Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

Waiting Patiently....but Not Conceiving

by Tiane
(AZ)

I've been trying to conceive for almost 5 cycles now and I'm starting to get discouraged. My partner and I are using alternative insemination with donor sperm. Is there anything we can do that will improve our chances of getting pregnant other than diet and exercise?

Answer:

Tiane,

Are you tracking your cycles so that you're sure you're trying the insemination at the right time in your cycle? I'm guessing you are but it doesn't hurt to ask!



Is your insemination method getting the sperm deposited very close to your cervix?

Are you keeping your hips elevated on a pillow after inseminating? Try this for 30 minutes after your attempt if you're not.

What is the quality of your fertile cervical mucus? Sperm need good cervical mucus to swim through the cervix and to your egg. If you're not making a lot of fluid you can try a sperm-friendly lubricant. Pre-Seed is considered the most effective on the market.

How long are your luteal phases (the time from ovulation to your next period)? If that period is shorter than 12-14 days you need to work on getting it longer. It could be that you're conceiving but your body is unable to sustain the pregnancy.

I've found the best way to improve a luteal phase defect is through nutrition and to a lesser extent, you night lighting situation. Make sure you're getting lots of good, healthy fats in. Also get plenty of protein. You may also consider supplementing with cod liver oil, which is packed with vitamins and can increase the quality of your fertile fluids.

Be sure you're sleeping in a dark room throughout your cycle. A day or two before you'd like to ovulate, sleep with a low light on and continue to keep it on until you've ovulated. After you've ovulated go back to sleeping in the dark. This helps regulate your body's hormones. It mimics the action of the moon on female cycles - which is very potent (but has been lessened by the proliferation of electric lights.)

It's also helpful to examine your mindset, attitudes, and beliefs because sometimes these can serve as a very real block to getting pregnant. Excess stress could also play a part. So take the time to relax and truly examine and work through any feelings you have surrounding getting pregnant.

If you're interested in studying some herbal supplements to tonify and balance the body, or in how acupressure could help you conceive check out Lisa Olson's book - it covers those topics in-depth.