So you’re finally ready to try for a baby, and you are in a position where you and your partner are excitedly binning all of your contraceptives, ready to go it alone. So, what now? Well, when you are trying to conceive a baby, you might think that it’s going to take one time and it will be easy and the baby will be conceived. And if you are lucky, that will absolutely be the case for you.
But the thing is, not everybody gets that lucky. Some people can’t just have one roll in the hay during their peak cycle and conceive. Even a set of healthy adults has a one in four chance of conception with every month. That means that even when you’re at your peak fertility, you still only have a 25% chance of a sperm meeting a healthy egg. That can sound like a lot of pressure for somebody who is really wanting to have a child. So when you are trying to conceive, there’s plenty that you could do to ensure that you maximize your chances, and we’ve put together a list for you below.
- Go and see your doctor. First and foremost, the best thing that you can do if you are trying to conceive is to go and seek out the help of your doctor. If you are a smoker, you need to cut that back and with medical professionals at your side, you’ll be able to do it. A baby is a heck of an incentive to be able to say no to a cigarette, and you’re going to save money along the way, which you can then use for your new child.
- Start taking folic acid. Folic acid has to be able to build up in your body to provide the maximum amount of protection for your baby against neural tube defects. Many women conceive quickly when they are having folic acid regularly, so if you’re looking to start trying in the near future, then having folic acid a couple of months before you get started is going to help to build up in your system.If you stopped contraception, switch out the pill that you’ve been taking for a 400 microgram folic acid pill until you’re 12 weeks.
- Adjusting your diet. You want to create the right environment for your baby to settle in and grow, and the best way to do that is to start looking at what you are putting into your body and adjusting accordingly. You need a diet that’s rich in vitamins, fiber, and minerals, and that means adjusting to include whole grains, fruit and vegetables, even if you haven’t been a massive fan of that before. Once you start adjusting your diet, you’re going to feel good about what you are doing to your body in the hope that a baby will be conceived.
- Reducing your caffeine. One cup of coffee a day when you’re pregnant is no problem at all, but if you are somebody who likes to slam 6 to 8 coffees right now, then it’s time to cut that right back, both you and your partner. Smaller amounts of caffeine in both of your systems is going to help to promote fertility and improve the health of your sperm and egg.
