If you’ve had trouble getting pregnant, you may be looking more seriously into just when is it the best time to get pregnant. Now obviously I’m not talking about New Year’s Eve (although a surprising percentage of conception goes on at this time – that’s why there are more Virgo’s than any other star sign), or any other calendar event. I’m talking about the best time during your ovulation cycle to conceive.
There are a number of things to consider when trying to work out the perfect time for you to conceive, but the number one thing you need to know is when you’re ovulating! And so the next logical question to ask yourself is “how do I work out when I’m ovulating?”
OK, so how well do you know your own body? Have you kept records of your menstrual cycle? If not, start now. Just note down in your diary or on a calendar the first day of your period each month. It probably won’t take long for a pattern to emerge. On average, women have a 28 day cycle – the first day of your period is considered “day 1”. Some women’s cycles are a day or two longer, some are a day or two shorter. Ovulation usually occurs in most women 14 days before your next period, or another way to put it is that your period will come 14 days after you have ovulated (presuming you did not get pregnant). This is why it’s important to know your own cycle, so that you can predict when you are ovulating.
Now don’t worry if you’re not that good with working it out on a calendar. Your own body has another way of telling you. Your Basal Body Temperature (BBT) is another way to chart your cycle. You will need to buy a thermometer that has a much finer calibration and will tell you in one tenth of a degree. You will need to check your temperature at the same time every day – before you get out of bed is best and at about the same time. By charting your temperature you will notice patterns and be able to predict the best time for making love with the view of getting pregnant.
It is usual for your BBT to be consistent from day 1 (first day of your period) to day 12 (assuming a 28 day cycle), at around 36.5 degrees Celsius. At day 13 your BBT may drop slightly (about .2 of a degree) and on around day 14 you BBT should slowly start to rise, reaching around 37 degrees by day 15 or 16 and staying there until a day or two before your period and return to your starting temperature of around 36.5 degrees. If you have conceived your BBT will remain at about 37 degree throughout your pregnancy.
The difference in temperature is only about .5 of a degree, so a BBT thermometer is essential for this kind of charting. The best use of your BBT chart is to note when in your own cycle ovulation is occurring. It is when your BBT starts to rise after the slight dip – so about day 14 in your cycle. However, it takes time for sperm to reach the egg, so making love in order to conceive should take place before ovulation, rather than at or after ovulation.
Another thing to consider is that your eggs have a lifespan of only 12 – 24 hours, whereas sperm usually survive for between 2 to 5 days in a woman. Aim for making love every other day during your week of ovulation. This will give you your best chance of getting pregnant in the shortest amount of time.
For more great ideas to help you conceive fast, naturally,
…to you and your beautiful family,
warm regards,
Julie
Fortunately the human body is pretty resilient and most pregnancies and babies don’t have any major problems. But do you want to take chances when a little planning and preparation can make all the difference, especially if you’ve been finding it hard to conceive?
With a little planning you’ll be able to increase your fertility, lessen the chance of miscarriage, sick or deformed babies and increase your chance of having gorgeous, healthy, intelligent children.
You might think the issue of being in peak health is just about the mother, but it can play a huge part in the health of the sperm as well – so dads-to-be also need to optimise their health, nutrition and lifestyle for a least three months prior to conception.
For a couple to conceive easily the health of both people is really important. You need to give yourselves at least three months (six is even better) to improve your lifestyle. Some things to consider include:
Weight: if either of you are overweight or underweight, take steps to turn it around.
Exercise: this increases the blood-flow (and therefore oxygen levels) and adds to overall health. Try to do a minimum of 20 minutes and make it part of your daily routine. Walking or swimming are great choices as they can be continued throughout your pregnancy.
X-rays: avoid any x-rays for at least four months prior to conception. Get your dental appointments over with well before trying to conceive.
Toxins: you may need to make a few changes in your household to make sure you’re not being exposed to toxins such as solvents, pesticides, paint-strippers etc.
Lubricants: avoid these as all lubricants are spermicidal (they kill sperm), including saliva. You could use egg whites instead.
The Pill: stop taking the pill a minimum of four months, but preferably longer, before trying to conceive. You may be lacking in nutrients for some time and there is a deep disruption to your hormone levels.
Drugs: to increase your ability to conceive, stop consuming alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, marijuana and any other drugs you can think of. All these drugs play a part in impairing fertility, over-work your liver and strip your body of vital nutrients. You want to be completely withdrawn from all drugs before you conceive.
Salt and Sugar: reduce your intake of these to the bare minimum.
But for the mother-to-be, nutrition is part of the key to a healthy conception pregnancy and baby. Not only do you need to get and keep your weight at a normal, healthy level, you want to make sure all your food is nutritious – and obviously, organic is best.
Quit junk food! Almost all fast foods are overwhelmingly high in fat, salt and sugar, providing empty calories. When you eat junk food you’re substituting empty and potentially harmful calories for healthy, nutritious foods. What do you really want your baby to be nourished by? Eat well. It’s the best lifestyle change you can make for yourself and your family.
For more great ideas to help you conceive fast, naturally,
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…to you and your beautiful family,
warm regards,
Julie
