How to get pregnant

1. Overview

There are many things a woman can optimise in her life to increase her chances of getting pregnant. Making as many changes as you can to all aspects of your life will have the biggest impact on getting pregnant.

Firstly, only a woman who is menstruating can get pregnant. Stop taking any birth control medication. You can not get pregnant while on the implant.

2. Watch out for ovulation

It's important to watch and discover the subtle sign and symptoms that your body gives off during your fertile window. For example, there are several symptoms of ovulation, when you're releasing an egg and should be trying to conceive. These include

Twinges
Cervical mucus
Bloating
Increased appetite
Increase libido
Tiredness
Cravings for sugar
Lower back pain

Some of these symptoms, such as tiredness, craving for sugar and lower back pain n highlight fertility problems.

3. Have your hormone levels tested

It's very useful to have your fertility hormone levels tested by your doctor or at a private lab and receive medical advice.

Men can also have their semen tested including their sperm count to assess their fertility.

4. Optimise your diet

Drink no more than two glasses of alcohol a week. Red wine is better for blood. Some people say don't drink any alcohol at all when trying for a baby. I don't agree. Drinking some alcohol a week is good for the body and reduces stress. Of course, when you become pregnant, don't drink any alcohol
Optimise your diet to include more protein, fish and iron. Eat less gluten and refined sugars
Stop your caffeine intake, for both men and women

5. Control your weight

It's important to maintain a healthy weight for optimal fertility.

Don’t diet. Exercise if you need lose body weight. Use the waist-hip ratio to determine if you need to lose weight rather than the body mass index (BMI) score
You need at least 22% body fat, so don't lose too much weight so to ensure a healthy pregnancy

6. Take a prenatal vitamin

It's important to take a good quality prenatal supplement that has a broad range of vitamins and minerals including folic acid every day.

7. Optimise your lifestyle

Don’t have a bath after you ovulate. Have a shower instead as heat around the abdomen can cause an embryo to dislodge from your uterus wall
Don’t lift anything heavy
Don’t smoke
Reduce your use of technology, i.e. cell phones, tablets, laptops as these drain your energy making you weak, which damages your fertility
Sleep around 10pm and for 7-8 hours. Don't sleep later than 10pm as this weakens you
Slow down your pace of life. Going too fast uses a lot of energy that could otherwise be used for your fertility
Wear the right clothes and footwear for the season you are in, for example thermals in winter as this will aid blood flow around your body and therefore the regulation of your fertility hormones

8. Don't work long hours

Don’t work night shifts as this greatly damages fertility
Don't work more than 40 hours a week as this too greatly damages fertility
I advise against taking your basal body temperature every day as this causes stress, which affects your hormones

9. Don't exercise to much

Exercise 2-3 times a week, but no more as too much exercise damages fertility
Practice qi gong or yoga

10. Check your medications

Reduce your use of painkillers and SSRIs (always consult with your doctor first) as they damage fertility

11. Reduce your exposure to harmful pollutants

Reduce your exposure to air pollution, chemicals, plastics and heavy metals as they all damage fertility

12. Good fertility is a state of mind

Be positive and use an affirmation board to visualise your new baby
Listen to your body. It knows best. Often we are in our minds and not listening to our body, which can mean we don't listen to our body telling us to slow down and take a break
Practice mindfulness or meditation. This will help reduce anxiety and stress, which greatly impacts on fertility
Reduce your stress and have fun as this too helps reduce anxiety and stress, thereby improving your fertility

13. How my treatment can help you

Im a fertility expert and author of several self-help books dealing with fertility. My tailor-made acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment plans can increase fertility in both men and women. Read my frequently asked questions about fertility treatments.

Watch the video below to see how acupuncture can help your fertility.