Trying to get pregnant can be exciting and fun. However, it may also create stress and anxiety especially if it does not happen quickly and easy. As an acupuncturist specializing in fertility treatment, I see many women who are trying to get pregnant. I give my patients a number of tips that you can also try to naturally enhance your fertility and improve your chances of success.
Track your cycle
One of the best ways to improve your chances of becoming pregnant is to track your menstrual cycle, determine when you are ovulating and time intercourse accordingly. Start counting with your period being day 1 of your cycle. Most women ovulate sometime between days 12 to 16 of their cycle, however you might ovulate earlier or later. Some of the ways that you can detect your ovulation day is by taking your basal body temperature, detecting fertile cervical mucous, using an ovulation predictor test or using an ovulation lens to detect ferning in your saliva. Sometimes using more than one of these techniques in combination is the best way to determine the most fertile phase of your cycle. Once you know when you are ovulating, you can time intercourse accordingly and improve your chances of success.
Reduce stress
Stress can be a huge factor when trying to conceive. The stress of your job, pressure from friends or the stress of simply trying to conceive may actually be preventing you from getting pregnant. When you are stressed your body goes into survival mode and all of your energy goes away from your reproductive organs and to your other vital organs to help your body deal with the stress. From a Chinese medicine perspective, your qi – or life force energy – becomes stagnant or stuck. This takes vital energy, blood and nutrients away from where it really needs to go – your reproductive organs. Regularly engage in activities that help relieve your stress – read a book, take a bath, get a pedicure, get a massage, meditate, try acupuncture. Whatever you can do to help keep your stress in check will only help you in your process of trying to get pregnant.
Improve your diet
Diet is an important factor in affecting your fertility. Eating a wholesome diet can provide your body with vital nutrients that can help improve the health of your eggs and enhance your endometrial lining, which creates a healthy environment for implantation of the embryo. Try to eat a whole foods, organic diet free of processed foods. Increase your consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, because these foods can help your body process and eliminate excess estrogens. Eat more dark leafy greens and a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables since these foods are high in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation and improve your uterine lining. Eat lean meats and fish and reduce your intake of dairy because it can increase mucous in your system and make it more difficult to become pregnant. Reduce or eliminate coffee, soda, alcohol and nicotine and increase your water intake.
