The first step is to find out when you are ovulating. There are several ways you can do this. One of the easiest ways is to purchase a basal thermometer and start charting your temperatures. You can use our Justmommies free fertility chart to record and keep track of your temperatures. Make sure that when you take your temperature, you use a basal thermometer. It is the most accurate for charting ovulation.
Take your temperature as soon as you wake up, before you get out of bed, go to the bathroom, or do anything. Try to take your temperature at the same time every morning if you can. This way your chart will be more precise. The best time to have sex is between the time your temperature drops and before it rises again.
One other way you can find out when you are ovulating is by using an ovulation predictor test. You can purchase ovulation tests in bulk online to make it more affordable. Ovulation kits measure the amount of Luteinizing Hormone in your body. Right before you ovulate, your body releases a large amount of LH. The test kits are easy to use. They are very similar to a pregnancy test. You will have a reference line and then a sample line to compare that to. Once you test positive for ovulation, you should have intercourse within twenty-four hours.
Some of the best ways to predict when you are ovulating are by watching your body for signs that you are ovulating. Some women feel cramping on one side when they ovulate. Ovulation pain should not be the only thing you watch for, but it is one indicator of ovulation. You should also keep an eye on your cervical mucus. You will notice that your cervical mucus will pick up several days before ovulation. When your cervical mucous starts to look like egg white and becomes really slippery, this is the best time to get pregnant. The slippery consistency helps to carry the sperm up the vaginal canal. Some doctors recommend taking Robitussin to help thin out your mucus, which will help to transport the semen.
9 Tips for Getting Pregnant: Dos and Don'ts
Tip #1: Do limit movement after intercourse. Standing up after intercourse can cause the semen to leak out. Try to wait twenty minutes after sex before getting up and moving around.
Tip #2: Do try to keep the sperm inside your vagina longer. You can hold the labia together to try to keep the sperm inside of you. You can also try putting a pillow under your pelvis to help tilt your body so the sperm can travel upwards easier.
Tip #3: Do try to make sex enjoyable. Sometimes when a couple is trying to conceive it will affect the quality of their sex life. More enjoyable sex means higher sperm count and better "swimmers."
Tip #4: Do limit male masturbation prior to the days you are trying to conceive. It will help to increase the man's sperm count and improve your chances of getting pregnant.
Tip #5: Do take prenatal vitamins if you are trying to conceive. Folic acid and other vitamins are very important during the first trimester of pregnancy
Tip #6: Don't drink alcohol or use drugs at the time of conception. This applies to both the male and female. There is strong evidence that alcohol can effect your chances of getting pregnant.
Tip # 7: Don't douche after having intercourse. It can wash out the sperm that has just entered your body
Tip #8 Don't have oral sex prior to intercourse. There is some evidence that the bacteria in the mouth can cause damage to male sperm.
Tip #9 Don't have anal sex prior to intercourse. Bacteria in the anus can be carried into the vagina from the man's penis. If you do have anal sex before intercourse, make sure your partner washes his penis first.
If you have been trying to conceive for over a year, please consult a doctor. You may need to have tests run or use fertility treatments.
Getting pregnant is easier if you know when you are fertile. Use JM's Ovulation Calendar HERE.