Practically Pregnant – Conception Tips

Pregnancy success relies on a whole lot of factors. Many of them you can help and do on your own, others you will need to do a bit of leg work. When you are trying to get pregnant you will want to act as if you already are. This means that you want to eat like you are pregnant – this means healthy, not more – relax like you are pregnant, and watch your activities as if you are pregnant.

There is more to it than just willing it to be. There are many things to know about your own body when you are planning for a baby. Often doctors will recommend a preconception checkup to discuss any medications you may need to go off of, weight you need to lose or gain, and any other important information.

Your Monthly Cycle – Charting Your Way to Conception

It is easy to say that you expect your period each month around the 13th or 21st, but actually knowing your cycle is a bit different. Planning a healthy pregnancy means you need to know when you will be fertile. The fertile window is approximately 12-16 days before your next menstrual period. Great. How are you supposed to know when that will be? Chart your cycle.

The first day of your cycle, or cycle day 1, is the first day of regular bleeding. Spotting is part of the end of your cycle, not the beginning of a new one. You would chart how long your period lasts, how heavy or light it is, and if you had any cramping with it. Once you are done, you would chart your cervical mucus to find out when you are in your fertile window.

Many women find that taking their temperature with a basal body thermometer each morning helps them to see when ovulation has occurred so they can track it in the future. Once you ovulate – or release an egg – your temperature will go up and stay up for the rest of your cycle. Once you see the spike you will know your fertile window is over.

Ovulation Prediction Kits – The Tools for Ease

For those who really want to know exactly when that egg will arrive, ovulation predictor kits can be just what the doctor ordered – literally. There are several types and each have their own benefits. Many women will choose to use a couple to be sure that they are each accurate.

Urine OPKs offer a fast way to see when one is ovulating. The tests will tell you between 12-48 hours prior to releasing the egg by turning positive for LH – Luteinizing Hormone. After your period you would begin to pee on a stick once per day with your second urine of the day. When the test line is as dark as or darker than the control line, the test is positive and you should have intercourse. Some tests simply give you’re a smiley face.

Another type of ovulation prediction kit is the Ovatel microscope. This tests the saliva each day any time you want to see if there are crystals. The crystals mean that you are fertile and should begin timing sex to catch that egg. The best part about Ovatel is you can use it over and over and have a longer fertility window to use. This ups your chances of conception greatly.