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!
Implantation Cramps 101: What Do They Feel Like and Why Do We Get Them?
While you were preparing for pregnancy and researching any unusual early pregnancy signs to look out for, I have a sneaking suspicion you didn’t think to research the side effects of implantation – like implantation cramps, for example. That is, unless you have a slight case of health anxiety like me and research every strange […]
Progesterone and Pregnancy: How Does One Affect the Other?
As we begin fertility testing and start examining our infertility treatment options, we’re likely to confront a kaleidoscope of new jargon, acronyms, and subject matters. Information on how progesterone and pregnancy go together is sure to be one of these things. It’s funny to think back to my first experiences with infertility. While I understood […]
Drinking While Trying to Conceive: Should You Do It?
There are so many jokes floating around about mom wine culture, and it’s no different for fertility. Tracking fertility and hoping to get pregnant are incredibly stressful, and many of us love to enjoy a glass of wine or a margarita to help take the edge off. But when trying to conceive, many women worry […]
The Basal Body Temperature Method: Can it Help You Get Pregnant Naturally?
While old wives’ tales about conception have a certain amount of intrigue, the one thing they don’t always offer is reliability. If you want to improve your chances of getting pregnant naturally, it’s best to rely on trusted techniques, such as the basal body temperature method. Sure, there are tons of modern fertility tracking methods […]
When Does Implantation Occur? Calculations, Symptoms, and So Much More!
Figuring out this whole “getting pregnant” thing can be a difficult task for many of us. Even though our 7th-grade sex education textbooks make it seem simple, a lot of us find ourselves asking questions, like “When does implantation occur?” If you’re wondering whether implantation has happened or what implantation symptoms you should be looking […]
10 Simple TTC Tips When You’re Ready to Have a Baby
For most families, deciding you’re ready for a baby is like a switch flipping–once you’re ready to try to conceive, you want it to happen quickly. And while there’s nothing any of us can do to guarantee a pregnancy, there are numerous trying to conceive (TTC) tips to help us improve the chances of getting […]
Period or Implantation Bleeding? It’s Time to Break Down the Difference!
As someone who went through IVF to conceive, I think I speak for the vast majority of individuals struggling with infertility when I say that the wait for answers about a pregnancy test can be one of the most challenging experiences ever. Whether you’ve undergone an IUI, donor egg transfer, or traditional IVF cycle, you’re […]
What Does Fertile Window MEAN?! 8 Questions About Fertility Answered
Do you ever have those moments where you start to really think about a phrase or idea that you’ve heard before, and you suddenly realize you have no idea what it means? More so, you’re clueless about how this particular sentiment relates to your unique situation. Take the phrase “fertility window,” for example. Many of […]