If you are trying to conceive and it is taking longer than expected, there may not be anything that is seriously wrong, it could be due to a simple mistake or omission on your part.
There are quite a number of common mistakes that couples make when trying to get pregnant. For instance, you may not be aware that there’s more to getting pregnant fast than just having sex at the right time.
You should know that getting pregnant is not an automatic process, and you should also accept that conceiving is also about creating the perfect environment so that when sperm meets an egg, a healthy embryo grows into a healthy baby.
While conceiving quickly may be the goal, try to accept that it’s never a guarantee. Normally, having a baby begins with having sex. However, you may be guilty of having too much sex or not having sex often enough. It is possible that you may not know when you really ovulate. Don’t assume that a regular cycle applies to every woman. You may have a cycle that is slightly shorter or longer than the norm. To figure out the exact day you ovulated, you can count 14 days back from the day you started your period. Although not everyone ovulates on the 14th day, your period always begins 14 days after ovulation. You can use a reliable ovulation predictor kit to help you predict when you’ll ovulate next.
Having sex only on ovulation day is as bad as not having sex regularly. Believe it or not, having sex every day does not help when you are trying to conceive. Too much sex can decrease sperm count, which can then take a few days to recoup. The recommendation is that you try to have sex every other day, instead of every day, during your fertile window.
Does sexual position matter when it comes to conceiving? While great for the enjoyment, coital or post-coital position does not necessarily impact significantly for you to get pregnant.
While it is true that much of your man’s sperms go towards your egg the moment he ejaculates, your real odds of getting pregnant hinge on many more factors than just mere positioning.
When it comes to trying to conceive, timing is everything–but that doesn’t mean you have only one shot at making a baby. When you ovulate, the released egg can survive in your fallopian tube for up to 24 hours. While there, it can meet up with any available sperm, which can usually live in a woman’s body for about 3–5 days. What this means is that your fertile window is potentially six days. These are – the four days leading up to ovulation, plus the day you ovulate and the day after. Of all these, you’re most fertile during the two to three days before ovulation and the day of ovulation itself.
It is a no-brainer that your lifestyle can affect your fertility significantly. Stay away from smoking, alcohol, and stress. Eat a healthy diet, exercise in moderation, try to get your weight into a healthy range and ease up on caffeine.
If you’re under 35 years, it’s not uncommon for it to take up to a year to get pregnant. It’s also completely normal to feel frustrated after a few months—but if you don’t have any underlying health problems, you should probably wait it out before seeking the help of a fertility specialist. If you’re over 35 years old, go ahead and set up an appointment with a specialist after you’ve been trying for six months, instead of a year.
For instance, if your cycle is shorter than 25 days or longer than 35 days, or if you are getting painful or heavy periods, it’s a good idea to see the doctor sooner rather than later.
Many couples focus their fertility investigation on the woman, but 40 per cent of the time, fertility problems can be attributed to the man. If you haven’t conceived after a year of trying and are under 35 years, you should both head to the doctor.
On the flip side, waiting too long to see a specialist could be counterproductive. Waiting too long to conceive is another bottleneck you may be contending with. Age is a factor in infertility. When you turn 35 years old, you officially enter what’s known as advanced maternal age.
A woman’s ability to conceive decreases by about 50 per cent between ages 20 and 40. If you’re in a stable relationship and want a child, don’t wait just because you think it won’t be a problem to get pregnant later in life. If you feel ready, by all means, go for it.
