You know how to make a baby, but when is the best time to get pregnant? It’s all about your fertility cycles, ovulation, and hormones. If you’ve been asking yourself, “Why am I not getting pregnant?”, then this is a must-read article for you.
When Is the Best Time to Get Pregnant?
This is the most asked question about getting pregnant. Many people think you can get pregnant if you have sex on any day of your cycle. Generally, this is not true. Here are the basics of your menstrual cycle:
- Day one of your menstrual cycle is the day your period starts.
- During your period, the uterus sheds the thick lining that was ready to host a fertilized egg.
- Sometime between day 10 and day 16, a mature egg is released by the ovaries, a process which is called ovulation.
- During ovulation, more estrogen is released, which causes the uterus lining to thicken.
- The egg travels down the fallopian tubes, and if it encounters a sperm, it could become fertilized (i.e., you could get pregnant).
- Whether or not the egg gets fertilized, it moves down the fallopian tube to the uterus.
- If it was fertilized, the egg embeds itself in the thick lining of the uterus and starts to grow.
- If the egg was unfertilized, the ovaries produce less and less estrogen until the uterus lining starts to break down, and this is the start of your period again.
It’s clear to see that the only time you can realistically get pregnant is during ovulation when a mature egg is ready to meet a sperm. This is why ovulation testing kits and apps which tell you which stage of your cycle you are in are so popular. One recommendation is to start having sex at around day nine of your cycle, as this should be just before you begin ovulating.
Can you get pregnant after ovulation? The moment of ovulation is when the egg is released, but it takes time to travel to the uterus. The egg itself is viable for about 24 hours, so in theory, if you have sex after this window closes, you can’t get pregnant.
Conversely, if you had sex a few days before ovulation, it’s still possible to get pregnant. But how? Because sperm lives for up to five days. This means there could still be viable sperm cells in your fallopian tubes when your egg is released, meaning you could have sex before ovulation and still get pregnant.
How Long Does It Take to Get Pregnant After Sex?
According to Miriam-Webster, the definition of conceiving is to become pregnant with young/a child.
But at what point do you actually become pregnant after sex? The simple answer is anything from three minutes to five days. This is why some women will start to have pregnancy symptoms as little as a week after sex, whereas others won’t notice anything for much longer.
Can a Woman Get Pregnant on Her Period?
One of the most searched for phrases on Google is, “Can a girl get pregnant on her period?” While your body isn’t ovulating during this time, there is still a small chance of getting pregnant. This is due to one of two reasons:
- You had sex near the end of your period, and the sperm cell has survived long enough to still be viable when ovulation starts
- What you thought was the start of your period was actually vaginal bleeding caused by the hormonal changes that occur during ovulation- a phenomenon experienced by many women.
Early Signs of Pregnancy
The best way to check if you’re pregnant is with a pregnancy test. Store-bought tests are no different from what your doctor will do, so it’s really rare to get a false positive. The following symptoms might be noticeable in the very early stages of pregnancy, so be ready for these, and if you haven’t done a test yet, experiencing these could mean it’s time to get one done.
- Sore breasts
- Nausea
- A very light period
- Unexplained fatigue
- A strange taste in your mouth, which may seem metallic
- An increased sense of smell
- Food cravings
- Loss of interest in certain food or drink
If you are concerned about any of these symptoms or experience pain, heavy bleeding or feel faint, talk to a medical professional immediately.
Sex: Is There a Best Position to Get Pregnant?
If you have conceived a child previously, you might remember what position you used- or you might not. It’s often difficult to pinpoint exactly when a child was conceived, especially if you have an active sex life. Is it possible that the position you used had something to do with getting pregnant?
Scientifically, there’s nothing to back this up. You can literally get pregnant in any sexual position; however, many people think that allowing gravity to help the sperm along can aid in getting pregnant. This might mean a pillow under the hips if you’re lying on your back, or getting your partner to lift your legs up, or hold your butt and pull it upwards. There might not be any science behind this, but you can sure have some fun experimenting!
Ultimate Tips to Get Pregnant Fast
If you want to know how to get pregnant fast and easy, these tips could help. Just remember, every single woman is different, and while some of these tips may work for you, they may also not. However, these tips have worked for many couples in the past.
- Come off your birth control three months before trying for a baby.
- Start taking prenatal vitamins.
- Have sex every other day around ovulation to allow the man’s sperm count to replenish.
- Avoid stress as this can disrupt your cycle- plus it’s bad for both your libidos.
- Both potential parents should eat well and drink plenty of water.
Look for Tips on Parenting Forums
Lots of parenting groups and forums have whole sections dedicated to TCC. What is TCC? Trying to conceive! If you’re struggling or just want a friendly place to vent, these forums are usually full of people who have been in similar situations.
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand a bit more about how to have a baby in terms of cycles, timing, and you and your partner’s health and wellbeing. Use a calendar or an app to track your cycle, stay healthy, and always talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
