All you need to know about getting pregnant

So you’ve decided that you are ready to conceive…easy, right? Well..yes and no, there are a lot of things that you need to do when you are ready to try getting pregnant…first of all: How do you know when you are pregnant? Should you change your diet? What is the best way to conceive? How can you tell when you are ovulating? When is it time to see your doctor?…the list goes on and on.

In this section, we will offer advice on such topics as early symptoms of pregnancy, how to maintain a healthy diet, when to start taking prenatal supplements, the best methods of conception and when to see your doctor if you are having trouble in getting pregnant.

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Getting pregnant guidelines

Ensuring ‘two becomes three’

Welcoming a new member in the family needs some pretty good efforts! There’s lot more into getting pregnant than just having fun-conjugal nights after a few bottles of wine. Need a thorough guideline, on getting pregnant, to be sure of the good news? Here you go!

Be ready to conceive – preparing yourself

As the first step towards getting pregnant, it is important to prepare yourself for the procedure ahead in every way.

As a couple, you should be ready to have the child.

Since the two will do the reproductive tango, here are certain things you must do together before getting pregnant.

A parenting talk is a must with your partner. Discuss your plans, expectations, priorities, etc., so that way down the line, both of you don’t start freaking out over varying opinion.

Visit the gynecologist for a pre-conception check-up. Past pregnancy cases and medical history of the would-be parents are required to assess the safety of childbirth and plan a safe conception.

Both you and your partner must stop smoking ahead in time. Otherwise –

It increases the chances of miscarriage.
Increases the cases SIDs or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Also, it causes an adverse effect on the health of the new born.
Passive smoking is equally harmful to the child.

It’s the best time to go to the movies. Because once gestation exhaustion kicks in, it would be difficult to stay awake, sit in the same position for long hours, and frequently go out to pee. Moreover, during gestation period, you won’t get the scope for these; so enjoy ahead so that you don’t feel deprived later.

As a would-be mother, your body should be ready to be getting pregnant and having a baby.

Much like you, make sure your body is also prepared for the same. Here’s what you need to do.

Say no to drugs and alcohol

Alcohol and any drug use are dangerous for the fetus. These should be stopped well-ahead while planning on getting pregnant.

Limit your toxin exposure.

According to EWG test reports, around 287 toxic chemicals have been found in the umbilical cord blood of infants. Out of these around 208 are responsible for abnormalities and birth defects, 180 toxins cause cancer, 217 are toxic to the nervous system and brain. Hence, you must reduce your exposure to such chemicals before conceiving.

Reduce your caffeine intake

According to research, too much of caffeine intake increases the risk of miscarriage. So, limit your consumption if you are serious about getting pregnant.

Stop taking birth control pills

If you are taking pills, stop right now. Months before you start trying on getting pregnant, you must stop taking those pills so that your body can prepare for gestation. Moreover, it will help you to analyze your natural menstrual cycle. The hormone levels need some time to get back on track.

Revise your diet

Strike off all junk foods from your diet chart and replace those with healthy edibles. A healthy body is extremely important in getting pregnant.

Say no to those OTC pills in the cabinet

Medicines for allergies, cold, headache, constipation including herbal supplements are not safe when having a child. Because there are certain ingredients in these pills which can affect your fertility and baby-to-be. Make sure to consult with your doctor.

Keep your weight in check

For a healthy gestation, the would-be mother should also have a proper body weight. Underweight mothers have potential chances of fertility issues, low birth weight infant, anemic infant, or having preterm labor.

Alternatively, obesity can increase the risks of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, cesarean section and even oversize babies. So, get into a fitness program that you can continue during your gestation period.

Keep track of your menstrual cycle

Now, this is one of the most important things. Start counting your cycle from the 1^st day of your period. For a 28 days menstrual cycle, your body becomes fertile usually 2 weeks before the next period. Keep note of the dates to assess the gaps.

So, that’s how you are initially going to prepare yourself for your baby-making procedure.

How to get pregnant!

“But we know how to conceive. What’s new in that?” Is that what you are wondering right now? Well, true! You definitely know the ‘how to’ part, but perhaps that’s not all of it. Conceiving depends on a few major factors, which will ensure the sperm meets the egg faster.

Predicting ovulation

As already mentioned, you need to have sex 2 days before ovulation and even on the day you ovulate. But the question is – how are you going to predict ovulation?

If your menstrual cycle is consistent, with the same number of days every time, it will easier to calculate the fertility window for every month.

During ovulation, different hormonal changes take place in a female body, causing noticeable alterations. Those symptoms can be good indicators of your body’s fertility.

Basal body temperature –

Before ovulating, the basal body temperature of a woman becomes consistent. There might be a slight decline in this temperature just when you proceed towards ovulation. However, after you ovulate, the temperature takes a sharp increase.

Cervical fluid –

Changes in it can tell that you are ovulating. On that very day, the woman usually experiences more amount of cervical fluid.

Firmness of the cervix or changes in cervical position –

When a woman ovulates, her cervix undergoes many changes. It remains, wet, soft and high during ovulation.

These are the 3 primary symptoms that can indicate the right time to have sex for conceiving. Apart from these, some other secondary symptoms can also be of help.

Breasts tenderness
Abdominal bloating
Slight pain or cramping on one side of pelvis
Increased sense of vision, smell and taste
Increased sex drive

Conceiving

Now, is the time to get your positions right!

Once you predict your ovulation, next is to start the process. Not all the sexual positions can help you to conceive faster; there are some specific styles you must try to make the process easier.

Doggy style
Missionary position
Hopscotch
The Scissors
Magic Mountain
The star
The right angle

Choosing the sexual position that enables deep penetration of the penis helps the sperms to flow smoothly into fertile cervical mucus through the acidity of the vagina.

Increase your chances of conceiving by the following –

Count the days of your menstrual cycle accurately.
Avoid ejaculation 2 to 3 days before your fertile period. This increases your partner’s sperm count.
Orgasm while having sex to increase alkaline secretion in both vagina and uterus.
Don’t use any additional lubricant while having sex.
Post ejaculation, it’s better to keep the penis inside the vagina for quick conception.
After having sex, lie flat for half an hour so that the sperm moves smoothly. Better if you can slightly elevate your hips using a pillow.

Ensuring all these can fasten the chances of conceiving and getting pregnant. A fertile, healthy couple has around 20% chance of expecting, with every menstrual cycle. However, this percentage usually decreases once a woman is 35 years old.

Unable to conceive

When to see the doctor if you aren’t conceiving?

Women who are below 35 years of age should see a doctor after trying for 12 months. For those who are above 35, they should see the fertility specialist after trying for 6 months.

Relax and proceed!

Remember, you shouldn’t be stressed. According to a study conducted by Oxford University, women who are having stress enzyme have 12% lesser chances of conceiving, even during their most fertile stage. For relaxation, you can try meditation, yoga and exercises.

As per statistics, 85% of the healthy couple usually take 1 year to conceive.

Facts about sperms and eggs

After release from the ovary, an egg lives for 12 to 24 hours. Therefore, if the sperm enters the uterus during this period, fertilization happens.
For fertilizing an egg, sperm lives for 1-3 days in the ovary.
After a successful conception, newly fertilized eggs swim out of the fallopian tube and get implanted into the uterus.

Know the early symptoms of the prenatal period

So, finally, how are you going to confirm the news? A pregnancy test will give you the confirmation if you have conceived. But before that, your body will give some indications. Here’re the early symptoms of getting pregnant.

The major sign is tiredness and fatigue, due to escalation of progesterone level.
Nausea or morning sickness, but this can or cannot be accompanied by vomiting.
Within 2 weeks of conceiving, your breasts will become tender and swollen due to hormonal changes. You may feel it heavier or fuller.
Slight cramping and bleeding can also indicate your conception. In fact, these are one of the first symptoms of getting pregnant.
As blood circulation increases during early days of conceiving, you are likely to experience frequent headaches.
Feeling dizzy and lightheaded due to lowered blood pressure.
At times, faintness is also a common symptom due to low blood sugar.
Don’t be surprised with the sudden food cravings. Your choices might be dramatic, but that’s probably good news of a life
These constant hormonal changes can trigger mood swings in the 1^st
Your missed period is an obvious symptom.

However, you might still be pregnant if you do not experience any of these. You might simply feel like – “I’m expecting!” In that case, it’s better to see a doctor.

When should you see your gynecologist?

Just after you have got a positive report. The best time to see your doctor is before 10 weeks. By this time, number of embryos, baby’s heartbeat, implantation of the embryo can be assessed.

However, if you experience abnormalities or symptoms like an excessive headache, bleeding, pain while urinating, high fever, etc., you must immediately see your gynecologist. He/she will guide you with proper medication, counseling and follow-ups to ensure a safe and healthy gestation period.

A proper getting pregnant procedure can make sure a faster and safe conception. Best is to see your gynecologist while planning so that you follow the right steps for your child.