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Leyla Preston
Founder of Motherhood Diaries and mum to two boys aged 8 and 9 and two girls (1 angel baby and a 12 month old).What are you looking for?
Natural ways to get pregnant
Did you know:
- At 20 years old, it can take up to four months to conceive
- At 35 years old, it can take up to 18 months to conceive
- At 40 years old, you have less than a 5% chance to conceive
- Even if you’re fit and healthy, your chances of conceiving are 25%
- There are only six days in the menstrual cycle when you can become pregnant. And that window opens BEFORE ovulation
- If you have health conditions, it may be even more difficult to get pregnant
Doesn’t sound easy to get pregnant, does it? When you hear of people getting pregnant at the drop of a hat, one does wonder how they beat the odds when other couples try for years and never conceive.
However, 5% at 40, is still 5%. It’s not 0%
And 25% is also not 0%.
So, it is possible, but the important thing to note here is unless your doctor or fertility specialist has advised you have a 0% chance of getting pregnant, then you can still get pregnant.
So this is why you have to be strict with your fertile window because the odds are evidently very small! But, at the same time, you can’t stress yourself because stress can also affect your chances of getting pregnant.
I know.
Some people may advise you to try some of the old tricks to getting pregnant like standing on top of your head or eating spinach before ovulation. The truth is, the journey to fertility can be a long one. So, making it fun is important (did you know that orgasming during sex can increase your chances of getting pregnant?)
If you’re trying to get pregnant and somehow you’re not conceiving, something could be off, whether that be your nutrition, your sleep patterns, you’re not doing it at the right time or even your partner’s sperm quality is subpar.
It’s important to look at ALL the internal and external factors that could be affecting your chances of getting pregnant naturally because fertility works when all the dots are connected.
If you’re trying to get pregnant naturally and need some extra help, then download our Starter Kit now!
The road to conception is a long process but it’s important to note the following too:
- If you are under 35 years old you should try for a year to get pregnant naturally before seeking fertility treatment.
- If you are over 35 years old you should try for six months to get pregnant naturally before seeking fertility treatment (We did try for 13 months the 3rd time and got pregnant at 37, but sadly lost the baby. We then tried for 14 months thereafter and got pregnant at 38 with our daughter who is now a bouncing toddler! I followed my own Natural Path to Pregnancy method, which you can find more information about here)
So, what do you need to do and look out for to ensure your road to fertility is a smoother process?
And are there any tricks on how to get pregnant fast and easy?
It’s all about making sure you’re hitting all the right points and learning how to increase fertility rather than playing the race game.
So, grab yourself a cuppa because this is a long read, but it’s jam-packed full of tips on increasing fertility, which worked for me twice.
So, what are some natural ways to get pregnant which you can act on right now?
How to boost your health and wellbeing
You can be the most successful and hardworking individual, but if you have to sacrifice your health and wellbeing to get there, is it really worth it? No matter what your plans are, you should never put your health second to achieving what you want in life—the two should go hand in hand for ultimate life satisfaction.
While a healthy lifestyle looks different to everyone, there are some things we should all do on a daily basis to keep us healthy. Sleeping enough, eating nutritious foods, and moving your body are just a few suggestions. If you feel like you have been lacking in your self-care recently and your health has begun to show it, here are some tips on how to improve health and wellbeing.
Making memories: How to preserve memories of childhood
Any parent will tell you that childhood seems to go by in a flash. One minute your kids are begging you to join in their game with them and the next they’re demanding privacy and retreating to their bedrooms. Watching your children grow is a privilege, but it’s important to preserve those wonderful childhood memories in as many ways as you can. Do you remember your first memory? Children will start to make their first memories at around two to three years old, however, will have childhood amnesia, often remembering the feeling and perhaps another sense, like smell or taste instead. Of course, there will be some unforgettable childhood memories which will stay with us for life, but we often lose a lot of our fond memories as a child if it’s left to just our brains to remember. Capturing these memories immortalises those precious moments which you can share with your child again and again.
Here we’ll explore interesting ways to preserve those precious childhood moments.
How to have a happy child and parent relationship
A few years ago I attended a very special event at The Centre for Child Mental Health, to learn about how to build the best possible relationship with my children. Armed with an open mind and my then four-year-old son, I travelled to Central London to learn about how to grow an already great bond with my child and, ultimately, the best possible relationship with my two boys (now 8 and 10 years old).
Arriving at The Centre for Mental Health
As soon as we arrived, we were guided into a decorated room that housed an array of interesting activities, as well as an eating area that included hot and cold beverages and some biscuits to snack on throughout the morning. The activities out on display included:
- A grey sensory tent, complete with sensory items
- A seating area in front of an overhead projector, a whiteboard and a podium
- Seven sandpits
- A racing car mat with cushions
- Tables that were covered with a green tablecloth
- Large Lego blocks
- Hula hoops
- Cuddly toys and costumes
- And a separate dark sensory room lit up with a range of lava lamps and sensory toys
How to get the most out of your tax return
If one of your goals this new year is to save money, one way you can do this is by getting the most out of your tax return. Filing your taxes is everybody’s worst nightmare, but getting the most from your tax returns will make the experience slightly better. Staying on top of your finances is extremely important so that you can maximize your tax refund and meet your savings goals. Here are some tips on how to maximize your tax returns and reach those goals.
1. Determine your best filing status
You want to choose a filing status that is going to be most beneficial for your taxes. For example, if you are married, filing jointly is not always the best option. Married Filing Separately may result in more tax savings depending on your situation. If you are unmarried, you may be eligible to file as Head of Household which may result in a higher standard deduction and better tax brackets than if you were to file as Single.
2. Capitalise on tax deductions
It is important you do research on any tax deductions that you may be eligible to take as it will lower your adjusted income and result in paying less taxes and will land more money in your pocket. Some deductions that you may be eligible for and may not be aware of are state sales tax, charitable deductions, child care, and student loan interest.
Making memories: How to preserve memories of childhood
How to have a happy child and parent relationship
Help your child discover the recipe for success and reach their goals and ambitions – Mindscreen Review – Part 9
Helping your child write their personal statement skills in their CV – Mindscreen Review – Part 8
Ayla’s VBAC Birth Story
On Thursday 12th September at around 12.30 am, at 39+4 weeks pregnant, I waddled upstairs to try to get some sleep. As I laid down, I heard a very loud pop. That’s weird I thought. At first, I thought something had burst in my belly, but when I went to the toilet, I experienced trickling which didn’t stop.
I went downstairs to tell my husband that I think my water just broke. Hubby, who was still absent-mindedly watching TV, and having heard this three times from me before, double-checked if I hadn’t just peed myself again. But, as soon as he finished that sentence, more liquid trickled down my leg.
Hubby gasped and agreed that my waters had broken.
It took hubby about 30 seconds to grab a towel, but by the time he had come back, I had a puddle on the floor and my knickers were soaked through. I called my parents to ask if one of them could look after our older two boys, as they were asleep and they had school the next day.
My PPROM – Second Trimester Miscarriage – Journey to getting my girl – Part 3
It has been over three years since I wrote Part 2 of Journey to getting my girl, and there is a reason for the delay.
But, to continue with the series, we’ll start from where we left off in Part 2. If you haven’t read any of the ‘Journey to getting my girl’ series, then I suggest you start with Part 1 here, so you understand the backstory.
To summarise, the series talks about my husband and I following a non-invasive conception plan to get my girl using Dr Verma of Urobiologics’ two tests, the PreGender Test which determines whether the female’s menstrual cycle favours a boy or girl via non-invasive urine sampling and the FirstGender Test which determines the gender of the baby via a urine sample from conception has been proven with 95% accuracy! Urobiologics discovered that that just like there are two kinds of sperm (which determine the gender), women have alternating boy-girl specific menstrual cycles (which select the gender).
We had already sent our samples in and Dr Verma sent us our conception plan to try for a girl.
Arch London Hotel Easter Family Fun Package Stay
My family love embarking upon new adventures, especially when it involves travel and a luxury place to stay, even if for just one night. Back in 2017, we enjoyed a lovely Family Fun Package stay at The Arch London Hotel in Marble Arch, and the kids loved it so much that we secured another stay at The Arch London, this time with an Easter twist. The Arch London kindly offered us the chance to review their Easter Family Fun Package over the Easter weekend (20/21st April) and stay in the newly refurbished Juniper Suite. We also got to enjoy an in-room Easter egg hunt, delicious 3-course meal at the Hotel’s Hunter 486 restaurant, after dinner milk and cookies and complimentary breakfast the next morning. It was a fantastic stay, which we won’t forget in a hurry.
Stay tuned for our extensive review of the Easter Family Fun Package at The Arch London, which includes a sudden unforeseen event which the hotel dealt with promptly!