O.K., I'm 33 and finally ready to get pregnant, any advice on what's the most sucessful way?

Question

It's a bit tougher to get pregnant after 30 I heard. I've been off the pill for 5 months now but haven't been trying to get pregnant. How do I know when I'm ovulating? Do certain positions work best? Does laying down for a half an hour or propping yourself up with a pillow help? Any other suggestions?

Answer 1

You're right that it gets harder as you get older, and your chance of conceiving during any given cycle isn't that great, but lots of women your age and much older get pregnant and have healthy babies all the time. (I'll be 40 next week, and we just celebrated first birthdays around here.) You can, too.

My best advice for anyone trying to get pregnant: run, don't walk, and get yourself a copy of the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler, and visit the forums at http://www.tcoyf.com (great message boards with very active, very helpful women, and a lot of FAQs). Learn to chart your own cycle so you can determine when you are at your most fertile, so you can maximize your chances of conceiving.

The textbook woman has a 28 day cycle and ovulates on day 14 -- but most women do not fit that description. Charting your cycle involves taking your temperature and checking your cervical fluids daily; they both change in accordance with hormonal shifts, and if you do these things you will be able to tell when ovulation is likely around the corner, and you will be able to confirm that ovulation has likely occurred. Many women also check their cervical position, and I recommend it, but I realize that not everyone is comfortable doing that, and some of us can't even reach it to check it!

In a nutshell:
Basal Body Temperature: checking this means taking your temp daily with a thermometer that's meant for this use -- no more costly than an average digital thermometer, but more sensitive. You take your temp every morning on awakening, before you get up, talk, reach for a glass of water...you get the idea. Your temperature will rise due to increased progesterone after you ovulate -- so it can't be used alone to actually predict ovulation in a vacuum, but if you chart your temps you'll see a pattern emerge and learn when in your cycle you tend to ovulate (plus, many women experience a temp dip immediately preceding ovulation). This data will be supported by:

Cervical Fluids: Also checked daily (or more frequently), this is a fantastic way to see if you're nearing ovulation, as cervical fluids change from dry to sticky to creamy and, when ovulation is near, to a stretchy egg-white like consistency. That's a good conductor for sperm, with the proper pH levels, etc. and when you see that...get busy.

Cervical Position: Whether your cervix is high/low, open/closed, soft/hard will also provide clues about how close you are to ovulating.

In the meantime, while you're starting to chart, reading Weschler's book, or whatever, have sex every other day -- every day is actually not recommended. You can also use ovulation predictor kits or fertility monitors, but those are costly, don't always work for everyone, and can be difficult to read/interpret.

As far as positions and whatnot...you know, there's just no hard data supporting it, and most doctors will say it doesn't matter, unless there are issues that make it otherwise difficult for the male to be reaching high on up there. I say: it can't hurt. I got pregnant just fine without lying on my back afterwards but, what the heck. I wouldn't go risking a UTI for it, but barring that, I suggest you lie on your back, make sure your vaginal lips are closed, prop your hips up with a pillow (NOT a very full pillow, because that would result in the fluids pooling underneath the cervix), raise your knees, and watch a few minutes of television or a chapter or two of a good book.

At the age of 30, a healthy woman has a 15 percent chance of conceiving in any given cycle. If you chart your cycles and time things right and nothing happens at the end of a year, it's time to see a reproductive endocrinologist. Every month can feel an eternity, but you also did stop the pill, and, as you know, that also can add some time to the equation.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 2

If you haven't even tried yet you don't need to dial in to a bunch of kookie practices to see if anything will work. Just remember that you ovulate about 14 days after the first day of your period if you have a 28 day cycle. Try having sex every other day starting on day 10 and ending on day 18. In general a woman on bottom position is best as you have gravity on your side. You should hit the mark! Try that for a couple of months and if you have no success try a few other methods. Have fun and good luck!

PS - I was pregnant one week off of the pill at age 32.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Everyone's body is a little different but ovulation follows a pretty predictable cycle. I don't know how well this works but try it:
http://www.babycenter.com/calculators/ovulation/

Here's a link to - How can I tell when I'm ovulating and most fertile?
from the same site
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/484.html#2

PS: Sex is still the best way. :)

Answer 5

I am on the same boat : 31 now, and have been trying for 5 months.
Before, didnt want it, then got pregnant easily.
But....
Now really ready for it, and it's became seem imposible!

Answer 6

If you have sex evrey day trying to get pregnant thinking that it will increase the chance you are wrong the more you have sex the more it weekens the sperm male sperm count so the best thing is to take your tempature evreyday because your tempature is about 2 degrees higher when you ovulate and have sex most woman ovulate about 3 days after your periode or buy an ovulater predictor. also don't have sex as much.

Answer 7

hi a great site for all the info you need is mymonthlycycle.com they have the ovulation calculator put your last mp and it will tell you when to try and your most fertile days good luck to you

Answer 8

Have lots of sex... from what i have been told by my family is to relax. Being stressed about trying to have a baby might actually make it harder to conceive. So lay back, relax, and just have a good time baby making!!!

Answer 9

Find a good man who's also ready to settle down and wants to have kids now too. Marry him and have lots of great sex. :)