Understanding How Long It Can Take to Get Pregnant

If you are looking to get pregnant, it’s important to understand that it’s not instant. Conceiving takes time, but you can work toward accelerating it.

There are several things you can do to ensure that you conceive faster. However, you should know that there are methods that don’t affect your chances. In spite of popular myths, pregnancy is not assured by the sexual position you use or whether the woman has an orgasm.

What Can You Do to Start on Your Journey?

Of course, if you’re trying to conceive, there are certain things you can do to begin your journey toward baby-making. First and foremost, you should start eliminating any unhealthy habits from your lifestyle. Obviously, if you smoke, drink or use recreational drugs, you should immediately stop. This gives your body a chance to recover so that your baby can have a nontoxic environment in which to develop.

You should also schedule a checkup with your OB/GYN or midwife before you even begin to try and conceive. If you see a doctor, he or she can prescribe a good prenatal vitamin or folic acid to begin taking. Although many women don’t take a prenatal vitamin until after achieving pregnancy, it certainly doesn’t hurt to start taking one beforehand.

Consuming a healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and carbohydrates is also important. You should cut down on sugars, caffeine and sodium and maintain a healthy weight. If you’re overweight or obese, you must first work toward getting to your goal weight and maintain it.

Your partner can also improve his overall health and that of his sperm, which gives you a better chance of getting pregnant sooner. He should stop smoking, drinking more than two alcoholic beverages per day and using recreational drugs, and he should consume a healthy diet. Managing stress levels and getting regular exercise are also essential considerations.

You should always be open and honest with your doctor. When you have your pre-pregnancy checkup, talk about your current health status and mention any medical conditions you have and medications you are taking. Your doctor will also want to know whether you have any gynecological health issues or a history of miscarriage. Knowledge is power, and your doctor can help when you want to get pregnant.

Tracking Fertility to Get Pregnant

When you want to get pregnant, tracking your fertility should be an important part of your daily routine. Fortunately, there are many apps and other tools that allow you to track your menstrual cycle. Even when you aren’t looking to conceive, it’s good to use these as a way of knowing your body better and being able to recognize the signs of ovulation and when your period is due.

Of course, since you are trying to conceive, it helps you to get an idea of when you are at your most fertile. You can take your basal body temperature daily to see when you are most likely to get pregnant. You can also learn how to recognize fertile cervical mucus that can help you conceive. If your menstrual cycle is at least fairly regular, you will easily catch on while tracking and taking your temperature. As a general rule, the best time to have sex for conception is on the days when you have egg white cervical mucus. You may notice it when you go to the bathroom and wipe. You can also check by inserting a finger inside yourself and seeing stretchy, clear cervical mucus that has the appearance and consistency of egg whites.

Get Help If Needed

Not all couples have an easy time getting pregnant. Some have fertility issues and need a helping hand. If you are under 35 and haven’t conceived within a year of trying or over 35 and haven’t conceived within six months of trying, you are considered infertile and should get help. Fertility specialists can assist you in creating the family you’ve always wanted. You can have a full workout to determine the cause of the problem and have your fertility levels checked. If anything comes up abnormal, you can take it further and try certain methods like in vitro insemination (IVI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) or even look into getting an egg donor.

If you have trouble conceiving within the time frame appropriate for your age range, definitely speak with your doctor. It’s important to know that you have options.