Trying to Conceive
(TTC): Everything You Need to Know
TTC stands for “trying to conceive,” a simple enough acronym to describe what can be a maddening experience.
For some women, getting pregnant is no problem. They simply stop using their chosen method of birth control and—poof—the magic happens.
But for most of us, that’s not the whole story.
Getting Pregnant Can Be Maddening
Seriously. We spend our whole lives being told to avoid getting pregnant, and it feels like more women struggle with getting pregnant than those who don’t.
While women who need help getting pregnant are actually not in the majority, trying to conceive (TTC) is not as easy and exciting as many of us hope it will be.
Research suggests that 84% of couples will “get pregnant within a year if they have regular sex and don’t use contraception.”
The American Pregnancy Association suggests having “intercourse every other day of your cycle starting from day 10 through day 20. There is no need to have sex every day because sperm can live from 2 to 5 days in the woman’s body.”
But the fact remains that it’s not all having sex/fun.
Ovulation Symptoms
While 84% of couples will get pregnant within the first year of trying to conceive, that leaves 16% who will not. Also, when you’re regularly peeing on a stick hoping for a positive pregnancy test each month, a year can feel like a LONG time to wait.
That’s why many people turn to ovulation testing methods when trying to conceive.
You can learn about the different ovulation symptoms, including:
- Light spotting
- Pain or cramping on one side of the lower abdomen/pelvis
- Breast tenderness
- Increased sex drive (nature’s way of telling us to procreate)
- Egg white cervical mucus (EWCM)
Because these symptoms can be easy to overlook, or can be caused by so many other issues, many women don’t feel like tracking ovulation symptoms is enough.
Ovulation Testing
This is why, for many women, trying to conceive (TTC) often looks a lot like calendars, charts, remembering to take your temperature before you move or peeing on a stick first thing in the morning.
It’s a frustration-filled time of tracking ovulation symptoms and endlessly researching the various types of ovulation tests. How many ways to track ovulation are there, anyway? A FREAKIN’ TON, it turns out!
- Using fertility apps
- Tracking changes in cervical mucus
- Testing basal body temperature (BBT)
- Ovulation predictor kits
- Fertility monitors
It’s an overwhelming process trying to even decide if and how you want to track ovulation to improve your chances of getting pregnant.
Good thing we have you covered on choosing the best ways to track ovulation for you!
The Truth About Getting Pregnant
Trying to conceive (TTC) can be emotionally charged, isolating, and upsetting.
We’re here to teach you everything you need to know about TTC, preparing your body for pregnancy, tracking ovulation symptoms, choosing the best ovulation test for your lifestyle, and more.
You’re not alone in this journey of trying to conceive!
Fact vs. Fiction: The Truth About Perimenopause and Fertility
Tick, tick, tick–the loudness of our biological clocks can be suffocating, can’t it? Especially since many of us spend a decent part of our lives trying not to get pregnant. It’s not necessarily a matter of not wanting children one day. It’s about waiting for the right moment instead of letting our reproductive viability control […]
Inform + Empower With The Fertility Awareness Method: An App-Free Natural Family Planning Approach
To plan a second pregnancy at the “advanced” age of 35 (cue eye roll), I wanted a natural family planning option that was evidence-based, non-invasive, and free from third-party apps looking to sell my private health data for profit. It seemed like a tall order! That’s when I discovered the Fertility Awareness Method, a fertility […]
How to Get Pregnant Fast: Naturally Improve Your Fertility with These 20 Tips
So, you’re ready to have a baby NOW, but is rushing conception a possibility? After years of working hard to prevent unplanned pregnancies, it feels a little weird to get ready to start the baby-making (instead of baby-preventing) party. That said, there’s not really a strategic way to get pregnant fast naturally. Despite the number […]
What is a Fertility Doctor Called (And When Should You See One?!)
Wouldn’t it be amazing if growing a family was as simple as flipping a switch? If it was as easy as throwing away your condoms and birth control pills and jumping into the sack with your partner? The need for a fertility doctor would be obsolete in this hypothetical world, which is exactly how we […]
How to Make Sperm Stronger for Pregnancy (Practical, Evidence-Based Tips)
Sperm health plays a crucial role in a couple’s ability to conceive, and there are things we can do to improve it. So if you’re wondering how to make sperm stronger for pregnancy, you’re in the right place, friend. But first and foremost, I want to be clear about one thing: trying to conceive isn’t […]
Am I Ready to Have Another Baby? 15 Questions to Ask First
Our second baby was a planned surprise. Sounds oxymoronic, doesn’t it? We knew we’d have to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant and weren’t sure how long the process would take. While I found myself asking the question, “Am I ready to have another baby?” I was also scared the first round or […]
Our Top 17 Tips for Managing Stress While TTC
Sex is supposed to be fun… right? So, why is it that when we start trying to have babies, getting in the sheets suddenly becomes an all-consuming job instead of an enjoyable experience? It’s likely because most of us know little about managing stress while TTC (trying to conceive). Despite a seemingly endless collection of […]
TTC with Endometriosis: Is Pregnancy Possible?
I once read an article about how different people describe what endometriosis feels like. Dr. Sallie Sarrel, a pelvic physical therapist in New York and New Jersey, says this: “…Endometriosis pain is like a gut-wrenching bomb that goes off in your insides. Its shrapnel tortures you physically, emotionally, and financially forever.” If you’ve never experienced […]