Improve your chances of getting pregnant by following Dr Pixie's advice for smart mums-to-be
It takes two to tango. This may sound basic to you, but to make a baby you must be having regular sex. Aim to have intercourse every two or three days, irrespective of your cycle.
You have about a one-in-four chance of getting pregnant each month, so don't despair if things don't happen quickly. There's an 84% chance you will have a positive pregnancy in the next 12 months.
Healthy habits
To ensure the best chance of pregnancy, both parties need to be in the best possible health. This means ditching cigarettes, reducing alcohol intake (ideally to zero) and adhering to a healthy diet. You also need to give caffeine a wide berth, ideally limiting yourself to no more than two cups of tea or coffee per day. Carrying too much weight, crash dieting or being underweight won't help your fertility either. Aim for a normal Body Mass Index (BMI), which you can calculate with the NHS's Healthy Weight Calculator.
When it comes to the guys, the same rules apply for cigarettes and alcohol. It is also essential to ditch any recreational drugs. To ensure sperm quantity and quality, the testicles need to be kept cooler than the rest of the body. So swap his Y-fronts for boxers, if he's a cyclist, limit the time he spends in the saddle, and steer clear of saunas and hot tubs.
Schedule in sex
One of my top tips is to book a sex break. The stress of everyday life can make your libido lag and reduce your chances of conception. Plan a holiday around your most fertile time, then allocate one week for sightseeing and one week for sex. When the body has time to reboot, your fertility levels rev up!
In general terms, the less you think about getting pregnant, the more likely it is to happen. Sex should be fun not functional, so aim to be matter-of-fact not militant where lovemaking is concerned.
Supplements
Make sure you're taking folic acid or ideally a pre-pregnancy supplement to ensure optimum health for both yourself and your baby should you fall pregnant.
Home » Tips for getting pregnant
Tips for getting pregnant
Home » Tips for getting pregnant
Improve your chances of getting pregnant by following Dr Pixie's advice for smart mums-to-be
It takes two to tango. This may sound basic to you, but to make a baby you must be having regular sex. Aim to have intercourse every two or three days, irrespective of your cycle.
You have about a one-in-four chance of getting pregnant each month, so don't despair if things don't happen quickly. There's an 84% chance you will have a positive pregnancy in the next 12 months.
Healthy habits
To ensure the best chance of pregnancy, both parties need to be in the best possible health. This means ditching cigarettes, reducing alcohol intake (ideally to zero) and adhering to a healthy diet. You also need to give caffeine a wide berth, ideally limiting yourself to no more than two cups of tea or coffee per day. Carrying too much weight, crash dieting or being underweight won't help your fertility either. Aim for a normal Body Mass Index (BMI), which you can calculate with the NHS's Healthy Weight Calculator.
When it comes to the guys, the same rules apply for cigarettes and alcohol. It is also essential to ditch any recreational drugs. To ensure sperm quantity and quality, the testicles need to be kept cooler than the rest of the body. So swap his Y-fronts for boxers, if he's a cyclist, limit the time he spends in the saddle, and steer clear of saunas and hot tubs.
Schedule in sex
One of my top tips is to book a sex break. The stress of everyday life can make your libido lag and reduce your chances of conception. Plan a holiday around your most fertile time, then allocate one week for sightseeing and one week for sex. When the body has time to reboot, your fertility levels rev up!
In general terms, the less you think about getting pregnant, the more likely it is to happen. Sex should be fun not functional, so aim to be matter-of-fact not militant where lovemaking is concerned.
Supplements
Make sure you're taking folic acid or ideally a pre-pregnancy supplement to ensure optimum health for both yourself and your baby should you fall pregnant.
By Dr Pixie
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