Once, I caught myself reading about the crazy things women who are trying to conceive do to get pregnant, and I related so much you can’t even imagine! It felt as if the text was describing me! I decided to write about it on “Trocando Fraldas” to show what I was like during my trying-to-conceive days—it’s one of the most-read posts on the whole site. One part of it says:
“I was NEUROTIC! Honestly! Lol, today I laugh at the things I used to do, and at other times I’m embarrassed at myself for having done certain antics that only those trying to have a baby understand; I spent fortunes on pregnancy tests. (…)”
That’s the absolute truth. But, with all my craziness, I learned a lot of useful things. Did you know you can help sperm with gravity after sex? Think about this: sperm have to swim a long way to reach the fallopian tubes. So, why not raise your hips with pillows and lift your legs, making it easier for those “little swimmers” to reach their destination faster?
Ideally, take a shower before sex and wait at least an hour before getting up and heading for the shower afterwards. As uncomfortable as it might feel to stay unwashed after intercourse, this could increase the chances of fertilization.
Of course, all of this is only necessary on fertile days. There’s always someone unaware who thinks you can get pregnant outside the fertile window, but that’s not true. If you get pregnant, it’s because you ovulated. What can happen, true, is your fertile period might be at an unexpected time.
A valuable tip I would never have imagined (if it weren’t for my glorious days trying to conceive) is that position can be essential for certain women.
Women with a tilted uterus (retroverted uterus), that is, with the opening facing backwards, should preferably have sex in different positions like doggy style, always with the man behind, because it really helps with logistics. Let’s just say that leaving everything lined up makes it easier for sperm to enter the uterus.
For women with a uterus tilted forward, more traditional positions like missionary can be ideal for getting pregnant. But of course, a little variety is important. So, how about being on top?
This position can actually make it even easier because many women can reach the peak of pleasure this way, and then, nature takes over. Female orgasm helps pull the sperm up into the uterus, which contracts during hormonal release. Not only internal orgasm but even a clitoral orgasm can be the reason many women become pregnant.
Want one more bit of good news? Foreplay releases a secretion that really helps sperm enter the uterus. This lubrication, together with fertile mucus, provides the ideal temperature and texture for sperm as they swim toward the fallopian tubes. And for women who don’t have much mucus, fertility-friendly lubricating gels help sperm reach the uterus more easily, as they closely mimic fertile mucus and are designed to boost the chances of conception. It’s worth noting that not all gels are the same nor are beneficial, so the ones created specifically for conception are the most recommended.
This combination can do more than just help things glide smoothly into the uterus, since fertile mucus also contains proteins that keep sperm alive inside the body for up to 72 hours. So, don’t be shy—get a little dance going to spice up the foreplay, ladies!
Doctors usually recommend couples trying to conceive have sex every other day during the fertile period. Strange, right? The reason is, the sperm stock produced in the testicles needs a minimum of 24 hours to be replenished after it’s used.
Of course, having sex too much won’t hurt, but as the saying goes: one well-done is much better than ten poorly-done. Getting your partner really excited is an extra advantage. The more aroused your man is with you at the time, the stronger his ejaculation will be. So, a little extra enthusiasm can make all the difference!
And are those teas to help with mucus worth it? Yes, they are! In fact, yam tea is a favorite among women trying to conceive because it’s high in estrogen, the hormone responsible for triggering ovulation, which thickens the endometrial lining (where the baby attaches after fertilization). It can also help eggs grow faster.
Some women may use uxi amarelo (yellow uxi) tea or cat’s claw tea. Both can help women with issues like fibroids, low hormones, or even a uterine infection. Since they’re natural products, there’s no contraindication. However, like everything in life, they should be used with caution so as not to hurt instead of help.
English Water and Women’s Health are quite accepted among women trying to conceive because both are based on a plant called Agoniada, which helps cleanse the uterus and ovaries. Normally, consumption is recommended from the 15th day of the cycle. However, ideally, they should be taken from the 3rd to 10th day of the cycle.
Another popular belief says that pineapple helps with fertility. It’s believed that eating the fruit for five days after ovulation can help the embryo implant in the uterus, because pineapple contains bromelain. If it’s true that would be great, but no one knows for sure. So, it doesn’t hurt to try—after all, pineapple is delicious and easy to find anywhere in the country.
A great overall tip is to increase your intake of liquids and fruits with vitamin C, like oranges, lemons, passion fruit, strawberries, or acerola. They may help increase cervical mucus. Plus, the more water you drink during the fertile period, the more mucus you might produce, helping pregnancy happen.
