From wives to mothers, you've heard all the old tales necessary to bring home the baby pitter-patter. Information overload often makes it difficult to sieve out unnecessary information. Here's a low-down on things you can incorporate to aid the process.
Have sex every day
By far the best thing to do for wannabe mums and dads. Researchers claim that having sex every day can boost not only the quality of a man's sperm but also its ability to move about. Additionally, regular sex clears sperm from the testicles, preventing the natural build-up of DNA damage as it sits in the body.
Observe your diet
A healthy, varied and balanced diet is especially important when you're trying for a baby to keep your body's hormone levels normal. Avoid foods high in fat and sugar as well as highly salted and overprocessed foods. Good foods to work into your diet are: one portion of full-fat dairy a day (believed to improve ovarian function) and eight glasses of water a day (for plump egg follicles and to create a strong blood supply to the womb lining). Also orange fruit and vegetables such as carrots and peaches help produce female sex hormones needed for ovulation. Men should eat between one and four portions of oily fish like salmon or mackerels a week (good for sperm development, quality and mobility) and garlic.
Check your weight
Too much or too little body fat can make your periods irregular or stop them completely, which can make conceiving difficult. Likewise, if you carry too much weight around the stomach it can affect your hormone balance and impair fertility. But don't crash diet as this can play havoc with your hormones. Shifting even a little weight will boost your chances.
Consider your lifestyle
Over-the-counter medicines and antihistamines can deplete the body of vital nutrients, and being on the pill for many years can have an impact on women understanding their own natural cycle. Cut back on caffeinated drinks. It has been proved that more than one cup of coffee a day can increase the time it takes to conceive by up to 50 percent. Smoking is a big no no. If your man likes long hot baths get him to swap them for brisk showers as sperm needs cool surroundings to survive.
Exercise helps
A study found running for 40 minutes, three times a week to lower cortisol and reduce stress. Couples who exercise regularly not only find it easier to conceive but are also more likely to carry a healthy full-term pregnancy, experiencing fewer complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Body-clocks and fertility
Your 20s
In your 20s, you've about a 25 per cent chance of getting pregnant in any single ovulation cycle. Your chances of conceiving within a year of trying are about 98 per cent in your early 20s and about 84 per cent by your late 20s. Experts say the average woman's fertility peaks around 24.
Your 30s
There's a clear drop-off in fertility between ages 29 and 35, so if you leave it a little later to start a family, you should be prepared for it to take longer for you to conceive. Overall, in your 30s you have about a 15 percent chance of getting pregnant in an ovulation cycle and your chances of conceiving within a year of starting to try are about 75 per cent.
Your 40s
In your 40s you have about a five percent chance of getting pregnant in any single menstrual cycle, and your odds of getting pregnant at 41 are much better than they are at 43.
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