So you want to get pregnant. Good for you. Luckily, for most folks it’s fairly easy. You simply stop trying to prevent pregnancy and you have sex as much as possible. Regular unprotected sex generally leads to pregnancy - just like you were taught in health class.

So step one: Have sex... a lot.

Yup, if you want to get pregnant have lots of sex with your partner and try not to feel pressured about getting pregnant. Stressing out about getting pregnant can actually be a hinderance. So just enjoy being together.

To help your chances you can figure out when you ovulate. If you have a very regular 28-day cycle, generally it’s 14 days from the first day of your period. If you’re irregular then ovulation kits can help pinpoint when you’re most fertile. Ovulation kits test for the luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. You’ll want to start testing about 9 days after your period to identify your surge in LH - and then get busy gettin’ busy.

After sex, relax in bed for 10-15 minutes

While sexual positions effecting the chances of pregnancy are a myth - it can be beneficial to lie in bed after intercourse. By avoiding standing and going to the bathroom you allow the sperm to completely pass through the cervix insuring maximum delivery. Just know, you don’t have to raise your legs over your head or other silly old-wives tales. Simply lying still in bed is enough.

Be or get healthy

Your chance of getting pregnant is greatly affected by your overall health. So once you decide that mommydom is in your future both you and your partner should get check-ups and starting eating better and exercising. Being fit and healthy will help your chances...and it also improves your overall sex drive.

If things still aren’t working out

Sometimes you can have all the sex in the world, both be healthy, and things still won’t work out. Admittedly it’s unusual, but it can happen. One or both of you may have underlying medical conditions that reduce your fertility. If you’ve been trying for a few months unsuccessfully - and your regular doctors haven’t found any issues - it may be time to consult with a fertility specialist. They’ll likely perform more robust testing on both you and your partner and offer treatment options such as hormone therapy.