Tips, old wives tales, hearsay, crazy ideas

[Karbea]

ok, I really interested in any tips you've got for getting pregnant.

The only ones I really know are drinking pineapple juice, and not getting out of bed for 30mins...

So... What are your tips?

Umm, lots of sex? That would be my top tip (well, try that first before getting too hung up on charting and pineapple) ;-)

Certain cough mixtures are supposed to help make cervical mucus more amenable!!! see here

Don't eat peas!

freelance I think we might actually have too much sex, aren't you supposed to do it every other day?

Yes every other day to maintain sperm quality. Don't lie down for 30 mins. The good sperm will find their way regardless. Lying still only gives the less intelligent ones opportunity and you don't want them reaching the egg! Go for a wee straight over to prevent uti.
Take folic acid immediately.
Keep track of your cycles but don't chart straight away.
Get your man to have zinc, it improves the health of his swimmers.

Think the general advice is swi every other day, something to do with increasing sperm mobility?!

I've just started using red clover as apparently this is really helpful for fertility but it needs to build up slowly in your system.
Also started eating tapioca as it contains cassava which apparently encourages hyperovulation!

Why shouldn't you eat peas amanda ?!

I've read peas are a natural contraceptive too, I don't know why though. I read in a really old book that turning over onto your stomach after sex helps sperm travel more easily.

Get close to women who are already pregnant - according to my great aunt your body can sense that they are pregnant and thinks "Oh since there are lots of pregnant hormones about we are in a safe place with lots of food so I'd better get on with it whilst the going is good". Or similar.

She also firmly believed that smoking relaxes you so maybe don't take the above as gospel.

Ha [actually laughed out loud]. Love your great aunt's logic! But technically smoking does relax you initially, it's trigger for the next one that stresses you!

havealittlefaithbaby why don't chart straight away?

Don't chart straight away because it leads to this sort of behaviour...

TTC should be enjoyable not worrisome.

And can I just applaud havealittlefaith for her sensible advice? I see this lie down, bum in air advice a lot and it's actually counterintuitive for the reasons stated. It causes UTIs and sperm don't work that way. You're supposed to let the sub optimal ones slide back out again not try and encourage them up there.

Thanks very much! :)
charting is quite intense. I can't show DH my chart, it freaks him out. Initially you should just Shag! My GP said 3 times a week every week. Otherwise you could think you've cracked only to fund the charting software changes its mind about when you ovulated (trust me, its heart breaking). I didn't start charting for a year. Takes all the fun out of swi!!

I should just point out that I know how ttc can tip over from fun to heartbreaking and I've been there. It was utterly miserable. But at first, with no known fertility issues and no problems, it's one of the loveliest, happiest times. You're expanding your family and the means of doing it is quite enjoyable I seem to recall.

Didn't want it to sound like I thought ttc is always about fun. Sometimes it's the polar opposite.

And you're welcome, sensible advice is always good.

I can see both sides. I had a 42 day cycle recently. If I'd been TTC and didn't know from charting that I had ovulated late I would have spent two weeks thinking I was pg and no doubt testing daily.

But I'd argue that testing daily is adding as unnecessary an amount of pressure as charting in the early days.

The odd longer cycle is normal in a fertile woman and conventional wisdom would probably suggest that you test once you're a few days late. If negative, then perhaps wonder what might have happened in that month to make things late. Maybe test again in another few days. But I don't think the odd one off irregular cycle is a good reason to chart in the early days. If cycles are regularly irregular I'd say something different (go to the GP mainly).

But different people have different approaches. I do understand that. If there's the facility to know/understand/control something that's otherwise so open ended, then I can see why you'd seize upon it. And, er, I only give advice, I don't take it.

I have always tracked my periods and until I found ff kept dates in a spreadsheet. About 18months ago I had a 11 day cycle and I wanted to keep track after that.
I do temp and now use cb ovulation monitor thing, but tbh now I'm in cycle 9 I use it more to predict when I'm coming on rather than when to test.
I must admit I have NEVER understood the early testers, I always wait at least until the day I'm due, and tbh since I've started temping as soon as my temps drop I know it's game over so wouldn't even think of testing.

Really interesting about getting up afterwards...

Gawd knows how I'm going to convince DH to only have sex every other day, he likes having sex twice a day.

Showofhands some advice you just can't take. This is my thirteenth cycle charting. I've been trying to persuade DH for two years. You may well be right.

Twice a day! Lordy.

Role reversal with us. Twice a week is good going!

Yes we've always been like that. It's going to be hard to reduce it, I guess we only need to do it once every other day the week around ovulation?...

I've been doing some more research and have got evening primrose oil and royal jelly.

What is the evening primrose oil link Karbea? Willing to try anything...

karbea I think the only every other day is only if there are known issue with your DH swimmers. That way there's a bit of time for build up. And doctors advice it to take any pressure of trying to time SWI around ovulation.
There's plenty of charts on FF to confirm otherwise.

here you go

Apparently, the best time to swi is 6 am. I read that in a pregnancy magazine but I forget why it's the best time!