Back when I was trying to get pregnant, I had a hard time conceiving for almost two years.
It was a terribly frustrating time.
Every time I went in a store and saw a mother with a baby, I wanted to cry out of frustration.
I would see young families and wonder with a broken heart if that would ever be me.
I am here to tell you that if you are having the same problems I did, you can get pregnant, too! While it is recommended that you go for a doctor's checkup if you are trying to conceive and can't, in order to rule out any medical conditions, here are some ways that you might be able to get pregnant more quickly.
1) Improve your nutrition.
Having a baby causes a big strain on a woman's body.
There are a lot of nutrients that have to be diverted so that a woman's body is in good enough shape to conceive.
Although some women seem to be able to get pregnant on a diet of twinkies and diet coke, there are many of us in the 'gray area' where our body systems need to be healthy in order for us to get pregnant.
If you are having problems conceiving and your eat fast food and junk food all the time, you should consider changing your diet so that you are getting a full amount of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats and enough protein.
And cut down on sugars and refined carbohydrates.
2) De-stress.
Your body needs to feel safe in order for you to conceive.
Otherwise, the stress hormones (especially adrenaline, which our bodies pump out when we feel like we are under attack) will interfere with your ability to conceive.
Your body's first priority is to protect you, not get pregnant.
I took up yoga and some simple forms of meditation to help me keep the stress levels at work from lowering my ability to get pregnant.
Also remember that if you are stressing out over NOT being able to get pregnant, that's as bad for your chances as working a high-pressure job.
3) Lose weight.
Luckily, this goes hand in hand with #1.
If you change your diet to be healthy, you will lose weight automatically.
But the main thing is that you want to make sure your body is a healthy place to "grow" a baby.
Women who are extremely overweight should lose weight first - not just for their baby's sake, but for their own.
Diabetes is becoming more and more common for women giving birth, and it is brought about by seriously overweight women who then gain even more weight when they have a child.
4) If you're too skinny, gain weight.
A friend of mine exercised like crazy all the time and ate like a rabbit.
She had problems getting pregnant, too, because her body was toned and ripped for appearance - but she didn't have the fat deposits and hormone levels necessary to make getting pregnant easy.
Once she stopped running marathons and starting eating healthy fats and gained some weight, she eventually conceived.