So you’re ready to have a baby — congratulations! With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we’re sure you’re feeling extra sexy and if that translates to great sex and a baby then great. But getting pregnant isn’t always an easy journey, so here’s how to optimise your chances of getting pregnant naturally so you can welcome a bundle of joy in the future:
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The first step towards successful baby-making is to identify the time of the month when your ovaries release an egg, also known as ovulation.
You can easily predict your ovulation through over-the-counter kits that use urine to detect a specific hormone that signals the start of ovulation.
Couples trying to conceive have sex every day or every other day (your call!) starting four days before ovulation until the day after.
Typically, an egg is able to be fertilized for approximately 24 hours after release so the more often you get down and dirty, the more likely you are you catch that egg in its prime.
If you’re not having regular periods or are just interested in learning more about your family building options, go ahead and book an appointment with a gynecologist or a fertility specialist to start assessing your fertility and discussing your treatment options.
Self-care is important when trying to conceive: Eat right, exercise regularly and don’t smoke. Maintaining a generally healthy lifestyle is the first step towards adding to your little brood.
Things like meditation and multivitamins are also measures that can be taken to help keep up your physical and mental strength before getting pregnant.
When it comes to sex positions, missionary with a slightly tilted pelvis (i.e. a cushion under your bottom) can help,” says Emma Cannon, fertility specialist and author of The Baby Making Bible.
“But really I think the best advice is just to get on with it. Becoming too obsessive can create tension.”
It’s difficult not to obsess about becoming pregnant and having a baby, but the best way to reduce this stress is to shift your focus from the end goal to the present.
Savour daily activities you’d usually rush through. When you let yourself live in the moment, things feel less overwhelming for you both.
When all your attention is on the process of trying to conceive, emotions can be neglected, which can lead to frustration, anger and disappointment.
So, actively make couple time to do things you enjoy and talk about everything other than conception.
Athletes look to people who have achieved what they want and recreate it, and in the same way this is a good time to look at tips and techniques that have worked for others and find one that feels authentic to you.
Acupuncture has been shown to reduce stress, and self-hypnosis is good for relaxation, which in the end can help you to get knocked up.
(Text: bauersyndication.com.au / Additional reporting: Natalya Molok)