Trying to get pregnant!

[Anonymous]

Hi - going on month 5 with no success...trying to get pregnant. Son is 18 months old and we would love to add another little one to our lives! Not sure why it's taking so long...how long did it take you to get pregnant with #2 and any tips???

[Anonymous]

It took us 10 months to get pregnant with #2, we started trying when #1 was 1.

No tips here, perseverance and good timing were key for us, plus those ovulation test strips.

[Anonymous]

marathon: do it everyday starting a few days after your period

[Anonymous]

On average, it can take up to a year. I went out and bought an ovulation prediction kit and waited to get my next period so I could start tracking...but ended up pregnant. You could try that if you think it would be helpful. They aren't too expensive. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Read Toni Weschler's "Taking Charge of Your Fertility." We were lucky enough to get pregnant on the first try...twice!

[Anonymous]

Chart if you're not already.

5 months isn't very long. 6 months is average for two people with healthy fertility.

[Anonymous]

We got pregnant on first try with # 2 and # 3, and with # 1 it took 3 months. If you don't get pregnant after 6 months I would look into secondary fertility problems.

[Anonymous]

I second the charting method. Was pregnant within the first cycle!

[Anonymous]

Charted both times. Once I figured out when I ovulated (which was later in my cycle), I got pregnant within a few months each time.

Chart chart chart!

[Anonymous]

Yes, purchase the ovulation predictor strips.

BTW, how old are you? If you're of "advanced maternal age," OBs are usually very responsive and will start looking at potential problems as early as six months.

[Anonymous]

We had sex from the last day of my period everyday for the next four weeks! We skipped a day or two, but sperm can live for something like 3-4 days. I got pregnant immediately. Easier than chartimg IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had sex from the last day of my period everyday for the next four weeks! We skipped a day or two, but sperm can live for something like 3-4 days. I got pregnant immediately. Easier than chartimg IMO.

We had sex every other day in the same timeframe because I heard every other day is actually better in terms of sperm quality/quantity. Found out later this is really only true if your DH is older (maybe 40+), which mine isn't, but we still got pregnant immediately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read Toni Weschler's "Taking Charge of Your Fertility." We were lucky enough to get pregnant on the first try...twice!

Ditto.

FWIW, it should not take "up to a year" if you are presumably fertile and know what you are doing (charting.) Weschler says you should see someone after 3-4 months of trying her method without success.

[Anonymous]

I am in similar boat, so am writing to empathize! Got pregnant on second try with #1, so feel oddly nervous that I'm not pregnant yet with #2 even though it's only been a few months of trying. I have heard if you breastfeed for a year or more with #1, it can take a little longer with some women. Not sure if that applies. Also, a few of my friends took longer with #2, so it might be just one of those unexplainable things.

I am charting in conjunction with the OPK strips, which makes me feel like I won't miss the window, but everyone says just having lots of sex during the ENTIRE fertile period is important, not just the "best" days. Are you aware of your cervical mucus? That is such an important factor, and one that is easy to figure out once you start paying attention. And are you using lube? - the Weschler book says that can interfere with sperm motility to the egg. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read Toni Weschler's "Taking Charge of Your Fertility." We were lucky enough to get pregnant on the first try...twice!

Ditto.

FWIW, it should not take "up to a year" if you are presumably fertile and know what you are doing (charting.) Weschler says you should see someone after 3-4 months of trying her method without success.

Weschler does say this but frankly, it's not reasonable. Even with perfect timing your chance of conceiving in a given month is about 20%. This is why most docs don't want to start doing testing, etc., on women under 35 and their partners until after about a year of trying unsuccessfully (unless charting has revealed some issue, like a lack of ovulation or a short luteal phase).

Wanted to point this out because so many people get so easily freaked out when it takes a few months to get pregnant, and this is very very normal and really the luck of the draw. Plenty of people get pregnant on the first try; plenty of others who are just as healthy need 7/8/9 months of trying, with charting. (It took us 5 cycles.)