Health Smart Mom

Once you and your partner have decided to have a baby, of course the first thing you need to do is get pregnant. However, as with most things, this is often easier said than done. In conceiving a baby, timing is everything, and if your timing is off, well, getting pregnant may be a long and frustrating journey instead of the fun and rewarding experience it should be.

In order to get pregnant, ovulation must occur. Now many women are familiar with many aspects of their body and monthly cycle, but ovulation is one of those things that frequently occurs without much notice. However, a thorough knowledge of one’s body, especially ovulation will make getting pregnant much easier.

Fortunately, there are many ways to track your body to find out when ovulation will occur. This is important because knowledge of the ovulation is critical for conception. One way to estimate your time of ovulation is to estimate from the first date of your last period. In general a woman’s period will start 14 days after ovulation. So to calculate your estimated time of ovulation, simply take the time between your periods, and back it up 14 days from your next expected period to find the estimated date of ovulation.

An alternative, and more accurate way to find out the period of ovulation, is based on the Basal Body Temperature. In this method, your basal-body temperature is recorded by a specially-made BBT thermometer (which is inserted in the vagina.) This is done once a day, in the morning. You will track this temperature each day. When you notice a significant rise in temperature, this is the time of your ovulation.

There is conflicting information on how often a couple should try to conceive during ovulation and shortly after ovulation. Some believe that sperm count goes down with frequent intercourse, and as a result, there chance of conception goes down. Conversely, others think that sperm becomes ineffective and has a lower potency during prolonged periods of abstinence (and by prolonged, here we mean more than a day or two) In general, whatever works best for you and your partner is what you should try – because getting pregnant is supposed to be fun – not something you have to check off of your to-do list. But if you need a number, the general recommendation is about once every other day. Once you have tracked your cycle and know when you are going to ovulate, it’s not bad idea to start a day or two before you think you will ovulate as well.

One of the great things about the Basal Body Temperature or the Estimated Cycle method is that they are both holistic approaches to getting pregnant. And in general holistic solutions are better and healthier than other solutions. And since they are better planned than just going “natural” you can properly prepare yourself. At the same time, they do not rely on the chemicals of prescription drugs to aid in conception.

Other holistic methods to increasing fertility and thus increasing your chances of conception include medicines and herbs of Chinese origin as well as healthy changes in your eating habits and overall lifestyle. You can also participate in suitable exercise methods such as yoga, and, if necessary, acupuncture can even aid in increasing the chances of conception. There are many books available if you are interested in learning more about the various natural and holistic methods available for increasing your fertility, such as Toni Weschler’s “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”
or Lisa Olson’s “Pregnancy Miracle“. Unlike traditional Western methods, the natural and holistic approaches have no adverse side effects, and have a much higher chance of providing you with the baby you’ve been dreaming of!

Article by Stefani Padilla, author, entrepreneur, home based business owner, wife and mom.

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