First off, congratulations! You’ve made the decision to have a baby and I could not be more excited for you. I know that feeling first hand, of wanting to start a family and just looking for any tips and guidance to help “speed up the process”.
Now unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way to get pregnant quickly. Our bodies are all different and respond differently to environmental factors, stimuli, nutrition, etc.. And pregnancy is no different. However, there are definitely a few science-backed tricks to help give your body the tools it needs to conceive.
Now remember, these are simply techniques that allow your body to be strong and healthy, while also helping to regulate your hormones to help with conception. Take a look.
1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Now you may be thinking to yourself, “well duh?”...but hear me out! Maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t just mean eating right and being active (although that is still a BIG part of it). It also means reducing or eliminating certain unhealthy habits such as caffeine consumption, alcohol, and smoking.
My #1 Piece of advice to any client trying to start a family is always to reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption. For coffee, stick to one cup a day. I know it’s hard for many of us, however there are studies that show caffeine can have negative effects on fertility.
As for alcohol, a glass of wine every now and then isn’t going to kill you, but try to avoid it as much as possible while you’re trying to conceive. And if your partner reduces their intake as well, even better. Some research has found heavy alcohol consumption can affect a man’s sperm count and quality.
2. Take a prenatal supplement
That’s right - start before you’re even pregnant. The right prenatal supplement will have all the nutrients that your body needs to balance hormones, optimize ovulation, and it also helps prepare for a healthy pregnancy from day 1 by raising essential vitamin levels in the body and supporting healthy functions. Plus, it gives you a chance to test out which solutions are most compatible for you before you're pregnant.
I of course always take (and recommend) my Mom’s Complete Multivitamin because it really is the holy grail of prenatal, postnatal, and fertility multivitamins. And when it comes to conception, it’s packed with B vitamins, folic acid, and iron - 3 CRUCIAL nutrients for when you’re trying to get pregnant.
3. Track your Periods
I’m a believer in tracking your periods and ovulation for two reasons:
First, it’s important to determine if you’re regular or not - this can only be known if you have a few months' worth of data. The regularity of your cycle can give you insight into the health of your fertility. And knowledge is key! The more knowledge you have about your fertility, the sooner you can look at guides and options to help you conceive successfully.
Second, it can help you better predict when you're ovulating - or that time of the month when the ovaries release an egg. Try an ovulation tracker - it’ll make your life so much easier!
4. Swap out your partner’s tight underwear
Sorry tighty-whitey fans, but it’s time to make the switch to boxers and trade in those skinny jeans for something less restrictive. It is no myth that tight, restrictive clothing can have negative effects on a man’s sperm count and quality.
Study after study has shown that men who opt for looser clothing have a higher sperm concentration than those who like to leave little to the imagination ;)
5. Final Tip, Don’t Use Lube
I bet no one ever told you that some lubricants can actually kill sperm before it has any chance of reaching the egg. So you can either try to find a “sperm-friendly” lubricant if you really need it, but advise is to try and avoid it until you get that positive check mark!
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