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It is OK to take a break from trying to conceive!

In today’s blog, Veronica Montgomery, Patient Liaison Consultant here at The Fertility Hub talks about the turbulent world of trying to conceive. She looks at how you can justify taking a break from the all-consuming world of baby making to empower yourself for a positive outcome.

Veronica Montgomery, Patient Liaison Consultant, The Fertility Hub

Making the decision to start a family is probably the BIGGEST decision you will take in your adult life. It’s exciting and daunting in equal measures! As women, we are led to believe from puberty that achieving pregnancy is a given. We do all we can to protect ourselves until we feel ready. The reality is therefore hard to handle when we don’t fall pregnant straight away.

Don’t feel you are alone on this journey, every couple who plans a pregnancy goes through the feelings of the thrill turning into a drill! It is totally normal, so please don’t beat yourself up over having these thoughts.

Age & stress

It is also perfectly OK to pause trying to conceive for a little while. If you feel it is getting you down then just stop, breathe and think this through. Empower yourself with knowledge and understand what is going on with your body and most importantly your monthly cycle.

I say pause for a little while, because age plays a big part in achieving pregnancy too. On average, ovulation halves after the age of 35 so don’t delay for too long. Stress is also a factor, so if other things are going on in your life like changing jobs, moving home or your relationship is under strain then support your own mental health by giving yourself a break.

Timing is key

So, let’s look at the basics. In order to conceive you need strong healthy sperm that can swim to meet a healthy egg, sounds simple enough right? However, timing is the key to success. That timing is all based on when you release that egg for fertilisation. There is no one size fits all for ovulation, every woman is different as is their cycle length.

The best way to track your cycle and understand when you are ovulating is with a home testing kit. Here at The Fertility Hub, we work closely with OvuSense™. They have a range of testing kits from when you just start out on your quest to become parents right through to more advanced kits for women with underlying fertility issues. They have a dedicated team to help you determine your cycle patterns and understand them. Their kits can also help your doctor to determine the best course of treatment when sub fertility issues are detected.

OvuFirst™  is the perfect place to start! This device tracks your cycle by measuring your skin temperature while you sleep. This provides you with an understanding of when to have intercourse and hopefully conceive. It confirms ovulation with over 90% accuracy, making it the most accurate on the market. Now, here is something I bet you didn’t know.

Cycle tracking can IMPROVE your sex life

Yep, you read that right! In weeks two to three of your cycle testosterone and oestrogen levels increase. During this rise in hormones, it is much easier for women to achieve a more intense orgasm. A few great encounters in the bedroom will definitely put the thrill back into trying to conceive. So, even if you are taking a break from baby making, it is really important that you continue to track your cycle. It gives you a clear idea of your cycle patterns and have brilliant sex thrown in for good measure!

A common myth is that most women have a 28-day cycle and therefore ovulate on day 14. Our friends at OvuSense™  conduct regular research on the subject of cycle length and state that in actual fact, only 13% of women ovulate on day 14! Nearly 65% of their study participants reported cycle length between 25-30 days, which in turns meant ovulation could be on day 12 to day 15. It is important to know whether you have a short cycle, an average cycle or a longer cycle. Remember timing is key to pinpoint your exact day of ovulation to conceive when you are ready.

Delaying or pausing doesn’t impact your goal

Taking a break to regroup mentally and physically is a positive step to help you conceive. Learning about your own body through cycle tracking improves your chances of a successful pregnancy through pinpointing when you ovulate and improves your sex life! What is not to love about being less stressed, being able to focus on current life situations, taking the guesswork out of when to have intercourse and feeling empowered to start your family?

To learn more about the OvuSense™ range please click here and get yourself a 30% discount.