Many women spend decades doing everything in their power to avoid a pregnancy. So when you finally want to have a baby, you want to get pregnant, NOW! Trying to conceive is meant to be an exciting time, however for up to 1 in 4 couples trying to conceive, it can be frustrating if you’re not falling pregnant as quickly as you thought you would. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill, potion or supplement I can recommend that will guarantee you’ll fall pregnant this cycle (if ONLY!). However, preparation is key! We prepare for everything in life; whether it be the first day at work, your wedding, buying a property, a trip abroad – but so often I see clients who want to have a baby and head straight to IVF without any preparation at all. There is so much you can do to prepare you and your partners body to improve your chances of falling pregnant and carrying a beautiful, healthy baby to term. Below I’ve provided some ‘how to get pregnant’ tips so you can lay the right foundations; wherever you may be on your fertility journey.

Birth Control – What To Know About Stopping when TTC

If you’ve been popping your contraceptive pill (or the hormonal patch/injection/coil….) since your teens, you might want to consider a plan to come off sooner rather than later. This will ensure your body gets to know what a normal cycle is for you. For some women, it can take a few cycles (sometimes less – sometimes more) to remember how to function without the synthetic hormonal reminders. What I often see with clients, is that your period will return the same way it was before you started taking the pill. E.g. Did you have irregular cycles? Painful cycles? You may want to anticipate this when you come off the pill and work on some of these underlying symptoms to maximise the function of your reproductive organs and increase your chances of conceiving every month. Don’t forget – you can get pregnant as soon as you stop birth control too; so be prepared!

Know your cycle – Know your Ovulation Calculator

I talked about this in last weeks blog; Ovulation Calculator…The Beginners Guide to Healthy Hormones and Fertility. Whether you’re trying to get pregnant, trying to not get pregnant, or just wanting to make sure you have a healthy menstrual cycle; understanding your personal cycle is critical for your hormonal health. For starters, women trying to conceive should monitor whether your period comes at the same number of days apart every month. This is considered a regular cycle. Many of us have irregular cycles, which is fine too. However, tracking or charting this information can better predict when you may be ovulating; i.e. when your ovary releases an egg each month. It doesn’t matter how many times you and your partner ‘get jiggy with it’, if you don’t know when you ovulate, you may struggle to conceive. Ovulation is the main event of not only your menstrual cycle, but it’s key to have healthy hormones and increase your fertility as well. Read more here.

Get Healthy when TTC

Whatever the health challenge, the majority of women I speak to know a lot about diets, but not so much about nutrition. The best gift you can give to your future baby is the gift of health. When you and your partner choose to get healthy, you increase your natural fertility dramatically. Nutrition is the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and baby. We need specific vitamins, minerals and nutrients such as; 

• Myo-inositol to lower androgens (male hormones) and normalise ovulation. Particularly useful nutrient for women who suffer from PCOS and/or insulin resistance. (1/2
• teaspoon with meals).
• CoQ10 to create healthy eggs. 300mg per day in the morning.
• Antioxidants like Garlic and Selenium to improve sperm motility
• Acetyl L Carnitine to encourage nutrient rich blood flow to the uterus which may assist with implantation of a fertilised embryo.
• Folic Acid to prevent birth defects such as neural tube defects.  
• Zinc plays a critical role in healthy cellular division so it is crucial in the early stages of pregnancy. For men, zinc is found in large amounts in semen, therefore men need more top ups of this important mineral.
• Ginseng to increase blood flow to male genitals.

However, it’s important to understand that a personalised and targeted nutritional plan is what’s required based on your individual circumstance. Speak to your healthcare practitioner today on whether these options are right for you and your partner. In addition, you and you partner should;

• Eat well; read more here
• Maintain healthy weight
• Stop smoking and recreational drug use
• Greatly reduce or cut out alcohol
• Exercise regularly – read more here

Get Tested – Fertility Tests

Getting tested before you even start trying for a baby may sound like over-kill, but most people trying to conceive want to know everything is working the way it should. E.g. Do you know the quantity or the quality of your partners sperm? Have you had your egg reserves measured? Are your hormone levels tracking normal? A preconception check-up is a must for women and men 35+ years trying to conceive and for couples younger than 35 who have been trying to conceive for more than 6 months. There are a number of conditions that can affect your fertility. Conditions such as hypothyroidism, endometriosis, PCOS and more. Your health care practitioner should complete a detailed medical history for both you and your partner.

If at first you don’t succeed

Trying to get pregnant after months, or even years is definitely more work than it is pleasure. From experience, clients I see that are trying to conceive generally have a lot in common;

• Tried everything
• Totally fed up with trying, with the process, with it all
• Feel like they’ve lost direction, and don’t have an action plan in place
• In need of support, care, education and advice

I have been where you are, and I get it! It can be crippling emotionally, physically and financially when you are trying for a baby month after month, and despite your very best efforts; it just isn’t happening. It’s vital to look at a whole range of factors, like those I’ve listed above that may be affecting your fertility across every aspect of your life. I’ve seen so many couples dramatically increase their chances of getting pregnant with the help of 1, some, or all of the suggestions listed above. If you are experiencing challenges trying to conceive, it’s important to know when to call in for help.

What are you doing for support through your fertility journey? I’d love to hear your thoughts……