Things to avoid if trying to conceive

If you're trying to get pregnant there are many steps besides sex that you can do to help your cause.

But when it comes to having baby-making-sex there are certain things that you should defiantly try to avoid.

Avoid: Watching birthing videos until you're pregnant

It's well known that men should don boxer shorts instead of tight pants to keep sperm counts up, but did you know that skinny jeans can cause women trouble, too?

A report in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology has suggested tight-fitting jeans can cause problems for women as they can also increase the risk of endometriosis, which can cause serious fertility issues.

Frequency of ejaculation can help improve the motility of sperm. It is not recommended that your partner refrain from ejaculation for more than a week.

Avoid: Talking about babies before you have sex

If you are using an indicator (like luteinising hormone or saliva tests) to tell when you're ovulating, try to relax about the urgency of intercourse.

Your window is around 24-48 hours after ovulation, so don't give him performance anxiety by rushing him into action.

Synthetic lubricants can act as mild spermicides and can kill sperm.

Naturopath and fertility and pregnancy expert Leah Hechtman suggests using raw egg whites, as they most closely resemble fertile quality cervical fluid.

Remember desire, attraction and intimacy is best for baby-making sex.

Avoid: Having to plan for baby-making-sex too far in advance.

Insomnia and shift work can affect your chance of fertility. The University of Maryland have shown that if you disturb your body's circadian rhythm you can affect the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps control the timing and release of female reproductive hormones.
Setting good sleeping patterns is critical by following a routine which includes not bringing books, computers, or work to the bedroom.
Bed is for sex and sleep.

Crunching the numbers is enough to put many off.

Avoid: Discussing any finances at all pre-sex

Avoid: Losing too much weight

Too thin and you can reduce your chances of conceiving as not enough body fat can lead to irregular periods which can alter your hormones.

But this is no excuse to start gauging on your favourite foods, having a healthy weight and BMI before and throughout pregnancy will help your chances of carrying baby to term.

Ideally you would use sexual positions that encourage the natural tilt of the vagina toward the cervix, and let gravity take its course. (Yes this is upside down)

A common practice to keep sperm heading in the right direction, is for the woman to remain lying down after sex, possibly even elevating her hips and legs with the wall or a pillow.

Dr Kelton Tremellen, deputy medical director at an IVF clinic, says "about two drinks a day are okay" for men but drinking more than four drinks a day is directly toxic to sperm.

Smoking makes it harder to conceive, irrespective of which partner smokes.
For men, smokers tend to have a sperm count that is 15 percent lower than that of non-smokers and can cause abnormal shaped sperm with a low motility rate.
For women, smoking can prevent the transportation of the egg through the fallopian tubes to the womb and the chemicals found in cigarettes can affect the production of hormones that are necessary for pregnancy.

Painful or irregular periods can be an indication of hormonal imbalance. Ayurvedic herbs such as wild yam are a natural source of progesterone precursors which can help your make the hormone progesterone.
One of the main actions of progesterone with fertility is to help support a developing embryo.

Try rubbing Anna's wild yam cream into your abdomen and inner thigh area, or better yet get your partner too.