Many women grow up dreaming of becoming a mom. All they want is to hold that precious little bundle of joy in their arms and raise that child to become an amazing friend, a leader and an overall fantastic person.
But what happens when you finally have the chance to start your family, and you can't get pregnant? Your hopes and dreams of becoming a mom are put on hold and you start to feel helpless.
Turns out, there are things you can be doing now to increase your chances of getting pregnant. While these won't guarantee anything, it's nice to know that you're doing everything you can to prepare your body to conceive that precious baby.
Here are seven natural ways you can increase your chances of pregnancy:
1. Keep a healthy weight
Being overweight or underweight can have a huge impact on your fertility. If you're not at your ideal healthy weight, there are changes you can make to become healthier and make it easier for you to conceive. Eating right and exercising can also improve your chances, so it's a win-win situation.
2. Watch the caffeine
If you drink a little caffeine every once in a while, chances are you're going to be fine. However, if you're drinking even three cups of coffee per day, you might want to cut back. According to WebMD, you should not be exceeding one or two cups of coffee every day, (or stay under 250 milligrams of caffeine).
3. Drink tons of water
Drinking water is so good for you when you're trying to get pregnant and continues to benefit you throughout your pregnancy. Drinking enough water helps all your hormones get where they need to go in order for you to conceive. It also helps with circulation and improves egg health, so drink up.
4. Keep your blood flowing
It's important to exercise to keep your blood flowing, but don't drastically change your workout routines. If you start doing intense training and you're working out vigorously for two hours every day, it could actually decrease your chances of conceiving. Just remember, moderate exercise will help, but extreme exercise won't.
5. Know your food
Certain foods can actually increase your chances of pregnancy. Some of these foods include beans or other plant-based protein, leafy greens, wild salmon and berries. These are only a few options, so do your research and plan meals that include these foods.
6. Don't be afraid of supplements
Take your vitamins! While you'll get some of these benefits by eating fertility-boosting foods, it doesn't hurt to have a little extra help from dietary supplements. Take zinc for better ovulation, folic acid for a healthy baby and extra blood, multivitamins and iron.
These can increase your chances of pregnancy by a lot, and there are also vitamins your husband can take to increase your chances.
7. Don't stress
It might be time to try a yoga class or learn how to meditate, because studies show that women who have higher stress levels are less likely to conceive. Stress hormones can cause you to ovulate late, or not at all.
You've probably been told by at least one person to "just relax and it will happen," but according to Dorothy Greenfield, (director of behavioral services at the Yale Fertility Center of Yale University) that advice won't help anyone ... but you do need to relax to help improve your chances. On WebMD, she does invite "each woman to look into her own life and try to find tiny spaces where she can give her body and her mind a respite from the stresses of everyday living."
Don't give up on your dreams of becoming a parent. There are so many ways you can increase your chances of fertility, and these are only a few. There are also infertility issues that go beyond these remedies and should be addressed by a doctor. Figure out what works for you and your spouse. Being patient can be frustrating at times, but it'll all be worth it when you get to hold your little baby in your arms.
