6 Common Baby-Making Mistakes
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No matter how much you think you know about making a baby, there are a bunch of mistakes most couples end up making. If you have been disappointed every time you took a pregnancy test, let’s not rule out the idea that it could be something that you’re doing wrong. Trying for a baby can be stressful. Waiting to see those two pink lines can be extremely frustrating if you’ve been at it for a while. So, before you jump to conclusions on why you haven’t been successful so far, let’s take a look at the 6 most common baby-making mistakes.
1. Not Doing It Enough
Now, this is one thing you can easily fix. If you have been getting intimate with your partner only during ovulation, it could reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Because no matter how accurate you think your period calendar is, there is still a chance that you might start ovulating a few days early. This way you will be missing out on that fertile window. So instead of sticking to the fertile window, doing it more frequently will increase your chances at conception (1).
2. Always Sticking To The Same Position
This might come as a surprise since you might have read a ton of articles that guaranteed missionary to be the best position to make a baby. Though there hasn’t been much research to prove this, doctors now believe that regardless of any position, if the sperm enters the uterus, that should be enough to conceive. Some also believe that the doggy style is a good way to get pregnant since the male genitalia will be able to get more closer to the ideal location in this position. So why restrict yourself to a particular position? After all, intercourse is also about having fun.
3. Thinking It’s The Woman’s Fault
Though sometimes unintended, when a couple fails to get pregnant, most of the time it is assumed that the woman is at fault. This is partly because unlike the semen released during ejaculation, we don’t get to see what happens in a woman’s body during intercourse. But semen doesn’t necessarily mean healthy sperm or good sperm count. Infertility issues could be because of the man, the woman, or both in some cases.
4. Being Ignorant About The Fertile Window
If you are trying to conceive, the best time to have intercourse is during your fertile window. You are most likely to get pregnant 4 to 5 days before or on the day of ovulation. Ovulation generally occurs 14 days before your next period (2). But this number can vary since most women don’t have a perfect menstrual cycle of 24 days. If you find it hard to keep track of your fertile window, you can download a period tracker app.
5. Being Overly Stressed
The pressure of trying for a baby can be tough on both the partners in a relationship. You don’t want to let down the other or feel disappointed in yourself. When you are focused on falling pregnant, you forget to have fun. Getting intimate becomes more stressful and this can negatively impact your fertility. Emotional stress is one of the factors for low sperm count in men (3). So, try to enjoy the ride (pun intended), and everything else will fall into place.
6. Using Lubricant
There’s no harm in using lube if it makes intercourse more comfortable and fun for you. But if you are trying to conceive, using the right lubricant is extremely important. Several over-the-counter lubricants have been known to decrease sperm mobility, thus lowering the chances of you getting pregnant. If you must use lube, it’s safe to go for a hydroxyethyl cellulose-based one as it doesn’t affect the motility of sperms (4).
We hope our post has been helpful in understanding the dos and don’ts when it comes to making a baby. If you have been trying for a baby for over a year but with no luck, it’s best to consult a specialist to make sure you and your partner are in the clear health and fertility wise.
You might also want to check out our post on 5 Wacky Ways To (Possibly) Get Pregnant Faster!
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