Tips for boosting fertility and getting pregnant

Get your dates straight
There is an increasing anxiety about getting pregnant, especially for women over 35, but don’t feel as if you need to go straight for IVF. Work out when you ovulate. Ovulation occurs 14 days before your period, so this is the best time to try for a baby. If you are over 35 try for six months, and if you have no luck speak to your GP about alternatives
Check your BMI
If you are underweight or overweight it can affect your normal hormonal balance and ovulation cycle. If you are overweight eat healthily, but don’t think that you need to cut out certain foods, such as full-fat dairy. Medical researchers discovered that women who included full-fat milk, cheese, ice cream and cream in their diets had higher levels of fertility

Keep it balanced
We need a good alkaline/acid balance in our diet to make sure our body functions are working, so cutting out highly acidic foods and drinks can make you more fertile. Meat and carbonated drinks are highly acidic, while dairy and leafy green vegetables are more alkaline, as is bottled water, which contains magnesium and calcium

Watch your alcohol
Keep your intake within health guidelines as it can rob your body of key nutrients – the NHS recommends no more than two to three units a day for women. If you smoke you should quit. Smoking takes vitamins B and C from your body and suppresses your appetite, as well as causing acidity – all of which will make you less fertile

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10 ways to tell your ready for a baby

Every time you switch on the television you see nappy adverts, everyone you know seems to be revealing they are pregnant, but how do you know whether you are ready to be a parent? The answer is it's such a big life-changing event that the no-one is really prepared for what it entails, but there are some tell-tale signs to suggest that you are willing to swap your high heels for comfy flats, short skirts for elasticated waists and are willing to sacrifice the spareroom for a nursery…
1. You and your partner have discussed buying a kitten Or a dog/rabbit/Guinea pig or all of the above! You obviously have the urge to nurture, feed, cuddle and have some level of responsibility and you are obviously prepared to part with some cash for pet food/vet bills. Is your need for a pet actually hiding your need for a baby? Are you seeing how your partner deals with a pet first before you announce you want a baby, or, are you testing them to see how much poo they end up scooping up in the park, or keeping note of the early morning dog walks your partner offers to do? If you find yourself talking about your pet incessantly, dressing it up, cancelling nights out or rushing home to give your pet a cuddle, it is safe to say you are ready for a baby!

2. You prefer a night in to a night out Yep, it happens to the best of us, the thought of donning our glad rags and going out on the town is far less appealing than settling down on the sofa with an M&S ten-pound meal deal and Desperate Housewives on the TV. Essentially your lifestyle is ready for a baby.

3. You dream of babies If you have dreams of yourself walking along with a babe in arms, or holding a toddler's hands, it's fair to say that you're ready for a baby. Even if your conscious mind is screaming NO, NO BABIES, your sub-conscious mind is already in a baby store loading up the trolley.

4. You stop and admire other people's babies If you find other peoples snotty, whingy babies cute then you are definitely ready for a baby. If you talk naturally to children and volunteer for babysitting your friend's children it's time for you to embrace the fact that you are more than ready for your own.

5. Your spare room looks empty and sad Isn't it time you started shopping for butterfly wallpaper or train bedcovers? Doesn't your spareroom deserve to be more than just a room you pile the clean washing into before you (groan) get around to ironing it.

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