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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

List of things that help when TTC

39 replies

Treenie · 04/06/2007 18:36

Just thought it might be a good idea to get a list going of good things to take/do etc when ttc - what vits people have been told to take, what food to eat at certaing times etc.
I'm sure there must be something like that on here already but won't do any harm to do another one as I'm sure those who have been TTC for a while will have lots to add and it will really help those who are new to ttc like me.

All I can add is taking vits - me and DH -and eating all organic food, not drinking to much etc. But that's quite boring and I'm sure there must be other more interesting stuff?!

OP posts:
CantSleepWontSleep · 04/06/2007 19:03

Have sex!

Original poster
Treenie · 04/06/2007 19:12

Yes doing that too!

OP posts:
spugs · 04/06/2007 19:14

wine my thoery for the month, seriously though apparently theres something in cough medicine which gives you more cm!!

tryingtokeepmychinup · 04/06/2007 19:22

Brazil nuts are apparently good for his swimmers because they are full of selenium. I have heard about the cough medicine thing but I have not looked into it. I have been ttc for 6 months with no success so I will keep my eye out for the tips.

honeyapple · 04/06/2007 19:25

Grapefruit juice for more CM
Cough medicien with only Guiffensen (sp?) apparently for more CM
(drink lots of water too)
Legs in the air after sex/ and or air bicycle

DH/DP- avoiding hot baths/saunas etc... or cooking over VERY hot oven every day.
Wear loose pants/boxers.

Lots and lots of sex.

Peachy · 04/06/2007 19:27

zinc is imporatnt too in the diet, and regular sperm renewal- (ie a masturbation session or sex every other day). Keep his bits cool- boxers rather than synthetic y fronts (what a loss LOL)

AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/06/2007 19:35

Okay here's my list:-

If you have irregular periods seek medical advice sooner rather than later. In this regard ensure that the GP compares your level of LH (luteinising hormone) against that of FSH (follicle stimulation hormone).

Know what a "normal" cycle length is - i.e a cycle length of between 21 and 35 days OR with less than 4 days of variation from month to month.

If you get severe period pains either before or during your period again seek medical advice sooner rather than later (especially if this is a long standing problem).

Lay off ovulation predictor kits particularly if your menstrual cycles is irregular. Same applies to temp charts when cycle is irregular.

Some women can get hung up on using opk's and temp charts; if this applies to you then stop using them. It should also be borne in mind as well that many gynaes do not take notice of temp charts primarily because they are so unreliable. OPK;s are also not without their problems and can give misleading results.

Do not time intercourse - make love when you both feel like it.

Even normally fertile women can have periods without ovulating.

If you are diagnosed with a particular fertility problem educate yourself as much as possible about it. This will help you when it comes to making decisions re treatment.

Men can take zinc, not drink too much alcohol , take showers rather than baths and wear boxer shorts but be mindful that sperms are complicated things and there is much about them that is still not fully understood. Many drugs have been tried to improve sperm count without success.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/06/2007 19:36

Legs in the air post intercourse is not necessary!. Its another myth thats been banded about.

Enough sperm will get to the cervix from where it won't escape besides which some leakage post intercourse is normal.

Bodkin · 05/06/2007 09:20

If possible, try and make sure you orgasm after he has ejaculated - helps the cervix draw up the sperm. Much more fun than putting your legs in the air and bicycling

PinkMartini · 05/06/2007 09:35

I'm PM from the TTC no 1 threads and so am very interested in thie as it's mostly stuff I didn't know.

It's still q early days for me but I was v interested to read
"If you get severe period pains either before or during your period again seek medical advice sooner rather than later (especially if this is a long standing problem)."

I've never heard this.

I've had painful periods since I started. I used to take prescribed painkillers but my acupuncturist told me they were doing dreadful things. I usually have to take an OTC painkiller every time though.

Should I be talking to my doctor about ttc in case of problems?

Original poster
Treenie · 05/06/2007 10:03

wow thanks for all that advice ladies! really helps.
PM I can't advise you at all on painful periods but it sounds horrible - poor you. I only had a really crippling one once when I was 16 before an exam at school - that's one of the reasons I remember it so vividly cause I nearly missed the exam.
Horrendous pain and was throwing up for a day. Can't image how aweful it must be to have them like that all the time.
What about homeopathy? Just a thought but I know it can work wonders for all sorts of things.

OP posts:
barbamama · 05/06/2007 10:50

For us DP started taking Zinc, Selenium and Vit E supplements as well as giving up alcohol for 3 months and that did the trick after over a year of trying. I also started acupuncture at about the same time. We also found using Persona to pin down when I was ov very helpful (never had much luck with CV, temp etc) and both times I have conceived were rear entry position, sorry tmi, which DP is convinced deposits the little blighters closer to their target so they can get to the egg before they get puffed out (kind of makes sense as two boys). Second time was much easier, first month, but DP had also started taking the vitamins again for the proceeding few months. Also both times the ov symbol came up on Persona (didn't every month). Who knows what made a difference but I would use all these agian if necessary in the future.

Most important and hardest of all though is chill out and try not to get too stressed about it - hard I know.

basilbrush · 05/06/2007 11:20

Just wanted to add that the last two times I've got pg (last one ended in m/c and this time am only 4+5 so fingers crossed ) I had a reflexology session around the time of ovulation. The first one was sheer coincidence, the second time I made sure I booked it mid-cycle. They do a lot of work on your ankle where womb and ovary areas are situated.
I know lots of people, inc my DH, pooh-pooh reflexology but I've also used it to induce labour before birth of my DS when I was 6 days over due. My waters broke an hour after the session - now it could have all been placebo effect or a coincidence but I was impressed!
Good luck!!

smallone · 05/06/2007 13:05

I was also on persona but as a method of contraception! had sex at a "non-fertile" time before ovulation. was drinking more wine than usual and relaxing coz on holiday and bingo x 1 accidental dd! oh and i had started to take pregnacare coz we were going to start ttc in a few months time. I guess my body had other ideas.

iwillbepositive · 05/06/2007 13:10

basil
Who did your magic relexology?! Not anyone in Edinburgh by any chance (think you are north of the border too) - wondering if I should add that to the ever increasing list of people helping me to conceive. Am quite nostalgic for those innocent times when only DH and I were party to our sex life

LoveMyGirls · 05/06/2007 13:12

sunflower seeds and pumkin seeds in your cooking, on cereal on sandwiches etc

smallone · 05/06/2007 13:24

Interesting about the sunflower and pumpkin seeds - I eat those all the time as a snack mix with sultanas. I must have been making myself super fertile without realising!

3catstoo · 05/06/2007 13:26

What do sunflower and pumpkin seeds do?

Attila I'm so pleased you said that about legs in the air. Not something I ever feel kike doing after bd'ing but feel guilty for not doing it.

GinGirl · 05/06/2007 13:32

Both of us took vitamins and we had regular sex at the right time but that was it!
The best thing we did was decide not to worry about it for 'that' month as we would go and see the GP to start investigations in the New Year. We conceived in early December - relaxing for the month made the difference.
Good luck!
xx

AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/06/2007 14:23

PinkMartini

It was me who mentioned about the very painful periods. Mine were excrutiating up to and during the menstrual cycle - painkillers did not take the edge off it. Have been known also to bend double on the floor in agony.

I say this because in my case at least there was an underlying cause and that was endometriosis. Not suggesting at all you have this but if your pains are really bad and cyclical in nature it ought to be checked out further.

foxcub · 05/06/2007 17:35

I lost weight and did more excercise, which helped I think.

I also found that getting stressed stopped me conceiving for several months: as soon as the stress went, bingo!!

Also did the whole "predictor" thing and examining mucous and ovary pains etc

basilbrush · 05/06/2007 19:03

iwillbe she's near dundee actually

crayon · 05/06/2007 21:28

The month I eventually conceived DS3 I had been having cranial osteopathy, taking cough medicine (not after ovulation) and agnus castus (also not after ovulation as far as I remember). It was our 13th month of trying having had a missed miscarriage in our 2nd month of trying - we just tried everything we could think of!

scatterbrain · 05/06/2007 21:35

Legs in the air did do it for me - old wives tale or not !

loopybear · 05/06/2007 21:46

I have to say that I concieved during an ofsted inspection which was very stressfull (we weren't trying DD was a lovely suprise) my colegue who was trying also concieved during ofsted!!

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