How to Find Your Optimum Conception Time

Are you someone who has found yourself spending more time than usual window shopping for baby clothes? Or maybe lately, you’ve seen little boys and girls on television commercials and you’ve been getting a little more sentimental than in times past. If so, these could be signs pointing to the fact that you’re ready to have a baby.

And while the movies might make it seem as easy as “spending a little quality time” with your significant other one month and then getting pregnant the next, there is actually a science that comes with conceiving a child. If you would like some tips on how to find your own optimum conception time, we have three tips for you below:

Get to know your body (really well). Although it’s always smart to stay aware of your menstrual cycle, when you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s especially important. Traditionally, a woman’s body runs on a 28-day cycle although there are some that have a 32-day cycle. You can come to understand yours by measuring the time between the first day of your menstrual period and the one that follows it. It’s important to track this for about six months so that you can be confident in the length of your menstrual cycles.

Do a bit of “math”. Once you have done some tracking for a few months, it’s time to start narrowing down your most fertile times. Although it’s perfectly normal for your body to fluctuate a few days in between cycles, if your period is fairly consistent, it will be easier to detect when it will be the easiest time for you to conceive. By subtracting 18 days from your shortest cycle and 11 days from your longest one, it will provide you with the first and last days that are more fertile for you. For instance, if you have a 28-day cycle and you apply that math formula, your most fertile days are the 10th-18th of every month.

How to “up” your chances of conception. Once you know the days that are most optimal for you (you can also take an over-the-counter ovulation test to assist with the process), it’s ideal that you make a conscious effort to engage in sexual intercourse every other day during your most fertile times. We say “every other day” because it will give your partner time to store up enough sperm. Just make sure to keep in mind that after ejaculation, sperm can live within the body for 3-5 days. Plus, being that the ovum (the female reproductive cell) is only viable for 12-24 hours, you can understand why there is a bit of a strategy required when it comes with trying to conceive. One way to know when your ovum is “ready” is to test your basal temperature during your fertile days. When you notice that it is slightly elevated, it’s best to have sex during that period most of all.

Although trying to get pregnant can sometimes require a lot of effort, give it about 12 months before you consider going to a place like the California Cryobank (to store your embryos) or taking infertility treatments. Sometimes, getting pregnant is simply about mastering the art of “good timing” and being in a relaxed state while you do it.