Conception Tips

If conceiving a baby is right on top of your priority list, here are a few fertility tips that help ensure you get pregnant as fast as you can.

Conception TipsEat Healthy
A nutritious diet goes a long way in helping you conceive. So pack your platter with fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods - as these will nourish your body and boost your flagging energy levels.

Take Folic Acid
Start taking a folic acid supplement even before you conceive, as it increases your chance of conception considerably - and is essential at the embryo stage. Fruits and dark-green leafy vegetables are also a rich source of folate.

Cut the Caffeine
Too many cups of coffee (more than 3 cups per day) could contribute to fertility problems. Caffeine is also believed to restrict the growth of the developing baby by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the uterus. So cut down on the number of cups or switch to de-caf.

Drink Plenty of Water
Water is the body's temperature regulator and lubricant. Research shows that increased levels of moisture in the body helps regulate the over all body temperature and thus, the conditions for conceiving greatly improves.

Monitor Ovulation
Keep track of your ovulation pattern by maintaining a menstrual calendar. You could also use an over-the-counter ovulation kit to predict your fertile days. If you are monitoring your cervical mucus, do your checks before you bathe or swim as these could impact the characteristics.

Be Sperm-friendly
Avoid vaginal sprays and scented tampons (which can cause a PH imbalance in the vagina) - to maintain a sperm-friendly environment. Stay away from artificial lubricants, vegetable oils, glycerin and saliva as all these can kill sperm. Douching also alters the normal acidity of the vagina and may wash away the cervical mucus that is needed to transport the sperm.

Do away with Stress
Studies have indicated that people who live highly stressful lives everyday, or have highly stressful work or jobs have a high tendency to not be able to conceive. As stress causes the body to release hormones that could slow down the fertility cycle, it helps to be stress-free when you are trying to conceive.

Relax in Bed
Stay in bed for a while after you make love, and avoid jumping up and running to the bathroom right after you make love. Lying down (for at least 5 minutes) after you make love increases the chances of the sperm meeting the egg.

Keep Sex Fun
You could use rooms other than the bedroom or schedule your baby making rendezvous for an odd time of day - to maintain the fun and excitement. Remember, you won't be able to keep up the baby making pace for very long if sex starts feeling like a chore.

Make Love as often as you can
Frequent lovemaking during your fertile period (the five days leading up to ovulation) most often results in pregnancy. Making love at least every 48 hours during this period, will ensure that there's a fresh supply of sperm waiting in the fallopian tube.