I have been pouring over pregnancy, fertility, and TTC (trying to conceive) websites, boards, and books over the past few months. In my reading I have found a few things that I have made me go “huh.”
First of all the woman’s body is (usually) a toxic environment for sperm. Because of the acidic nature of the vaginal vault sperm cannot thrive in that environment. The sperm thrive in alkaline environments. This means that my body is prepared to kill the little swimmers within an hour or two of entering my body.
The good news is that right before ovulation a women’s cervical mucus will turn alkaline and will create a more “friendly” environment for sperm. All the baby boards call this cervical mucus EWCM or egg white mucus. It looks like and has the consistency of egg white: clear, thick, and stretchy. Have I grossed you out yet?
The bad news…..when this happens it only allows for a maximum of 5 days (but could be closer to 2 or 3 days) every cycle for me to get knocked up.
In my reading I have found that there are a number of things that you can do to increase your chances of getting pregnant. But nothing that is a sure fire way to make it magically happen. Some of the things that can increase your chances are: charting your basal body temperature (which can get old really fast), use ovulation predictor kits, and charting your cervical mucus. And of course the internet is filled with all kinds of advice on things you can do. Heck the internet even tells you how you can increase your chances of either having a boy or girl. But all these things do not guarantee anything.
So bottom line is…..when you do get pregnant it is a miracle.
I have had thoughts of just giving up and going back on birth control. Drink as much coffee as I want all day and take up smoking. Because that is when everyone else seems to get pregnant.
TMI warning but I think right before and after ovulation you need to have sex everyday. Sperm survive up to 7 days so that's alot of sperm inside of you. That should increases chances.
ReplyDeleteBut it does seem that people that are smoking and drinking and don't want a child are the ones that get one.