Trying to get pregnant can be a super-exciting time for a couple. Sex feels really special when you know it could be the start of a new life. But if things don’t happen like they're supposed to, it can turn into a nightmare.

Do…

…have lots of sex (at the right time)

This seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. Of course you can just take the simple approach of having lots of sex all the time – nothing wrong with that! But if you want to maximise your chances, there is a crucial aspect to it: you need to have sex at the right time of the month.

To find out when you are ovulating, you need to monitor your menstrual cycle. Some women do that simply by writing down the dates of their periods and then estimate their ovulation. This happens generally around the 14th day after the first day of the period.

The egg is only ready for conception for 12 to 24 hours, so it's important to time it accurately. That gets difficult if you have an irregular cycle. The good news is that sperm can survive for a few days after intercourse. This means they can lurk around waiting for an egg to pop out. So you don't have to hit that 12 to 24 hour window period exactly to get pregnant.

There are also apps and online calculators to help you estimate when you are ovulating. Another way is to measure your temperature in the morning. At the time of ovulation, your body temperature rises slightly, because that makes conception easier. And yet another way is to look at your vaginal discharge. Around the time of ovulation, it tends to get a bit sticky and there’s more of it than usual.

...work on your lifestyle

There are some things you can't change. For example, the older you are, the more difficult it can be to conceive. But there are plenty of things in your life you can work on to make sure that getting pregnant gets easier.

Stop smoking and drinking – this goes for both women and men. Try to eat healthily and exercise regularly. You also should start cutting down on your coffee intake – lots of caffeine can lead to problems with your pregnancy. And make sure you get enough shut-eye. Being well-rested can make the first few months of pregnancy a bit less exhausting.

Also, if either you or your partner or both of you are significantly overweight or underweight, it can make you less fertile. So it might be a good idea to try get to a healthier weight.

In general, now is the time you need to take good care of your body to prepare it for the coming months.

…keep track of him as well!

Obviously, it takes two people to get pregnant. But many women forget that that it's not only their own health they need to keep in mind to increase the chances of becoming pregnant. Taking care of your partner is equally important. Being over- or underweight, stressed or having a medical condition can affect the man's body's ability to produce sperm, so it's important to look out for anything unusual.

And keep his testicles cool! Testicles need to be a bit below body temperature to make sperm. So don’t wear tight underpants or trousers that make your testicles too hot. And avoid having hot baths.

Lastly, please don't forget that your partner is the person you love, and not just a sperm-producer. Keep your relationship and the sex fun, and don't make getting pregnant a stressful exercise for either of you!

Don't...

…forget to take folic acid

Folic acid, (also known as folate or vitamin B9), is a vitamin that helps your baby’s spine to develop properly, and reduces the risk of a condition called spina bifida. Spina bifida means that the baby’s spine doesn’t close up properly, which can cause a range of disabilities.

So you should start taking folic acid tablets as soon as you decide you want to try for a baby. It’s best to take it while you’re trying to get pregnant and for the first three months of pregnancy. If you get pregnant and you haven’t been taking it, just start straight away.

Natural sources are green leafy vegetables and whole grains. But it's almost impossible to get the amount you need to make a difference through food alone. You can buy the tablets over the counter at a pharmacists or drug story. And while generally it's not advisable to go for over-the-counter supplements without asking your doctor first, you are okay to take this one. The recommended dose is 400 micrograms a day.

...believe the myths

There are no sex positions that make it more likely that you will get pregnant. And don't believe that positions like standing up, or eating red meat and salty snacks will increase your chances of having a baby boy, or having sex while there is a full moon for a baby girl. All myths! The sex of the baby depends on genetics and biology, not on who initiates sex or the foods you eat.

But lying still on the bed for about 15 minutes after sex is a good idea. No need to keep your legs in the air though – that’s another myth.

Also, taking the pill, or using other birth control methods long-term won't impact your fertility. It might take a few months for your cycle to get back to normal. But infertility is not a result of using birth control.

… wait too long to see a specialist

If you have tried to get pregnant for more than a year without success, you shouldn't hesitate you discuss your issues with a doctor or a pregnancy or fertility specialist. They can identify any problems and help you and your partner find ways that might make it easier to get pregnant. Especially women over the age of 35 seem to benefit from specialist help if they have trouble getting pregnant.

Having said that, don’t forget that it’s just as likely to be the man as the woman who is having the fertility problem. And when it comes to starting fertility testing, it’s much easier to test a man than it is to test a woman.

Also, if you have trouble getting pregnant, don't rely on home remedies or over-the-counter pills and herbal supplements to help you unless they have been approved by your doctor. Some of them can actually have a negative impact on your cycle.

And most importantly, don't blame yourself if you can't get pregnant.

It might sound strange but some of my guy friends are not so comfortable around pregnant women and their awkwardness comes out in different ways. Here are three characters I have seen that suddenly appear when interacting with pregnant women.



I’m at the point in my life now where many of my friends have already gotten married and are now looking to start families of their own. In fact, some of these newlywed couples have started taking their first steps to create new families and this means every once in a while, I meet a friend/wife of a friend who is pregnant for the first time.

Now this does not really cause me much concern because I am an elder brother to three other boys all of whom are at least five years younger than me. But some of my friends are damn weird around pregnant women.

The Chatty Companion

So many men I know have gone with this stereotype which must seem endearing if a little bit strange to pregnant women. The Chatty Companion is a man who acknowledges a woman’s pregnancy by talking about it constantly.

Whether it is asking what she can or cannot do during pregnancy, talking about how beautiful the process seems to him or even relating the personal journey of a sister/mother/aunt/brother’s wife to the woman standing in front him.

This chatty fellow will probably talk till the cows come home so be a good friend and save him from himself! Just make sure he doesn’t ask any extremely personal questions or veer into morbid topics.

The Protector

The sight of a pregnant woman who might be a co-worker, friend’s wife or even just a friend is enough to turn certain men into bodyguards. Like somebody, who has taken Bhai-Dooj or Raksha Bandhan too seriously, the protector moves fast to ensure the safety and comfort of his pregnant relation.

He tends to be a bit over-enthusiastic by insisting on helping her up the stairs, carrying even something as light as her purse for her and making sure that nobody stands in her way while she is walking.

I’m sure a lot of pregnant women really appreciate the effort that the Protector makes but sometimes it is a bit too enthusiastic and can be somewhat irritating. I mean, a lot of women would like to carry their own purses, pregnant or not pregnant – thank you very much.

The Pseudo Doctor

This one is a bit more curious than the other ones because for some reason he feels personally responsible for the child. I had a friend once who was convinced that he would have to deliver the baby himself because he would be alone with his sister-in-law at home.

These guys dispense a lot of medical advice such as which time it is appropriate to eat aamla every day and what the pregnant lady should avoid eating altogether. Like a lot of quack pregnancy books, this unsolicited and thoroughly serious advice is best avoided.

To me, pregnant women are pretty much the same as regular people and they don’t need special attention from you unless you ask for it. That’s what I have learned through my experiences with them.

Go ahead and be happy for them because that’s all the support they usually need.

Getting pregnant maybe the easiest of all things, however, some couples do find it hard to conceive for several reasons, including weak or insufficient sperm count. 

In some cases, as when nature needs a boost, a little push from you and your partner can go a long way in getting pregnant. When it comes to the best position to get pregnant, the general rule is that the male sperm must be deposited as near to the female cervix as possible. 





This has something to do with the life spans of the female egg and the male sperm. Once an egg is released from the ovary - a stage also known as ovulation - it begins its path down the fallopian tube to the uterus. A released egg typically survives for only 24 hours, while a sperm can last anywhere from three to five days in the female body. As such, the egg has to be as close to the egg as possible so they can meet and join before the egg dies. 

While not a lot of people will agree that the sexual positions have anything to do with getting pregnant, the logical inference is that it makes sense to assume the position that can help the sperm meet the egg in the shortest possible time. 

This is especially true when for couples who have problems or difficulty conceiving. Having said this, the first "best position to get pregnant" tip is to avoid positions that least expose the cervix to the male sperm, and that generally defy gravity such as sex while standing up, sitting down, or with the woman on top. When trying to conceive, it is best to limit the amount of sperm that flows back out of the vagina. 

The woman's hips should also be positioned in such a way that the sperm released is kept inside, giving it enough time to swim up to the female cervix. 



Also Read  -  See All Sex Positions

Consider the following positions instead: 

1. The missionary position. Or man-on-top is said to be the position that's best for getting pregnant. This is because this particular position allows for the deepest possible penetration, making it possible for the sperm to get deposited closest to the cervix. 

2. Raise the hips. Elevating the hips, which can be done by placing a pillow behind her, can also be helpful because this exposes the female cervix to as much semen as the male can release. 

3. Doggy-style. The rear-entry position where the man enters the woman from behind is also a recommended position. In this position, sperm is also deposited closest to the cervix, thereby helping increase the chances of conception. 

4. Side-by-side. You can also try having intercourse while lying side by side. This position likewise causes the most exposure of the cervix to the male sperm. 

5. Orgasms. Finally, while this has nothing to do with sexual positions, there are also researches that suggest the importance of the female orgasm in conceiving. According to studies, female orgasm leads to contractions that could push sperm up into the cervix. The lesson: have fun while trying to conceive. 

When is the best time to have sex if we're trying to conceive?

How do I know when I'm ovulating?

• Breast tenderness
• Slight feelings of discomfort in your middle abdomen
• Increased vaginal discharge that takes on a wetter, egg-white-type quality
• A slight increase (about 0.4 to 1 degree Fahrenheit) in basal body temperature, or BBT, which you can detect by taking your temperature each morning before you get out of bed, two days after you ovulate. You can get a good sense of your cycle if you chart your BBT for a few months.

To get pregnant faster have sex three times a week.

Use an ovulation prediction kit or fertility monitor.

To get pregnant faster have sex before ovulation (not after).

Don’t rely on the Calendar method for predicting ovulation.

Don't rely on fertility charting alone to predict ovulation.

Before you start trying to get pregnant see your doctor.

1. Listen to your body

2. Drink plenty of water

3. Have a healthy nutritional balanced diet

4. Listen to your doctor

5. Go for regular walks

6. Practice yoga