How to Eliminate Pre-Conception Stress

Regardless of whether you've just begun to try to get pregnant or whether you've been trying for years, reducing and eliminating stress should be a priority. Some people claim that stress has nothing to do with infertility, others say it has everything to do with it - but most will agree that stress can affect your overall health and mental well-being. Following these tips can help you reduce your preconception stress.

Exercise: One of the first suggestions anyone will give you when you need to eliminate stress is to exercise. Find something that you enjoy. Taking a walk, going on a jog, lifting weights or joining a kickboxing class are all great forms of exercise that get your blood pumping and help lower your blood pressure.

Find a hobby: Getting your mind off of trying to conceive is key in not letting the stress get to you. Immersing yourself in a hobby is a great way to get your mind off of what's bothering you. Gardening, journaling, reading, organizing a collection or scrapbooking are some examples of hobbies you can use to divert your attention from trying to conceive.

Get rid of unhealthy habits: You want your body to be in tip-top shape when you are trying to get pregnant, whether you are a man or a woman. Unhealthy habits like over-eating, smoking, and excessive drinking can cause stress on your body. These things can also affect sperm quality if you're a man, or cause damage to the tiny new life you're trying to create if you are a woman.

See a therapist or counselor: Set up an appointment for you and your spouse at a therapist or counselor who specializes in helping patients cope with stress. They can give you great tips for reducing and eliminating stress.

Buy an ovulation monitor or ovulation kit, or chart your temperature: Knowing when you will ovulate can help reduce the stress of trying to conceive because it takes the guesswork out of knowing when your fertile days are. Rather than spending a whole month worrying, you can pinpoint what days you and your hubby will need to have intercourse in order to get pregnant.

Aromatherapy: Lighting scented candles, taking a bath with a few drops of essential oils, or using a ceramic oil vaporizer to let relaxing scents surround you can help reduce stress.

Plan date nights: If you are stressed because trying to conceive had taken the fun out of intimacy, plan a special date night with your spouse. Buy a new sexy nightgown to help spice things up. Redecorate your bedroom to make it inviting and intimate.

Take a month off: If you've been trying to get pregnant for a long time, taking a break might help you and your spouse refocus and reconnect. Giving yourself a month or two to not think about getting pregnant can make a big difference in the amount of stress you are dealing with when it comes to infertility.

Acupuncture: Many people have used acupuncture to help their bodies to find balance and healing. People who use it swear by its abilities to help bring their bodies back into good health. Furthermore, recent studies in the news have shown that acupuncture might even increase your chances to get pregnant.

Change jobs: It may seem extreme, but if your job is causing you a high amount of stress, you should consider why it stresses you and if you can do anything to change that. If not, it's worth considering finding another job that has less stress. After all, the longer it takes to get pregnant, the longer you'll be working at that job, if your plan is to quit when you have children.

Massage therapy: It sounds cliché, but getting a massage might just be the ticket for helping to eliminate stress from your life. Some massage therapists even have a pre-conception massage that can help increase blood flow to the reproductive organs.

Take a vacation: It might not help you conceive any faster, but planning and looking forward to a vacation with your loved one can greatly lower your stress levels. Who doesn't like lying on a beach in the warm sun, listening to the waves lapping on the shores?