Getting Pregnant after Birth Control
If you're planning on getting pregnant after birth control, or if you're already trying to conceive after stopping your birth control method, you need the information you'll discover here. Many times you assume that just because you've spent months or even years on the pill, shot, or other form of birth control, that you will get pregnant right away when you stop.
That's not the case.
In fact, may women are shocked to find that they do not conceive right away. They worry they may be infertile, or that their birth control actually harmed their fertility.
Most of the time this isn't the case. But sometimes it does take time to conceive after finishing your last round of medicine. It's actually recommend that you stop your hormonal birth control about three months before your plan to conceive. You should use a “back up” method during those three months – such as condoms.
It's a good idea to follow this advice because it gives your body a chance to clear all the hormones from the medication out of your system. Hormonal birth control can also deplete nutrients in your body, so stopping the medication lets your body begin to build back up nutrient reserves.
What to do After Stopping
When you're on any kind of hormonal birth control, your body's normal fertility cycle is interrupted. Basically, the medicine makes your body think you're pregnant! So you don't have any of the “fertility signs” – and your periods aren't really “real” periods.
Part of knowing when you can get pregnant is watching your fertility signs. When you stop your medication, you may notice a return to cycling immediately. Some women don't get their normal cycles back right away though – it often takes a few months as all the hormones clear out.
Once you stop your birth control, plan to take a few months to watch your cycles. Your periods will move back towards normal, and you'll start to see fertile fluid. There's a good chance you'll also feel a lot more like making love – birth control tends to reduce sexual desire.
Many women find that the time their desire is greatest is when they're naturally fertile – noticing when you want it most is a good fertility sign!
Start charting your cycles to get an idea of what your natural cycle looks like.
Also spend plenty of time eating well. Good nutrition boosts your fertility – and it helps rebuild any nutrient stores that were depleted by medication.
When Getting Pregnant is a Challenge
Sometimes it's hard to get pregnant after you've stopped your birth control. You may not start cycling immediately, or even if you're having regular periods, you may not notice fertile fluid.
Diet and supplementation can really help with these things. Getting plenty of fat in your diet, as well as supplements like cod liver oil and certain herbs and herbal teas can help increase the quality of your fertile fluids.
There are also special sperm-safe lubricants on the market that can help you conceive.
Oftentimes women who are trying to get pregnant after birth control just need a firm understanding of the basics of trying to conceive. You need good information on your fertility signs, the best positions for getting pregnant, and you need to know how to time baby making sex.
(NOTE: Want the Top Easy Steps to Boosting Your Fertility? Use these 5 simple, evidence-based steps to get pregnant and carry your healthy baby to term. Get them here.)
