10-7-2009 - 7 lessons on falling preggos fast....

My mood while writing this blog: Unsure

I was sent seven lessons on falling preggos fast,

Tip #1...Did you know that something
as simple as using the wrong lubrication when you have
intercourse can spoil your chances of getting pregnant? I had
no idea! In fact, I thought a little lubrication would
actually help--were you thinking the same thing too?

Well, it turns out, most store-bought lubricants will
damage the sperm and so they are strictly forbidden! The
same goes for vaseline or KY jelly. If you are using this
type of lubrication, you could be reducing your chances of
conceiving by half!!!

Luckily, there are a couple of things you can use as a
substitute. One is eggwhites. Yup, as in real eggs!
You just leave one out for a while (they're much too cold,
straight from the fridge), and then you crack it open and
use the eggwhite (not the yolk) in place of lubrication.
Believe it or not, eggwhites are extremely sperm friendly!!

Another option is a fantastic product called Pre-Seed, which is
specifically designed not to be harmful to sperm. If you
can't find it locally, it can be purchased online here:

Get Pre-Seed

Lastly, one of the best ways to improve your chance of
getting pregnant is to increase your natural lubrication.
This can be achieved by introducing more foreplay into
your "baby-making activities" which will increase your
arousal and therefore you will have more natural
lubrication to help the sperm to stay alive. Also, if a
man is more aroused, he will have a better ejaculation
which results in more sperm, which is a good thing!!

Tip #2...many couples are
under the mistaken impression that it is
helpful to avoid sex during the month except
for the time around ovulation. This comes from
the idea that if you "save up" the sperm, they will
be more plentiful when you need them!

Turns out, this is a very BIG mistake. It's
true, if you save up the sperm, you might
actually have more when your fertile time
of the month comes, but there's one big
problem. Most of these sperm will be tired,
and sluggish, and unable to fertilize your
egg!

In order to have the best chance of conception,
it is necessary to keep the sperm supply fresh!

That means your partner should be ejaculating
at least every 5 days throughout the month. Then,
when approaching ovulation, it is time to increase
the frequency of intercourse to improve your chance
of conception.

Tip #3....For now, I'm going to talk about one that
you need to avoid, as it can actually ruin
your chances of getting pregnant if you
take the wrong dosage. What am I talking
about?

I'm talking about Vitamin C. Here's the deal..

Taking some vitamin C is actually a great idea,
because vitamin C (in small doses) can do something
wonderful to increase your fertility. It actually
improves your cervical fluid. You may know that
the cervical fluid is crucial for transporting
the sperm to your cervix and on to your uterus,
where it will eventually meet up with your egg.
Without good quality cervical fluid, the sperm just
doesn't have a chance of surviving for very long.

But here's the catch...Too much vitamin C can have
the opposite effect. Yeah, that's right...too much
can cause your cervical fluid to dry up, and that
can just about ruin your chance of ever getting
pregnant. So you must be extremely careful to avoid
taking high doses of vitamin C supplements (especially
during cold and flu season where we're often advised
to load up on vitamin C).

How much is too much?? I would recommend 500mg of
vitamin C supplements daily, or you can go as high as
1000mg, but definitely do not take more than 1000mg
per day.

Speaking of cervical fluid, there are several other things
you can do to improve the amount and quality of your
cervical fluid.

Tip #4....tip for getting pregnant is
about stress. This is sometimes a
delicate topic among couples trying to get
pregnant. People are always saying...."just
relax, and it'll happen." Sheesh, don't they
know that comment just causes even more stress!!

If you could just get pregnant, you wouldn't
be so stressed, yet being stressed might be
keeping you from getting pregnant. Talk about
a catch-22!

In any event, I am not going to tell you, "hey,
just relax", but I will point out that there are
increasing reports of the link between stress and
fertility.

But here's something very interesting...

In some recent studies, women exposed to "laughter
therapy" actually had greater pregnancy rates than
those who did not participate. What is laughter
therapy?

It's just what you might think. For at least 15 minutes
a day (more is better), you need to find an activity
that makes you laugh!! Personally, I think one of
the best ways to do this is to watch a comedy show
on TV, or rent a really funny movie. Or you can
visit a comedy club if there is one in your area.
It doesn't really matter what it is, as long as you are
doing something that makes you laugh!!

Believe it or not, this works much better than trying
to force yourself to relax!! Give it a try and see
if it makes a difference!

Tip #5...Is about a food that can
be both good and bad for your fertility, so
make sure you read this carefully to learn
the difference.

There is a food that some pregnant women
know to avoid, but not many women who are trying to
get pregnant know about this. What am I
referring to?

FISH

No, I do not mean to avoid all fish, because most
fish can be beneficial to your fertility as it is high
in Omega 3 fatty acids. The fish you need to
avoid are the ones that are high in mercury.

Here's why. When you conceive, and then find out
you're pregnant about 2 weeks later when your period
doesn't show up, the baby has already been exposed
to everything you have put in your body during those
two weeks. Now hopefully, you have cut out most
of the obvious things that would be harmful to the baby,
but you might not have thought about fish high in
mercury.

Mercury can get stored up in your bloodstream from
too much consumption, and then passed on to the
developing baby. Too much mercury can effect the
nervous system of an unborn baby.

One fish that many people eat quite frequently is "white"
tuna fish in the can. This can have high levels of toxic
mercury in it and should be eaten only in small quantities.

You should completely avoid shark, swordfish, king
mackerel, and tile fish (also called golden or white snapper),
tuna steaks (fresh or frozen), orange roughy, Spanish
mackerel, marlin, and grouper because these fish contain
the highest levels of mercury.

But remember, do not avoid all fish, only those that
are high in mercury, because fish is loaded with protein,
vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids -- all of which are an
important part of a healthy diet. There are plenty of good
fish choices such as salmon, rainbow trout, and canned
mackerel, for instance -- that contain low levels of mercury
and are high in healthy fats.

Tip #6...You may have heard, there has been an
ongoing debate about whether drinking coffee
(or other caffeinated beverages) can
cause a delay in getting pregnant.
Studies have been done and the
research is mixed--some conclude yes,
others conclude no.

Some studies now suggest that even
one cup of coffee per day can reduce
a woman's chances of getting pregnant
within a 12-month period by more
than 50%. Three cups a day, and the
odds drop by more than 175%.

Although the caffeine debate is far from
settled, Dr. Mark Leondires, M.D., Medical
Director at Reproductive Medicine Associates
of CT, encourages patients to stay on the
safe side and avoid caffeinated
beverages while trying to get pregnant.

I'd say that is excellent advice. If you
are trying to get pregnant faster, or it
has been taking longer than you had hoped,
don't you think it's best to err on the
safe side and stay away from coffee?

If you're feeling depressed about the thought
of giving up your morning "fix", you should
know there are some other beverages that can
be a worthwhile substitute, as they actually
enhance your fertility. One fabulous beverage
I already spoke about is water.

Tip #7...Is about what medications that men should avoid.

When trying to get pregnant it's very
important for both partners to eliminate as many
medications from your routine as possible.
Talk with your physician about your prescription
medications as you may need to discontinue use or
try something new.

It's important to remember that male fertility factors
contribute to approximately 40% of all infertility cases.
Getting pregnant is not just a woman's problem!

For men, medications to control a chronic condition
such as high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel
disease or gout, or to suppress the immune reaction
to a transplanted organ may all have a harmful
effect on fertility.

One popular medication that has been known to
lower sperm count and fertility in men is Tagamet -
used to treat ulcers, gastrointestinal problems, and
urinary tract infections. This medication can have a
harmful effect on sperm production as well as
sperm count.

What should you do if your partner is using Tagamet?
Have him stop taking it if possible or check with his
doctor to see if there is an alternative that will not
have any damaging effect on sperm.

Even under the best circumstances, only 50 to 70
percent of a man's sperm are healthy enough to
fertilize an egg. Sperm can be especially vulnerable
to environmental factors, such as exposure to excessive
heat or toxic chemicals.

I dont know if these tips work yet, but i guess ill find out when AF is due.... Hope these tips help some of you lovely ladies that are TTC...

BABY DUST to all you wonderful ladies and sticky baby dust to those that are preggos. XXX