Love, Sex

If You're Baby Crazy, These Are The Six BEST Sex Positions For Getting Pregnant

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best sex positions

Ladies, for most of your life, you’ve looked for every possible way not to get pregnant.

Your high-school health teacher would have had you believe that getting pregnant is as easy as being in the same zip code as an ejaculating penis. When you reached adulthood and decided you were ready to start a family, you were under the impression that it would be as easy as… well, making sure you were in the right zip code.

However, for many couples, that’s not the case. A few months of unsuccessful baby-making may leave you wondering, “Was there something I missed? Am I doing this all wrong?”

To set your mind at ease, here’s a little adult sex-ed on how you can get your body in the best possible position to make a baby.

Truthfully, there’s no definitive research that shows any particular sexual position is better than another for conceiving, but many experts recommend trying positions that allow for deeper penetration and give your partner’s semen a little extra help from gravity.

With that criteria in mind, here are six of the best sex positions for couples trying to get pregnant. These might definitely help you conceive and, even if they don't, they'll make trying a lot more fun.

1. Doggy Style

Also known as the hands-and-knees position, doggy style offers deeper penetration than most. It also opens up your cervix and slightly tips the uterus to help sperm move in the right direction. Plus, lots of men consider this sex position a real winner, so it shouldn’t be hard to persuade your partner to give it a try.

2. The Magic Mountain

Prop yourself up with pillows and have your man lie skin-to-skin against you from behind. This position is similar to doggy style, but it’s more intimate and still offers that awesome deep penetration.

3. Missionary

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It’s an oldie but a goody. The traditional man-on-top missionary position offers a lot of intimacy and allows you to connect with your partner because you can kiss and look each other in the eyes. It also allows for deep penetration and places you in the perfect position (with your vagina tilted down toward the cervix).

4. The Rock ‘n’ Roller

A fun alternative to the traditional missionary position, the Rock ‘n’ Roller allows for deep penetration and gives you ideal positioning. Lie on your back with your legs up, and have your man kneel over you with your hips elevated with his knees.

5. Spooning

While spooning doesn’t always give you deep penetration, many couples find this sex position intimate and relaxing because of the cuddling and bodily contact. In this position, you and your partner should lie on your sides, and your partner can enter you from behind.

6. Lovers’ Choice — Doctor’s Orders

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Dr. Amos Grunebaum, one of the most renowned obstetrics specialists in the country, believes the best sexual position for achieving pregnancy is actually the position that brings the most pleasure to you and your partner. Other professionals concur, suggesting that whatever you do, it’s important to reduce your stress and enjoy the experience.

While you’re trying to conceive, it’s better to avoid sex positions where you’re sitting, standing, or straddling your partner because these force sperm to travel against gravity (making their journey to the cervix that much more difficult).

6 Tips To Increase Your Chances Of Conception

The next phase in your sex education is putting what you’ve learned into practice. But before you do, keep these tips in mind to maximize your chances of conception.

1. Timing is everything

When you’re trying to get pregnant, the best time to have sex is during your most fertile time of the month. For conception to occur, sperm must be waiting in the fallopian tubes when the egg is released, which means you should have intercourse at least 12 to 24 hours before ovulation. A variety of tools are available to help couples with ovulation prediction.

2. The “O” factor

Some researchers believe that the female orgasm during intercourse can actually increase your chances of conceiving because the contractions of the uterus during orgasm can create a vacuum-like effect that pulls the semen toward the cervix.

3. May the gravitational force be with you

Immediately after sex, lie down on your back, and prop your hips up on a pillow to let gravity help move the sperm in the right direction. Take this extra time to cuddle with your partner.

4. Not all lubricants are created equal

For some couples, using lubricant can enhance the sexual experience, but using too much can leave those little swimmers slipping and sliding in the wrong direction. Also, many lubricants are spermicides, so be sure to select a sperm-friendly brand.

5. Practice makes…baby

Having sex regularly is more likely to speed up the baby-making process, so doctors recommend having intercourse every two to three days when trying to conceive — good news for everyone involved.

6. Don’t douche

Using douching products can wash away your cervical fluid — an important sperm helper when trying to conceive. Douching can also alter the pH of your reproductive tract, which can create a hostile environment for sperm. Don’t do it!

Let’s review what we’ve covered in this real-world sex education lesson: Timing is important, but it doesn’t necessarily matter which position you choose as long as it’s comfortable and pleasurable to you and your partner.

There may be more to getting pregnant than you originally thought, but that shouldn’t make the process feel like a chore. Have fun, and focus on the life you and your partner are creating together.

Ethan Lynette is a partner for Fairhaven Health, a company that manufactures products that help couples conceive naturally and provides support to women throughout pregnancy and nursing. Fairhaven believes it’s crucial to get to know its customers well and provide support and education to couples desiring to start a family. Follow me on Google+.