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For many couples, conceiving a first child is a “normal” experience, involving the cessation of birth control measures and resulting in the birth of a baby. After that, however, couples may face difficulty conceiving a second or third child for whatever reason, and this is called “secondary infertility.” When this happens to you, it’s confusing and disheartening and may leave you asking questions. { read more }

About Liz Alfano

I write "Dirty Words," the blog about things you should know, but might not. I'm the mother of two elementary school-aged boys and wife of one adult aged man. When not writing, I can be found reading or staring into space wishing I was either reading or writing. Sometimes I'm seen vacuuming...but not often. www.mydirtywords.com

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Most people already know that consuming ample amounts of vitamin D has lasting benefits, including bone health. But it turns out it could also increase your chances getting pregnant.

The European Journal of Endocrinology published a study which was aimed to consolidate the results of other studies regarding vitamin D and fertility. Looking at several years of research by other institutions and scientists led them to draw positive links between the two, along with other fertility-boosting vitamins. This body of research is rather remarkable and may give couples looking to boost their chances to conceive naturally reason to read on. { read more }

About Liz Alfano

I write "Dirty Words," the blog about things you should know, but might not. I'm the mother of two elementary school-aged boys and wife of one adult aged man. When not writing, I can be found reading or staring into space wishing I was either reading or writing. Sometimes I'm seen vacuuming...but not often. www.mydirtywords.com

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Are you at your wit’s end with fertility treatments, doctors and other professional’s advice that seems sound but isn’t working?  The most recent statistics show that medical methods of conception can only offer up to a 30% success rate and can cost a small fortune. If you’re open to a more unconventional approach to bringing a baby into your life, you may want to try this. { read more }

About Lisa Gale

"She was an artist and her life was her canvas." (Kobi Yamada) When I grow up, I want to be her! For now, it's fun to pretend.

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If you’re considering having a baby, it’s never too early to improve your body’s fertility.  The earlier you create healthy habits, the easier your pregnancy will likely be.  Here are a few things to consider implementing into your lifestyle immediately.

A healthy diet

You are what you eat, and so is your baby.  To improve fertility, focus on eating as much raw green leafy vegetables as you can.  To your greens, add in a colorful rainbow of other vegetables and fruits.  Include healthy whole grains such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and basmatti or jasmine rice.  Lean proteins are also important.

Exercise

Move your body into greater fertility. This doesn’t have to be aerobic exercise, but studies show that a certain kind of strength and weight training can stimulate growth hormone. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) has the ability to help balance every other hormone in the body.  For simple tips on increasing your growth hormone naturally, see this resource. { read more }

About Lisa Gale

"She was an artist and her life was her canvas." (Kobi Yamada) When I grow up, I want to be her! For now, it's fun to pretend.

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As winter approaches and our days get shorter, who needs an excuse to hunker down at home with movies? They provide comfort and some good laughs (or therapeutic tears!) about parenting, trying to conceive, and show us the resilience of the human spirit during our daily challenges.

Beyond current movies like “Juno” and “The Kids Are All Right,” some interesting older movies may not be on the radar of today’s generation.  These are often free through your library or your cable/online movie subscription service.  It’s also fun to see today’s actors 20 years younger!

Here are some worth browsing:

{ read more }

About

Dr. Kathy D obtained her PhD in Physiology and did biomedical research for over a decade, specializing in reproductive endocrinology. She is a devoted "earth girl" - non-meat eater, passionate recycler, persistent home remodeler/do-it-yourselfer, always with a focus on environmentally friendly options.

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We are what we eat, so the saying goes.  It is no surprise, then, that diet and lifestyle changes affect our fertility at many levels. The effects can add up profoundly; women with ovulatory infertility who follow a combination of five or more lifestyle factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets, can reduce their risk of infertility by more than 80%.

Keep your body healthy for better fertility

In the “ecology” of reproduction, if your own body is not thriving, you are not likely to sustain a healthy pregnancy and children.

Supplements can readjust a poorly balanced diet that may not support fertility.  Vegetarians may need iron and vitamin B-12.  Diets low in fresh fruits and vegetables may contain inadequate antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, E, omega-3, omega-6 and linolenic fatty acids. { read more }

About

Dr. Kathy D obtained her PhD in Physiology and did biomedical research for over a decade, specializing in reproductive endocrinology. She is a devoted "earth girl" - non-meat eater, passionate recycler, persistent home remodeler/do-it-yourselfer, always with a focus on environmentally friendly options.

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If you’ve been experiencing difficulties conceiving, it may be due to incorrect charting of your ovulation. Knowing your most fertile days is an inexact science, but being as precise as possible can increase your chances of getting pregnant. One important aspect of charting ovulation is getting an accurate reading of your basal body temperature, or the lowest temperature your body achieves during rest. Correct readings of your basal body temperature (BBT) can help you accurately chart your biphasic cycles (the periods before and after your cycle) so you can seek help regulating your cycle if either phase is too long or short.

Follow these simple steps to ensure you’re getting as accurate of a BBT reading as possible.

1. Buy a basal body temperature thermometer.

Many aren’t aware that basal body thermometers are different from standard thermometers, and buying the correct thermometer can make a big difference. You can purchase a basal body thermometer online, or at most of the big-box retailers. { read more }

About Jeff Jacobson

Socrates understood himself to be the smartest man in Athens because he knew at least enough to know he knew nothing. That's me. I'm an inconsistently successful father, stepfather, husband, and writer. But at least I know it.

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Conceiving a baby happens “all the time.” One egg and one sperm meet up and nine months later, a baby comes out.  This simple scenario fails for many couples, however.

Infertility may occur in the man, the woman, or both.  Roughly one third of men in infertile couples have insufficient healthy sperm (male infertility).  A quick and relatively inexpensive evaluation of the male side of infertility may be your best solution.

First, can the man have an erection and ejaculate? Problems here may originate in psychological factors (stress, depression) or metabolic conditions such as diabetes. Counseling, medications or devices to assist with erections may provide solutions. { read more }

About

Dr. Kathy D obtained her PhD in Physiology and did biomedical research for over a decade, specializing in reproductive endocrinology. She is a devoted "earth girl" - non-meat eater, passionate recycler, persistent home remodeler/do-it-yourselfer, always with a focus on environmentally friendly options.

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The joy of seeing “positive” on an at-home pregnancy detection test strip generally is followed by an eager visit to your gynecologist and confirmation that, yes, you are pregnant. This miracle of conception goes exactly right in most women.  However, about 2% of women who become pregnant experience a misstep in this process with an ectopic pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg implants “out of position,” or not in the uterus.

How could this happen?

Each ovary is nestled in a fringe-like basket opening of the fallopian tube.  At ovulation, the egg bursts from the ovary and moves into the tube.  Conception of the egg and the sperm occurs within 24 hours, before the egg reaches the uterus. Within 10 days, the fertilized egg, finally having arrived in the uterus, implants and begins the 9-month miracle of transformation to a baby. { read more }

About

Dr. Kathy D obtained her PhD in Physiology and did biomedical research for over a decade, specializing in reproductive endocrinology. She is a devoted "earth girl" - non-meat eater, passionate recycler, persistent home remodeler/do-it-yourselfer, always with a focus on environmentally friendly options.

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You’re monitoring your diet, taking the right supplements, and watching your ovulation cycle like a hawk. When baby-making is the name of the game, there’s just one thing left to do: the baby making. Every body is unique, so while no tidbit of advice is 100% guaranteed, some work better than others. We’ve rounded up the top five sex tips to help you in your quest for conception.

1. Timing is everything

Some experts recommend having sex every day to increase your chances of getting pregnant, while others suggest that every other day keeps sperm count high. Whichever side of the quality vs. quantity debate you fall on, remember that you are most fertile during the five days leading up to ovulation, so it doesn’t hurt to have sex every day during that window. Also, start trying in the mornings, when sperm count may be higher. { read more }

About Selena Kohng

I'm a freelance writer and editor for parenting websites, home and garden websites, and my six-year-old's homework (editor, not writer, that is). I've got two misters and a little miss on the way. You can find me writing about my parenting adventures at howaboutcookie.wordpress.com.

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