The Fertility Fitness Podcast

Fertility Focus on Sex

Episode Summary

On this weeks Fertility Focus, Maria talks about 5 things that need to be remembered when having sex while trying to conceive.

Episode Notes

On this weeks Fertility Focus, Maria talks about 5 things that need to be remembered when having sex while trying to conceive.

  1. Lubricant, planning sex around ovulation isn’t really sexy and some medication can lead to vaginal dryness. 
  2.  Timing is crucial, look for those signs that you are about to ovulate.
  3. Track your basal body temperature to help you understand if you have ovulated. 
  4. Communication is key.
  5. And exercise is a key aphrodisiac!

Maria, is a PT who specialises in helping women have babies. 

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This Podcast is a Worth a Listen production

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Episode Transcription

Welcome to Fertility Focus, this is a weekly minisode designed to help you improve your fertility. Every Tuesday I will be focusing on actionable steps to help you take control of your own ttc journey. 

I’m Maria, I’m a personal trainer specialising in fertility. Whether you are preparing for IVF, managing your BMI or ready to throw everything  you have at your own trying to conceive journey, tune in each week to hear more. 

In this week’s episode I am talking all about sex when trying to conceive. Ironically, I feel like this is a topic that often gets overlooked when talking about infertility. So, here my top 5 things that need to be remembered when having sex and ttc. Make sure you stay to listen to number 5; this may surprise you! 

  1. Lubricant: Planning sex around ovulation isn’t really sexy and plus some medication can lead to vaginal dryness so it makes sense that lots of couples use lube when ttc. But not all lubricants are born equal when ttc and some can actually harm the sperm. You need a lube that is of a similar thickness to EWCM, and are PH neutral. Look for lubes that have a fertility friendly label and always check the ingredients. 
  2. In terms of when you should be having sex, timing is crucial. Signs that you are fertile are EWCM, a positive on your OPK and also just feeling in the mood. You may also notice you feel sexy, you are full of awesome ideas, you are confident and your skin looks good. These fabulous symptoms are all thanks to estrogen getting you ready to try and conceive.
  3. Track your basal body temperature to help you understand if you have ovulated. Once your bbt starts to rise, this suggests you have ovulated, and your body is now increasing your progesterone levels which is why your bbt is rising. If you have not yet had sex, this can be frustrating, as you have likely missed your opportunity that month. But, keep a track anyway to help you predict the timing of ovulation next month. 
  4. Communication is key, as are expectations around what is actually going to happen.  It can be difficult for the man and the woman to feel in the mood and the reality is that sometimes you are just not going to want to have sex. It is up to you as a couple to decide what to do in these situations. But it is crucial you talk about it and it could be that you agree in advance that you are going to have a quickie if you are ovulating mid week.  There is a stereotype that men are always in the mood; this just isn’t true, especially when everything is planned and on a schedule. There may be shift work, stressful jobs, other children if you are dealing with secondary infertility. It is very easy for resentment to build up and this can contribute to relationship difficulties. Try and find a way to talk about how you are feeling that month and what to do if you really don’t want to do the baby dance. Remember, there are “tools” shall we say to inject a little spice in to your sex life. Sex toys, role play and pornography can also bring a little bit of extra if that is something you both agree to. 
  5. And one of these tools that can help you get in the mood is exercise! Exercise is a key aphrodisiac, it increased blood flow to your reproductive organs, it releases testosterone which is linked to libido. One amazing fact to finish on is that it is possible to achieve orgasm when doing exercise, without even thinking about sex! This has been shown in scientific research and published in the Journal of sexual medicine. What more do you need to convince you to work out?!

If you want to get fitter for your own ttc journey, head over to fitnessfertility.com and sign up for my awesome free workouts. Also, follow me on instagram at fitness_fertility,  where you will find a fabulous community of other women who are also trying to conceive. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Fitness Fertility Podcast, and tune in every Friday to hear interviews with fertility experts and in-depth discussions on all aspects of fitness and fertility. 

And one more thing, please share the show, because you never know who is struggling and may need that little bit of extra help.