You've finally made the decision and the two of you are trying to conceive. This is a fun, and exciting time! Many couples are used to working toward preventing pregnancy, the switch to trying to conceive, can be very freeing. For many couples though, getting pregnant isn't always an easy ride. Once you decide your ready to love and parent a child, the waiting can sometimes be difficult. What can you do to help speed things up?

Becoming familiar with your menstrual cycle is particularly important if you are trying to conceive. If you’re lucky, the sperm will live for 3 days, while the egg only has 24 hrs in which to be fertilized. Given these odds, you need to understand when your body is ovulating if you are trying to conceive. Most women ovulate around the 14th day of their menstrual cycle. To get a basis for when you might be ovulating, count back 12-16 days from the date you expect your next period. Having lots of sex during this time will obviously increase your chances of getting pregnant!

If your looking for a bit more accuracy, you can also find out if /when you are ovulating by making a fertility calendar using your basal body temperature (your temp when you first wake in the morning) and/or the consistency of your cervical mucus (fertile cervical mucus is often referred to as looking like "raw egg whites"). On the dates that your temperature is high (as well as right before it spikes) and your cervical mucus is right, you are ovulating. Charting this information daily on a fertility calendar can definitely increase your chances of getting pregnant.


Watching your diet and making sure you are healthy while you are trying to conceive is also important. You'll want to avoid things like alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes, while upping your intake of organic fruits and vegetables. You also can't forget the importance of exercise when you are trying to conceive. When you are healthy your menstrual cycle is more regular, and your body is better prepared for getting pregnant.

Each couple's journey once they are trying to conceive is different. Approximately 80% of couples get pregnant within a year of their decision to begin trying to conceive. Helping things along by getting to know your body better and raising your consciousness of your health can only increase your chances of success!