Five months of trying for a baby: or, under another name, “The One Where All Your Friends Get Pregnant”.
If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while, you will no doubt experience the phenomenon of everyone around you suddenly becoming pregnant.
And even if you don’t know their circumstances, it just seems as if it took them one try and they fell pregnant.
Of course that‘s not the case, and once you start talking, you realise that your mum-to-be friends all have their own story of how to get pregnant.
My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for five months now, with no success as yet. We’re staying relaxed, and yet I get those unmistakeable pangs of jealousy when another friend announces she‘s expecting.
And, feeling like a little bit of a failure when another month passes. I know, I know, I can‘t put that pressure on to myself - but I think it’s natural, isn’t it?
You are what you eat...I must be a jelly crocodile
Trying for a baby means keeping a healthy diet, cutting out booze and unhealthy snacks. Top up on tomatoes, eggs, bananas, mackerel, and dark chocolate. That’s all manageable.
But what about bags of Haribo? They might not be on the list of superfoods to eat if you’re trying to conceive, but heavens they’ll put you in a good mood while you’re trying.
I've been cutting down on caffeine, limiting myself to two small skinny lattes at the coffee shop during the week, and a couple at the weekend. It’s been surprisingly easy to cut down on caffeine, and I do feel healthier for it. I couldn’t cut out my lattes altogether, though - they’re too comforting.
I haven’t managed yet to convince my husband to give up the beer, though. He only drinks a couple at the weekend, so I’ll let him continue with that moderation for now.
Forget all this baby making, and let’s have fun
All the best advice about how to conceive, and the best time to conceive, and the best sex positions to get pregnant, aside - the most important piece of advice I’ve been given since deciding to try for a baby is to have fun.
“Don’t forget your relationship, and why you love each other - remember to have fun with all the hobbies that have kept you together this long.”
So, put your pants on, we’re going to go karting and have a fancy meal afterwards, before watching some Suits on the telly box.