9 Ways You Can Improve Your Chances Of Conceiving
If you want to start a family, or expand your current family, you might want to see if you can exercise some control over your conception. Getting pregnant can feel like you’re simply waiting for lady luck, but there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of conceiving. Below are some suggestions that you can use on your journey to having a baby:
Reduce Your Stress Levels
People who are stressed out generally have less chance of conceiving a baby. The mind and body do not perform optimally when stressed out, so it only makes sense that the body prefers not to house a life during this time. Find ways to manage and reduce your stress levels. You can try the following:
- Reducing your workload
- Avoid spending time with toxic people
- Cut down on intense exercise
- Meditate
- Get regular massages
- Try yoga
- Avoid social media
- Spend more time outdoors
2. Aim For A Healthy Body Weight
A healthy body weight is also imperative for conceiving a baby. Being both underweight and overweight can mean that the body is not a suitable space to grow a baby. Work on gaining weight if you are underweight, but do so after visiting a doctor, and make sure you do it the healthy way. Don’t just go out and eat lots of junk food! Take your time and do it by eating plenty of healthy foods. If you are overweight, try to see where you can improve your diet and exercise, but do not do anything drastic. Drastic changes can further decrease your chance of conceiving a baby.
3. Quit Smoking
Smoking is bad for both males and females who want to have children. The best thing you can do is quit smoking sooner rather than later – you’ll be setting a much better example to your children, too. There are plenty of options available that can help you to stop smoking, including gum, patches, and e-cigarettes.
4. Cut Down On Alcohol
If your alcohol consumption is fairly heavy and regular, cut down. You may also want to stop the occasional binge drinking sessions, even if you only go out and partake in them once a month. Any drinking you do should be minimal, as it can affect the body’s ability to house a baby. You wouldn’t drink when pregnant, so start acting like you’re pregnant now and make that body a healthy place for your baby to grow!
5. Boost Vitamins And Minerals
Boost the intake of vitamins and minerals in your diet. You can get plenty of vitamins and minerals from fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods that you eat. However, you can also take supplements that will make your body a healthier place to live for your little one. If you’re unsure of what you should take and what you should avoid, visit your local doctor. There are vitamins out there specially designed for women who are looking to conceive, so they could be worth a look.
6. Pay Attention To Your Cycle
If you’re not paying attention to your cycle, start now! Simply guessing the right time to conceive can lead to lots of disappointment, and you may just miss a great opening in your cycle. There are apps especially designed to help you track your cycle, such as natural cycles. Making sure you’re trying for a baby at these specific times will give you a much higher chance of getting pregnant.
7. Skip The Lube
Some lubricants can have spermicide in them, and other things that can prevent sperm from making its way to the egg as it should. Either skip the lube altogether, or choose one that is guaranteed not to hinder your chances.
8. Get Into A Healthy Sleeping Pattern
A healthy sleeping pattern is an important addition to a healthy lifestyle. It’ll reduce your stress levels, and have many other benefits on top of this. Do your best to go to bed at the same time each night, and get up at the same time each day. Different people with different lifestyles need varying amounts of sleep. Some people need 6 hours, while others may need 9. Do your best to get around 8 hours per night and see how you feel.
9. Visit A Doctor
If you’re still struggling to conceive after being patient and working your way through this list, it could be time to visit your doctor for some tests. They can help you to look further into your options too, such as egg donation, or even adoption. However, having tests to get a better idea of what is going on in your body is usually a better idea before you decide on a plan B.