Helping Your Fertility at Home
If you are having difficulties getting pregnant, you may be wondering what you can do to help increase your chances of conceiving. Before you rush off to the fertility clinic or give up on fertility treatments altogether, there are some simple ways that you can improve your fertility in the comfort of your own home. Many couples have relied on these simple fertility tips when trying to conceive and there is evidence that these tips really do work.
Cleanse Your Body
In order to conceive, your body needs to be a happy and healthy place for a baby to grow and develop. If your body is under-nourished, out of shape, or being mistreated in anyway, it may be more difficult for you and your partner to conceive. Make an effort to cleanse your body of toxins and reinvigorate yourself through healthy eating and regular exercise. Also consider cutting all nicotine and caffeine out of your regime - studies have shown that regular use of caffeine and nicotine can decrease your chances of becoming pregnant. True, this body cleansing may be difficult, but it will also prepare you for life during pregnancy.
Use Sperm-Friendly Lubricant
It is a good idea to start using a sperm-friendly lubricant if you are trying to conceive. Some lubricants can damage sperm, reducing your chances of conceiving. Recent studies have shown that some popular lubricants can actually impair sperm motility and DNA makeup. Sperm-friendly lubricants are now available so that you can be sure you aren't reducing your chances of pregnany.
Get Your Vitamins
Vitamins are a great way of keeping your body healthy and prepared for pregnancy. Ask your health care provider for a prescription for prenatal vitamins. Most researchers recommend that women take prenatal vitamins when they first start trying to conceive. Prenatal vitamins contain all the essential nutrients that your body needs, plus a little bit extra to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins also contain folic acid, which is especially important for women who are trying get pregnant. When taken prior to conception, folic acid can help to prevent neural tube birth defects.
Avoid Douche
Though you may think that you are doing a good thing for your body, douching is actually quite risky, and it can also reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Douching has been associated with:
Women who douche often also appear to have reduced pregnancy rates. So get rid of that douche!
Reduce Your Stress
As you probably known, too much stress is never a good thing. Stress is bad for our mental and physical health, not to mention our fertility, too. Stress can actually affect hormone levels in your body, which could interfere with ovulation. Find ways to help you deal with excess stress - meditation, exercise, and reading a good book are all great ways to relax.
Raise Your Pelvis
Though it might sound silly, raising your hips with a pillow during and after intercourse might help to increase your chances of becoming pregnant. Thanks to gravity, semen often slips back out of the vagina after intercourse, so you might want to try to trick gravity by propping yourself up on a pillow. Just lie on your back with your hips on top of a pillow while you are having sex and remain in theat position for a few minutes afterwards. There isn't much proof that this trick actually works, but many women find that it offers peace of mind.
Try Some Herbs
Herbs can really help to increase your fertility when you are trying to conceive. Herbs can help to regulate your ovulation or increase your hormones, and they don't cost anywhere near as much as fertility treatments do. Be careful though - herbs can be very potent, and may cause harmful side effects when taken in excess or if combined with other medications. Be sure to consult with a licensed naturopath before taking any herbal supplements.
Getting Pregnant
