Why is it so hard to get pregnant?

ElyseD.

Member
After years of dilligently taking birth control pills, I am now trying to get pregnant. I stopped the pill in february and began trying in May. Still no luck. I am getting frustrated. I am 32. Any words of wisdom from you pregnant ladies?
 
I know what you mean

Hi there,

It took me about 6 months to get pregnant, although we took a 2 month break half way through. I found TTC (trying to conceive) very stressful indeed. I hated hearing this when I was TTC but the best thing really is to relax and let nature take it's course. Becoming obsessed about it (as I did) does not help at all! I don't know why getting stressed can actually prevent you conceiving but it actually does - the month I got pregnant I had resigned myself to being infertile and wasn't thinking about getting pregnant at all!!

Best of luck - give it a year before you go and see your doctor but I am sure it will happen for you soon.


Your friend in fitness, Fitnik
 
RE: I know what you mean

Thanks Ftnick,for your kind words. From reading posts of yours, I realize you are also going through a hard time. I hope things work out for you as well.
 
Have you tracked your cycle in terms of days to suggest when you may be fertile? Are you monitoring your vaginal mucus to further suggest when you are fertile? At fertile times, are you doing it only every other day in the morning with the man on top and waiting awhile after he finishes before you go off to the bathroom? Have you limited caffeine and alcohol? Your man? In other words, are you doing some of the simpler things to help conceive? I am sure it must be frustrating each month. But from what I understand it is common to take up to a year to conceive, **even if you do these things**. Try not to worry. I know, easier said than done.

Why not think of this time as a good time to take care of yourself. Get your diet togther, make sure your gyne delivers babies (they don't all deliver). Lose an extra 5 pounds if you need to. Enjoy the fact that you can work out as hard as you want to without worrying about breathing too heavy. Take care of any dental work you need done. Etc. Etc.

We will all be thinking of you--sending postive waves! Good luck. Gina
 
You must read Taking Charge Of your Fertility. I can't reccomend this book enough. I was having a problemm getting pregnant with #3 but I got pregnant on my 2nd cycle after reading this book. I was suprised how much I didn't know about how my body worked and shocked about the 28 day cycle myth. If I hadn't read this book my hubby and I would probably still be timing things all wrong. Check out the reviews at Amazon.com

HTH
Rockette
 
I took the pill for 10 years and stopped taking them in December of 2000. I thought I would immediately get pregnant. Instead, I didn't even get a period for 6 months (and that was induced by the dr.). I was still having very irregular periods, and my husband's tests were coming back very low, when I did get pregnant. It took until November 2001 for it to finally happen, and Luke was born August 19, 2002.

I, too, was resigned to the fact that we were not going to get pregnant (I am 29, my husband is 36). We were going to begin looking into adoption at the beginning of this year, but did finally get pregnant. I originally started out tracking my temperature and fertility signs, but found that to be too stressful. The month we got pregnant we followed advice I had read online--to have sex every other day on days 10 through 18 of my cycle. Even though my cycles were still irregular, I guessed when this would be and it finally happened.

Sorry to be so long, but it took me much, much longer than I anticipated to get pregnant. I know it is hard (especially when it seems like everyone else in the world is pregnant!), but hang in there--it'll happen.
 
Thanks for all of the advice so far. I have already ordered taking charge of your fertility. Hopefully it will arrive soon. I was on the pill for 11 years and did immediately get a period but they are just so irregular. Maybe trying from day 10 to day 18 may work for me. (Just have to find the time).
 
Hi Elyse,

I waited to see what others said before I posted a message. I basically agree with what others have said. Check out a fertility book, and learn about the signs in your body, which will tell you when you are fertile, and keep charts, after a couple of months, you will probably see a pattern emerging. Also, try not to get stressed, stress and worry does not help. Carry on life as you are, go out, don't stop drinking or whatever, just push it to the back of your mind. Most ladies fall pregnant when they give up hope and have an appointment to see a fertilty doctor, or it usually happens when you least expect it.
Getting stressed about it does not help.
Another good bit of advice that I was given, is to 'you know' (I'm trying to be polite here !)the 2 days before the day you ovulate, so that they little guys have a chance to swim up into the fallopian tubes and wait for the egg to appear. So, if ovulation day is day 14 of your cycle, then 'do it' on days 11, 12, 13. The more 'little guys' there are, the more chance you have of catching !

Hope this was of some use.

Anna
 
RE: I know what you mean

>Thanks Ftnick,for your kind words.
>From reading posts of yours,
>I realize you are also
>going through a hard time.
> I hope things work
>out for you as well.
>


Yes, I am going through an extremely challenging time right now - all that keeps me going is the birth of my son next month.

Take carex

Your friend in fitness, Fitnik
 
Elsye congratulations

Can I just add that I read an interesting article in one of the London papers: the Government in the UK have introduced a regulator for Fertility Clinics (correct me if I am wrong) her job is to basically make sure they are giving the right advice to clients and to keep an eye on the industry. Anyway she reported that she found some of the clinics were encouraging couples to go for treatment when they should have been encouraging that they needed to give themselves more time.

She said that part of the reason she wanted to do this work was because of complaints that had been received from couples who felt that they had been "encouraged" to go for treatment rather than being given more information about fertility itself.

My point and I do have one is that it you should as advised give yourself time find and get as much information as you can from reliable sources (your ob-gyn would be a good source).

Just my two cents

I hope to hear some good news in future.

Babs
 
My story is very close to lukesmom's, even the timing. I was on the pill for 18 (!) years, went off them in November 2000, didn't get a period for 8 months, finally got pregnant in November 2001 (using the sex every two days from days 10-18 routine), and had my daughter on August 14, 2002! Also, I was 40 years old when I conceived, so I was really starting to think that nothing was going to happen.

Take heart from all these stories -- clearly it does take awhile for your body to adjust to being off the pill!
 
I can relate, Elyse!

I'm with you Elyse, but at 42, I'm getting a little less hopeful. I read the 'Taking Charge of Your Fertility' book, and I agree that it is excellent. But, after about a year of being diligent with no results, I think I'm gonna throw in the towel. It makes the whole concept too stressful, and at my age (and my profession in pediatrics), I'm rolling the dice anyway. At your age however, I expect that you'll get a little bundle of joy in the next couple of years. Just hang in there, and don't let the pressure 'spoil the fun'! Keep us posted!

Cheers,
Colia
 
I am finally pregnant

I just learned that I am pregnant. I read taking charge of your fertility and with 2 months of temperature charting got pegnant. I was ready to go on clomid the end of this month, but didn't need to. My calculations made me realize I didn't ovulate until day 26. All my months of miscalculation.
 
RE: I am finally pregnant

Congratulations Elyse! Imust say Taking Charge of your fertility isone of the most informative books I've ever read. What saddens me though is that Iknow there are lots of women out there like you and me who weren't conceiving because of timing issues and they may have to go through costly invasive procedures for nothing or they may just decide that they weren't meant to conceive because they're just letting nature take it's course and if it's meant to be it'll happen. Knowledge truly is power! Congrats again. Keepus posted on how everything is going!

Rockette
 
My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant since last August. I just found out earlier this week that I am pregnant. But let me tell you, it wasn't until I stopped being anxious and relaxed a bit that I was able to conceive. I would just keep track of my cycle and then just live my normal life. I would say to you to keep track of your cycle, target in on all the days around the time you are able to conceive. It is very frustrating, and I would pray. It goes along way.
 

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top