[borokora]

I have a baby girl 2 years old. We have being trying for a year already and nothing. With her I got pregnant a month after stop taking my BC pills. Some help?

[Fr_Chuck]

It can often take a year or more. Are your cycles regular ? Are you timing your most fertile time to have sex just on those days ?

[DoulaLC]

If you have been actively trying of a year already... temping/charting, using ovulation kits, counting calendar days, watching for changes in cervical mucus, etc. you may want to visit your doctor. Some couples will experience secondary infertility. This is when you have had a child, or several, and find it difficult to become pregnant again. Both people should be tested.

If you haven't tried those things, then as Fr_Chuck mentioned, it may merely be a matter of determining when you are likely to be the most fertile and giving it some more time.

Once you have an idea of when you are most likely to ovulate, start trying several days before and right through to a few days after. Trying to hit the exact day can cause you to miss the window. Best chance of becoming pregnant is to have the sperm already ready and waiting for the egg to be released. If possible, having sex every other day throughout each cycle may be helpful. It is important to remember as well, that timing is only one factor in the journey. Hence seeing your doctor if you feel you have the timing down but still no success.

[borokora]

Thanks for your help. I just starte to use the ovulation kit last month, still with no luck. I'm very regular with my period, I get it the same date every month. But I would like to know how many days I actually ovulate? How big is the window? Helpppp

[DoulaLC]

You actually ovulate just one day... at times you may have another ovulation directly after, which may result in twins.

However, your body prepares for ovulation usually a few days prior. One way this happens is with a change in cervical mucus. Normally your mucus would not allow sperm to live very long at all, but as ovulation approaches the mucus changes to support the sperm until an egg is released. Most sperm live 2-3 days, but some may live a few days longer. It is sex in those few days leading up to ovulation that provide the greatest chance of success. This is because waiting until the day you think you ovulate could cause you to miss it. The egg is only viable for about 24 hours, so sex after or often even late in that 24 hour period is too late.

So, when you get a positive on the ovulation kit (read directions carefully)... and it can take a few months of use to see a pattern, and when you notice a change in cervical mucus... becoming more fluid and clear, start your trying in earnest. It would be wise to start even a few days before and continue trying until a couple of days after you believe ovulation has occurred.

Remember too, that even with good timing it can take awhile, so try not to get too discouraged. If, after several more cycles of actively trying you have not become pregnant, you might check with your doctor. Things can be perfectly normal, and just more time is needed, but some couples do experience fertility concerns even after already having had a child.

[borokora]

Thanks for your help. I notice the change in my cervical mucus, but it's for 2 o 3 Days, this days I'm not ovulating?? Is that just the preparation for the actual day?? And I usually get this change in the mucus right after my period ends, like 2 o 3 days after but also I get another change about 2 weeks after my period. So I'm confused, why am I having 2 changes if I ovulate just 1 day in the cycle?? And another question... Is it possible that even if I do have sex during the ovulation window, if I have too much anxiety, that could affect the result?

[DoulaLC]

There are situations where some women may notice the change in mucus more often, so it makes it harder to know when it is due to ovulation. The discharge your body produces will vary throughout your cycle.

A general guide to start with is that you will likely ovulate 12-16 days before the next period is due. Determine this, and then also watch for changes in the mucus just prior to those days. When you notice a change, your body is preparing for ovulation which may occur within the next day or so, or a few days later... it can be very individual.

While stress and such can sometimes effect cycles, many women will experience a great deal of stress or anxiety and find it doesn't effect their cycles at all. Again, it is very individual.