One of the big questions that comes up when we talk about home pregnancy tests is when you should test and how often. While it is a personal decision, there are both pros and cons to testing early and often. Here are a few: Pros: 1. If you test early and often you are more likely to catch a pregnancy in its very early stages. This makes determining your due date accurately much easier. It is also better if you are high risk. 2. Catching a pregnancy early on gives you more time to plan. You have more time to … Continue reading →

If you are trying to start a family, you might be wondering what pregnancy will feel like. Personally, when I was trying to get pregnant, I always wondered if I would be able to tell once I conceived. What does it feel like to be pregnant? Would I get that special intuition that some women talk about? As it turns out, the symptoms were there right away, but I didn’t know what to look for. A few days after we conceived (as we calculated later once we had our ultrasound), we went on a camping trip with some friends. Now … Continue reading →

When you’re trying to get pregnant, timing is everything. Trying to “catch the egg” is kind of like playing that penny pusher game at the carnival (you know, the one where you have put push coins through the slot to land on the conveyor in just the right spot to push a prize off the edge the next time the bar slides forward?). It’s easy to miss ovulation. You may not even get pregnant if you nail it, either. Sometimes, trying to get pregnant month after month feels like you are wasting your coins. Statistically speaking, you have about a … Continue reading →

First off, let me say that there is absolutely no shame in using a sexual lubricant. Many women do not produce enough vaginal lubrication to make sex comfortable. Some women need it and some women don’t, but in the end what is important is that you are able to enjoy intimacy with your spouse. Now that we have that cleared out of the way, let’s talk about using lubricants when you are trying to get pregnant. Can lubricants hinder conception? Are there safer alternatives? Non-spermicidal lubricants are safe to use when your are trying to get pregnant. One tip is … Continue reading →

Some women get pregnant so quickly. It seems their babies barely reach 9 months and they are blessed with another pregnancy! I realize not all women appreciate having their pregnancies so close together, but it really is an advantage to be fertile so soon. Some women have to wait much longer before they are able to conceive again. I am afraid I am going to be one of those women. I know there are other women out there who are in the same boat, so I am going to share my (brief) story. You are not alone, ladies! My son … Continue reading →

It’s a classic story we’ve all heard before. A childless couple eager to start a family begins their journey with high hopes. After a few months and no positive pregnancy tests, a little tension enters the picture. After six months, more worries creep in. The dreaded 12-month mark hits and the couple begins to throw around the “I” word (infertility). The couple looks into treatments, and just before they begin their first cycle on the fertility treatments, they take a short vacation. Upon their return, they receive the shock of their life when they discover she is pregnant. Just when … Continue reading →

How long a woman should wait to conceive after a miscarriage has always been up for debate, but a recent study published in the journal BMJ found that there are no adverse effects to conceiving again right away. In the case of a single miscarriage, the outcome of the subsequent pregnancy was typically better when conception happened within six months of the first miscarriage. These findings really help bring the decision about when to conceive again back into the mother’s court. No longer is she ordered to wait 18 months to 24 months, which can really put a damper on … Continue reading →

You’d think figuring out which day you conceived would be simple math, or at least as simple as looking at the calendar, but there are a couple different factors that play into when conception actually occurs. Your menstrual cycle length, ovulation date, and implantation date can all vary. If you are trying to conceive, you might consider doing a little extra record keeping for accurate dates later on. First, keep track of the days you have intercourse. As unromantic as this sounds, it doesn’t have to be. Keep a roll of stickers by your calendar and place one on each … Continue reading →