quite a few "old wives tales" about this one, but the missionary position makes sense.
Having a baby is a miraculous process, from beginning to end! There is nothing quite like birth: a creation from mother and father that is completely unique in this world!
We are a group of parents and professionals who are passionate about helping families manage the stress of modern life. Our site is: stress-familyhealth.net
We offer advice and resources on some of the more difficult aspects of raising a family. Stress at work, how to get pregnant, parenting advice for single fathers and single mothers are some of our topics.
