Tips on trying to conceive

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Me and my partner have attempted once to conceive and I know it usually takes people up to a year to get there. However I worked it up in my mind that I had caught as I was getting light cramping 6 days after ovulation. My period came today and the tests are negative so I’m super disheartened. My partner has some fertility issues in his family so naturally he is worried about his own fertility health. I have been using natural cycles for many years now for contraception so I know exactly when I ovulate, when my periods are due etc. I planned it dead on and also took a clear blue LH test for better accuracy. Whatever has happened I’m sure isn’t to worry about at this stage. I wondered how long it has taken you to get pregnant, if you have had a similar experience or have any tips to give me. I’m due to ovulate around the 20th December again so I want to be fully prepared. I’m currently taking 5mg of folic acid daily as in august I was iron deficient, I’ve had a blood test today to check if my levels have recovered, but I expect the results won’t be for another week.

Hi OP you haven’t mentioned your age from what I can see but the advice is if you’re over 35 you should go to the doctor after six months of trying, if you’re under 35 you should go after a year of trying. If you have concerns about your partner’s fertility you may want to book in a private sperm analysis or you can get them through gp as well but that may take time. I’m pretty sure the average time it takes for a couple to conceive naturally is one year, of course some take longer and some a lot less but one cycle is certainly nothing to worry about.

Aw thank you for responding to my thread! So I am 28 (I turn 29 in feb) and my partner is 33. I thought it was way too early to see a dr, you’re right everything I’ve read said that a healthy couple will conceive within 1 year. We are getting married in May 2025, so I don’t want to leave it too close to the wedding as I know I will need time to recover if I do fall pregnant and have a baby. So ideally I would like to get pregnant within the next few months but I know it doesn’t always work like that. I just can’t understand if you do absolutely everything correctly why would it not happen, I guess that’s just the part and parcel of the process though.

Getting pregnant is mainly luck. You think how it happens and first of all timing needs to be correct and then the sperm and egg need to have the correct DNA. Then it needs to divide correctly. Then it needs to implant successfully. There's actually so much that has to go perfectly and there are many eggs that are chromosomally abnormal too (dependent on age). Our bodies won't naturally implant an embryo that isn't healthy even if it's fertilised.
So chances per month are 20 percent I think and that's for a couple with no fertility issues.
I know it's difficult because it's one of those things we just can't control. Just because we do everything right and time it right doesn't mean it will happen any sooner.
Try not to get disheartened , it's been one month and most don't conceive in the first month.
I'm cycle 7 ttc my second and my first was IVF after 18 months of trying.
One thing I have learned in this process is to let go. Just try and take your mind off it and have other focuses because it all becomes very consuming very quickly if you don't.
Good luck! Hopefully it doesn't take you long.

Sadly it took me years to conceive and I knew my cycle like the back of my hand. All of a sudden I was ovulating really early and then the next month, really late.
I eventually spoke with the gp who said I was putting so much stress on myself with testing that I’ve worn myself down.

I would say if this is your first month of trying then as hard as it is, don’t put so much pressure on yourself and your partner. Try keep some intimacy and fun in there! Try dtd every second day within your fertile cycle and keep up your healthy lifestyle.

If your partner is worried about himself then might be worth getting a fertility check.

As a pp said, sometimes it really does feel down to luck. Some people fall pregnant straight away and others take years. It all depends on the egg and the sperm at the time.

My folic and iron levels have been low so I’ve been taking folic acid 5mg which has been prescribed by the Dr. my levels were 3.7 ug/L(a normal range is between 5.4-24 ug/L) now my levels are 20.8 ug/L. So my levels have come right up which I’m happy about

Hello OP, I conceived in under 4 months each time for the planned pregnancies. And both times used cheap ovulation sticks for timing dtd and used fertility lubricant (Preseed) every time we dtd. May have been coincidence but I believe they increased my chances.

Aww thank you! I bought conceive plus so will see if that makes any difference ☺️

Hi OP! I conceived one month after suffering the loss of an unplanned pregnancy. I did lots of things which may have helped although obviously it could’ve just been luck and nothing else! However I will definitely do this again when trying for our next baby. I used the clear blue digital ovulation tests with the smiley faces, preseed, I laid there with my legs in air for a good 5 mins after each time we dtd and took fertility vitamins every day. Oh and sex every other day if not every day during fertile window. My LO is now a happy 15 month old :) sending you all the baby dust xxx

Hellooo, awww Amazing to hear about your little love! Yes I’m using the clear blue ovulation tests, I used these last month too so knew exactly when my fertile days were along with natural cycles that I’ve been using for years. Only thing I am doing different this time is using the conceive plus lubricant 🤞🏼my other half is taking vitamins but I am not currently, but still on my 5mg of folic acid. I’ll let you know if we have any luck this month ☺️☺️

Oh also remembered I took the seven seas conception vitamins as well.
Good luck OP!

Good luck, OP.

I took my BBT and conceived within two months each time.

Hi OP. Everyone is different so I'm
Not sure that people can really give you any helpful tips other than to anecdotally tell you what worked for them. If you've been trying for a long time you should see your doctor.

Anecdotally, I think it's pure luck. We tried for months and months for baby number 2. We had loads of sex, I tracked ovulation, I laid still after sex, I tried using a mooncup to hold the sperm in for a while, I took vitamin supplements... etc etc. nothing for months. Then one day we had a quickie on the sofa before our takeaway arrived - lasted about 5 mins and pretty much everything leaked out immediately after - and I got pregnant from that. It's pure luck

Hello, thank you I will try these too. We aren’t successful again this month ☹️

I'll chip in that is really is just luck I'm afraid.

I've had 3 pregnancies, 2 successful and I tried every trick in the book. My pregnancies were conceived on cycles 8, 8, 7 between the ages of 29 - 32. Have lots of sex, use cheap ovulation sticks multiple times per day and hope for the best.

I think don't use the expensive ovulation tests. Just buy cheap ones.

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I started taking seven seas trying for a baby, which I think has a higher dosage of folic acid than the amount you're taking right now. I don't know if this helps as reviews are mixed on it, but just something to consider. Also didn't test for ovulation, just use apps but all 3 apps I was using gave slightly different ovulations dates.

I think tracking cycles causes more stress than anything. I'd recommend a month where you don't track it to a tea.