Are you trying to become pregnant? First of all – congratulations! Pregnancy is an exciting and fulfilling road that ultimately leads to one of life’s greatest miracles. However, it’s not necessarily an easy road, and there are quite a few potential hurdles to be aware of before you embark on this journey. Here’s what you should be prepared for if you’re trying to become pregnant.
Emotions Will Run High
Becoming pregnant can be emotionally exhausting for aspiring parents. For many moms-to-be, the decision to try to become pregnant involves going off a current form of hormonal birth control, which will naturally lead to some emotional instability as the body readjusts to natural hormone levels.
And of course, the process itself is emotionally taxing. You are your partner are trying to become pregnant because it’s something you both want. The stakes are high, and you are incredibly emotionally invested in trying to conceive, which leads to any number of emotional and health-related side effects. Women trying to conceive are likely to experience “lack of energy, headaches, irritability, sleeplessness, loss of appetite” and even depression or anxiety. These are all normal responses to the process of trying to become pregnant.
To deal with these high emotions when you’re trying to get pregnant, the best thing you can do is embrace the process. If you’re sad after another negative pregnancy test, allow yourself to be sad, and lean on your partner and family members for support. Remember, you are not in this alone!
It May Take Some Time
While you have no doubt heard of a news story where a couple or aspiring mother became pregnant within just days of deciding to try to conceive, this is certainly not the norm.
The amount of time it will take for you to become pregnant after you make the decision to try to conceive varies from person to person. It may take a month, or it may take over a year. According to Baby Center, 30 percent of couples trying to get pregnant do so within the first cycle (about one month), while 85 percent of couples get pregnant within 12 cycles (about one year).
Being in tune with your body and its natural biology is the key factor here. It’s the reason why certain pregnancy planning methods, such as Natural Family Planning, have become so popular in recent years. By using a pregnancy planning system where you learn to key into the natural responses of your body and their indication of your fertility, you will not only develop a better understanding of your body’s inner workings, but also increase your chances of producing a pregnancy more quickly. If you have been trying to become pregnant for over a year without success, consider seeking out the help of a fertility specialist.
Must Read: Doing These 5 Things Can Lower Your Chances of Getting Pregnant
You May Need To Drastically Change Your Food And Drink Habits
Since the process of conception relies so heavily on the environment of the female body, you may need to take a close look at your current diet to make sure you’re optimizing conditions for a healthy and successful pregnancy. In general, a diet low in processed foods and high in fruits, vegetables, protein, juicing, healthy fats and whole grains is recommended for anyone looking to make a healthy lifestyle change, and that certainly applies to aspiring mothers. There are also a handful of foods that are thought to help increase fertility, such as dairy, foods rich in omega-3s, and lean proteins, so consider integrating those into your diet as well.
Another potentially tough change you will need to make if you’re trying to become pregnant is eliminating alcohol from your diet. The presence of alcohol is incredibly harmful to developing fetuses, and may compromise your pregnancy, or worse. If you need to get some help with halting your use of drugs or alcohol prior to trying to become pregnancy, find a clinic and begin your journey to better health for you and your future baby today.
