How is your partner dealing with your pregnancy?

When you are expecting your first baby, especially in the beginning, excitement levels (or any emotional reaction) can be intense and your partners’ feelings can be pushed aside in the chaos of your emotional rollercoaster. You may want to check in with your partner to see how he is dealing with the pregnancy as well. It is true he is not physically pregnant, but emotionally, he is impacted almost as much as you are. After all, both your lives are changing.

Pay attention to see how your partner is reacting to the upcoming change in your lives. If he is concerned about what type of a Dad he will be, reassure him that when the time comes, he will be a wonderful Dad and he will know what to do. You may also be sharing similar fears. If that is the case, discuss them openly. It can be easier to overcome them together.

Throughout the 9 months, your baby will take up most of your time and attention.  But this is a great opportunity to devote time to just the two of you. Go out on dates, watch a movie together on the sofa, and just spend time together. You both need it, even if it is for slightly different reasons.

While you are growing with the development of your baby, make sure to include your hubby in the loop. While he is not the one physically carrying the baby, he is certainly a part of the miracle growing inside you. Help him take part in the pregnancy by taking him to doctor appointments, especially ones that include an ultrasound. This is a great way to help Dad-to-be to bond with your unborn child.

When the time arrives, go to birth preparation courses and other classes together to get ready for your baby and learn the basics. When you start feeling you baby kicking, make sure to include your partner in this exciting experience.

This is a special time in your lives, don’t forget to share and enjoy it with your partner!

While indoor and outdoor seasonal allergies are fairly common, the idea of an allergy to sperm may cause is often thought to be rare. But it not only exists, it is also more common than you think.

Also called seminal plasma hypersensitivity, it can cause an allergic woman to develop hives, swollen eyes, diarrhea and even breathing difficulties and/or loss of consciousness within thirty minutes after unprotected intercourse. A mild sperm allergy may include itchiness, redness, irritation and skin swelling, usually in the outer genital area. Infertility can also be a symptom of sperm allergy; in the sense that a woman’s immune system is attacking and disabling sperm cells when they get inside her as a means to protect her body from the allergy.

Semen allergy can contribute to fertility problems in two known ways. The first is the woman’s wish to avoid the allergic reaction by refusing unprotected sex (the traditional way to conceive). The second is the internal reaction of an allergic woman to the sperm cells, which can reduce her chances of conception quite significantly. Her immune system will produce antibodies to attack the proteins in the sperm, as if the proteins were germs that are harmful to her body. These antibodies can damage the sperm cells’ mobility, restricting them from making their way to the fallopian tubes where they might stand a chance of fertilizing an egg.

Mild sperm allergy can be ‘treated’ with desensitization treatment. This type of treatment involves going to the doctor several times over a period of weeks, each time having a small sample of her partner’s sperm placed inside her vagina. The doctor will increase the amount gradually until the woman is able to tolerate having unprotected sex with her partner. The goal is to allow the couple to conceive naturally without experiencing too much discomfort for the woman.

A woman with a severe sperm allergy will require a more radical treatment. That includes women who experience severe allergic reactions to sperm or whose antibodies attack sperm cells. Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) are two methods of artificial insemination used to help such women to get pregnant. Both fertility treatments involve sperm washing before inserting the sperm into the uterus. Sperm washing removes the proteins from the sperm cells, which causes the allergic reaction.

Allergy to sperm is more common than imagined, therefore if you believe to have symptoms that may indicate this sort of an allergy, consult your physician for more information.

“I have a child, therefore I know I am fertile and should have no problems getting pregnant again.” Isn’t that right?

Well, it isn’t. Secondary infertility is found in about 20% of women and is most common among women who have waited with pregnancy till their 30’s or 40’s, when fertility declines. Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children. Causes for secondary infertility may be similar to those of primary infertility (childless couple who are unable to conceive).

There are a variety of reasons why secondary infertility may occur.  Since your last pregnancy, you or your partner may have had an infection, gained some weight, or started eating fewer healthy foods. These minor changes in your lifestyle can have grave repercussions on your reproductive health. Also your egg quality may have begun to decrease (natural process as you get older) or your partner’s sperm may not be what it once was during his youthful years. Abnormalities with sperm and ejaculation are frequently cited as causes of secondary infertility.

Luckily, there is a lot you can do to increase your chances to conceive for the second, third (or more) time. First, you should start taking prenatal vitamins. Folic acid and iron have been proven to improve fertility. Knowing when you are ovulating is crucial. If your cycle is regular, (28-30 days) have sex on days 10-14 (start the count on the first day of your period). Using an ovulation kit can be beneficial to zero in on the exact days you are ovulating.

Age is a factor when getting pregnant. If you’re 35 or older and have been trying to conceive for more than six months, speak to your OBGYN, who will most likely run some tests to see what the root of the problem is. Avoid Antihistamines and vitamin C supplements. They dry out the cervical fluid that helps sperm find its way to your egg.  Lubricants can block sperm’s path and should also be avoided. Stress, though hard to control, should be minimized and some ways to overcome stress is to do something fun, laugh, take a relaxing hot bath, pamper yourself to a massage or go on a getaway weekend with your partner. Whatever calms you down, do it!

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When trying to conceive, we usually assume all we need to do is, well, have sex. Isn’t that so? Well, it turns out that there are some things we should NOT be doing, for they may decrease or even diminish the changes of becoming pregnant.

Ironically, stress can keep you from getting pregnant. But how can you not be stressed when all you can think about is pregnancy and the fact that you are still not pregnant? What a paradox! What can you do? Rather than forcing yourself to relax, try watching a comedy show, a funny movie or a silly sitcom that makes you laugh every day.  As they saying goes, laughter can be the best medicine.

Getting pregnant is not just a woman’s problem. Male fertility factors contribute to approximately 40% of all infertility cases. For men, many medications to control a chronic condition can have a harmful effect on fertility. Have your partner check the facts and side effects of medications he is using and if they decrease his fertility, he may want to consider temporarily stopping those meds or find different alternatives that do not cause infertility.  Before making those decisions, you should consult your physician.

Using the wrong lubrication when you are having intercourse can spoil your chances of getting pregnant. Most store-bought lubricants, Vaseline and KY jell damage the quality of sperm. If you are using any of the above lubricants, you may be reducing your chances to conceive by about 50%. Instead, you can use egg white or Pre-Seed as lubricants, or increase your natural lubrication with foreplay.

Vitamin C can be used to increase or decrease your fertility depending on the dosage. With small intakes of vitamin C, you can actually increase the amount of cervical fluid, which is important for transporting the sperm to your cervix and on to your uterus, where it will eventually meet up with your egg. Too much Vitamin C can dry up the cervical fluid. A proper dose is around 500mg-1000mg a day.

Good luck!

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Some may assume that there is no waiting period needed before resuming sexual activity after a cesarean section because there was no vaginal delivery. Although that may seem logical, it is not the case. The usual waiting period before resuming sex is six weeks after the birth (vaginal or cesarean), or after your postpartum doctor/midwife visit and they have given you the ok.

After any delivery, vaginal or cesarean there is vaginal bleeding from the uterus, which is healing and cleaning itself out from the pregnancy. At your postpartum visit your doctor will check your incisions to see how those are healing, and see if the bleeding has stopped. This is usually when you will get the green light to resume intercourse.

While most of the post partum issues resolve within 6 weeks or so, you may be dealing with still tender incision area. In that case try positions that will not introduce any direct contact with the incision area.

Another thing to take into account is that most new moms, and especially breastfeeding moms (usually for as long as they breastfeed), will experience excessive dryness and may need the help of lubrication gels or creams.

When you do decide to get back in the game, give yourself a break and ask your partner to do the same by taking things slowly. Things may not feel the same at the beginning, and muscles will be or feel stiffer than normal, or more tender. Start slow, and listen to your body. Talk to your partner and share your feeling / pain / etc. Things will return to normal eventually, but forcing things will not speed up your body’s healing process.

Planning on getting pregnant? Keep in mind; it can take longer than you think. Yes, there are couples who are very fertile and will conceive on the first try, or get pregnant after having sex only once, but the chances of this scenario are slimmer than you may think.

We are taught to never have unprotected sex, in order to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Although, it is a good way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases, it leads to misconceptions of the actual chances of conception. Here are some facts you may want to take into consideration while planning to conceive. Don’t be discouraged, but have patience.

After getting off birth control pills it can (but doesn’t have to) take a little while before you become pregnant. Some healthcare providers say that your body needs to ‘clean itself out off the hormones’, while others say there is no truth to this statement. Regardless of which of the two you choose to believe, be aware that you may not conceive the month following termination of your birth control pills. This is not an indication for a problem. Take your time and continue trying.

Stress is a major factor in delayed conception. When trying to get pregnant, try to avoid stress in your life. If you exercise, continue to do so, or find another way to relax. Stressing over the coveted pregnancy that does not happen can delay it as well. Plan a romantic getaway for two and try to ‘let it happen’ rather than force it on.

To get pregnant faster, you certainly need to have frequent sex, preferably before you ovulate (after which it is too late for this month. But no worries, there is always next month). Sperm can live for three to five days in your body, which means you can have sex even several days before you ovulate and still conceive.

To increase your chances of conception, start having sex every day (or every other day) on the 10^th day of your cycle (start counting on the first day of your period). Try to keep stress levels in your life low, especially does related to whether or not you become pregnant, but also at work, home, etc. Eat healthy and exercise and do not get discouraged if it takes longer than desired. Most couples will achieve a pregnancy within the first 12-18 months. After 12 months, you can speak to your ob/gyn about other options for you and your partner.

Best of luck! And stay positive. Attitude does make a difference!

Six to eight weeks after you give birth, you will be ready to have sex again. It may take more or less time, depending on your delivery experience, your healing process, bleeding (usually lasts 4-6 weeks after delivery), fatigue from adjusting to your baby’s schedule and the new lifestyle as a Mom.

If you worry about pain during intercourse, you are not alone. Your vagina may be dry (especially if you are breastfeeding) and tender, which can be resolved with the use of lubricants. Start slowly and share your feelings with your partner. Different positions may work better, so try different ones if in pain till you find the right fit. If intercourse is still painful, consult your OB/GYN for other possibilities.

It is normal for your sexual desire to decline after childbirth. Fear of painful intercourse, fatigue from care for a newborn and hormone levels changing, even baby blues, can result in decreased desire to have sex. Share these feelings and concerns with your partner and find other ways maintain intimacy till you are ready to resume sex.

When you are ready to resume sexual activity, make sure you wait to have intercourse after your postpartum checkup. Realize that child birth does affect your sex life. Think for a moment of the delivery process. Remember that? It caused some trauma to your body, and it takes time for it to get back to its normal state. Thing will not be exactly as they were, but close to it. Decreased muscle tone in the vagina may reduce pleasurable friction during sex. Kegel exercises will help restore the pelvic floor muscles.

Whatever issues you may experience in your sex life after giving birth, give yourself time. Things will get better when your body will heal and you will be adjusted to motherhood and your new schedule and lifestyle.

The menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of a woman’s period to the first day of her next period. On average, a woman’s cycle is between 28-32 days. Some women have a regular cycle, while others may have a more random one. How regular or random your cycle is, has nothing to do with fertility, but it can make it harder to calculate when you are ovulating.

Ovulation can occur anywhere between day 10 to day 21 of the cycle. Since there is no accurate way to predict the day of ovulation, it is suggested to have sex every day starting day 10 of your cycle when you are trying to conceive. Some experts say that semen can live in your body up to 3-5 days from ejaculation, so even if you miss the actual day of ovulation, you may still have a chance to conceive.

There are tools to help you determine when you are ovulating. Tracking the date of ovulation can be helpful in allowing you and your partner to plan ahead when trying to conceive. One of the tools available in the market today is the basal thermometer, which checks your temperature upon awakening in the morning to help you predict ovulation. Another tool to tracking ovulation is the ovulation kits and fertility monitors, which checks luteinizing hormone levels in the urine to help predict ovulation.

Remember that the key to conception is intercourse. If you only have sex once a month, your chances to hit the right day and time are slimmer than if you are actively trying more frequently. So before you run to the store to buy a handful of product to track your ovulation, maybe you want to make sure you are really giving it a good try on your own.

Good luck!