Myth-bust getting pregnant and TTCing "old wives" tales with Clearblue: chance to win £250 NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We have all heard "old wives" tales about how to get pregnant and now the team at Clearblue would love to hear which ones you have heard of - and which you believe in and which are a load of tosh!

Inspired by threads like this, they'd also love you to share the myths/ pre conceived (gettit)! notions you had before you TTCed about DTD and trying to get pregnant - what was an absolute revelation to you once you entered the land of TTCing?

Clearblue say "At Clearblue we love hearing about the journey women go on when trying to get pregnant, and especially when our products have been able to help in some way, please do share your experiences on this thread!"

Everyone who posts will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £250 Love2Shop voucher.

Please note your comments and photos may be included on Clearblue's website and social media channels, and possibly elsewhere, so please only post if you're comfortable with this.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

[Showy]

I am always baffled by women lying around with their bottoms on pillows, legs in the air for hours post sex. Not only does it not aid conception, it's the quickest way to get a UTI.

[Showy]

Oh and "just relax and it'll happen". Grrr.

[CMOTDibbler]

I think the myth that your fertility falls off a cliff at 30

[GodPlayedByJamesMason]

Although biased by my experiences, the fact that your so fertile pre-30 that if you even hold hands with a man you should poas turned out to be a massive myth

[wantacatplease]

My old colleague is a lie back on the pillow-er. She has 3 girls and is convinced it's THE method for producing girls.

[shinysparklythings]

Until I started researching- just about to ttc- I was terrified that as I'm nearly 30 I had a year to get pregnant otherwise it would be really difficult. Through reading although it does decline it doesn't fall off a cliff thankfully!

[Albiebee]

I thought it would take me ages because I'm ancient (only 35 at the time!) but we were instantly pregnant, I was so surprised I didn't notice until I started wanting to throw up all the time at 10weeks!

So the fertility stats myth too, I only recently found out that they are based on seriously old data.

[Trinpy]

The 'stop trying and it will happen' one must be a myth or no one would ever succeed at ttc! However, the second time I fell pregnant during a month out from ttc - neither of us are quite sure how that one happened!

[Funkytown]

Trying to get pregnant the second time was harder then I first thought all in all it took me 2years to conceive my 2nd child compared to the 3 months it took the first time around. I tryed every old wives take from legs in the air to eating certain foods the month I conceived I wasn't concentrating on it I had a party to plan and then there was my positive test the day after the party . So the only tale I believe in is don't think about it and relax !!

[Purpleflamingos]

Sex in an evening or at night = a boy.
Sex in a morning = a girl.

Old wives tale that we laughed at but proved accurate for us.

[Itsfab]

I did the legs in the air. Got pregnant both times. I also got pregnant very easily with another two babies and don't know if I did the LITA thing. Doesn't hurt. Never know if it helped or not but doesn't hurt any one .

[rachaelsit]

I think there might be some thing in the speed of the seed! I.e. If you're trying and having sex a lot it'll be a boy because the boy sperm are faster whereas girl sperm are slower but live longer. I dunno. I was told by loads of people, it'll take a while to conceive, but i conceived in the first cycle we tried in (and we had a boy!)

[Roseformeplease]

We borrowed on of those machines that tell you when you are ovulating. Worked a treat. However, it was still set for the previous owner!

Also, the idea that virile men make daughters always makes me laugh. We have one of each!

[BellaVida]

As a young girl I remember being told you could get pregnant from shared toilet seats. Perhaps why I mastered 'the squat' and have good thigh muscles!

I was also told it can take ages to get pregnant when you come off the pill and also the older you get. Not true! Got pregnant the first month of trying twice and 2 months the third time.

[MrsIgglePiggle]

I was told, by an elderly lady at a bus stop, that multiple partners was the key to getting pregnant!

[Dolallytats]

I like the way Old Wives Tales change depending on who you're talking to. One person will tell you to eat red meat (just an example!!) for a boy, the next will be 'Oh no, I ate burgers and steak because I wanted a girl.

Would be nice if they could make up their minds!!

[BumpNGrind]

There are loads and loads of myths but the real truth is that it only takes that one time and your life will be changed forever. It's a very very special time.

[honeysucklejasmine]

I never realised it was so hard, of that miscarriage was so common. I spent years teaching people how not to get pregnant and all about the menstrual cycle, but no one ever told me how to get pregnant on purpose! (Except the lovely ladies on mn.)

[Nouseforausername]

comparing of the bumps to determine sex was the funniest myth we got. me and my dsis carried totally different, both had ds, didnt really discuss ttc as we dtd for a week before our bfp

[Nouseforausername]

comparing of the bumps to determine sex was the funniest myth we got. me and my dsis carried totally different, both had ds, didnt really discuss ttc as we dtd for a week before our bfp

[Justonemoretime]

Relax. Or be stressed out about something other than TTC. Book a holiday, revamp your wardrobe. Maybe apply for a new, high-powered job. Wee on sicks, and don't wee on them. See if the cat sits on your lap. Get psychotherapy. And relax. That ought to do it.

[RhinosAreFatUnicorns]

When you've tried for 10 years you've heard them all, and you're that desperate you've tried them all:

From the mundane, legs in the air (until I couldn't feel my feet) and relax, it will happen when it's meant to, to the the more obscure such as:

• get a pet. Then you will fall pregnant. Dog is currently snoozing on my legs, and no it didn't work
  

• the chair at work that everyone who ever sat in it got pregnant. I had that chair for 2 years.....nope!
  

• eat orange foods, as apparently that's the chakra that is associated with reproduction. I ate so many carrots, I may have developed an orange hue :)
  

• and then finally when we adopted (finally got my gorgeous baby :) ), "oh you will definitely get pregnant". Years later and thank goodness I'm not. Our family is complete.

[StillNoFuckingEyeDeer]

My MIL offered to tell me all about optimal positions for conceiving boys vs girls. Even if I believed it worked & cared about the gender, it's definitely not a conversation I'd want to have.

[MakeTeaNotWar]

I haven't heard many apart from elevating hips by pillow or bum in the air which I thought was hard science, didn't realise it was a myth

[HowsTheSerenity]

After years of fertility treatments I've heard them all!
I've sat in the special chair. I've lay for what seems hours with my legs in the air. I've done it in only one particular position and so on.
However the best one I was told was to eat pineapple cores. Large amounts of pineapple cores. Ever done that? Don't. You will have no skin in your mouth or functioning taste buds for weeks!