3 Steps To Making Babies

PLANNING to take the giant leap into parenthood? Follow our expert tips and boost your chances of conceiving. By Charlotte Haigh (mirror.co.uk)

STEP 1 Before you start trying

"Getting both your bodies into condition will improve the health of your eggs and sperm," says Zita West, a trained midwife who runs her own fertility clinic. "You should spend at least three months improving your fertility status."

GIVE UP SMOKING "It has an impact on your eggs and fallopian tubes," says Zita. "And men who smoke have a lower sperm count and a higher proportion of malformed sperm." Quitline www.quit.org.uk 0800 002 200.

CUT ALCOHOL A study published in the British Medical Journal found drinking five weekly units of alcohol (equivalent to five small glasses of wine or five single measures of spirits) could reduce a woman's chances of conception. Alcohol can lower sperm count too.

EXERCISE Aim for exercise that raises your hear t rate at least three times a week, but don't work out for more than 15 hours a week.

START EATING WELL "The antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, found in fruit and veg, are very important," says Helen Savill, director of Oeuf Therapy Rooms.

You should also include whole grains, lean meat and fish, and cut out processed foods. "Your diet should be low in saturated fat, but high in essential fatty acids," says Zita. "Good sources include olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish." The government advises women to limit oily fish to twice a week.

GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY "It can take a few months to become familiar with your menstrual cycle," says Helen. Most women are at their most fertile between days 10 and 17 of the cycle, when an egg is released.

There are also tests on the market that can give you a good idea, including the Persona monitor (£64.99, Boots), which uses a urine test, and the Babystart Focus Ovulation Microscope (£24.99, expresschemist.co.uk), which tests your saliva.

STEP 2 The month you start trying

At age 25, you have a 30 to 35 per cent chance of conceiving in any one month, 15 to 20 per cent at 35, and just 3 to 5 per cent at 45.

"There are key things you should be doing now to boost your chances of an egg being fertilised this month," says fertility therapist Helen Savill.

HAVE SEX! "Hopefully, you'll know by now when you're ovulating, so try to make sure you have sex at these times," says Helen. At least twice a week is thought to be optimal, throughout the month, as many women conceive even outside their most fertile times. "Don't demand sex from your man at exactly the right time," Zita West cautions. "This could actually make it difficult for him to perform."

DON'T DRINK AT THE CRUCIAL TIME "As well as cutting back on alcohol in general, make a point of not drinking at all around ovulation as it can affect the egg," says Zita.

TAKE IT EASY "Avoid stress when you're trying for a baby, as it can delay ovulation," says Helen.

Stress encourages the adrenal glands to release the hormone cortisol, which may interfere with general hormone balance. A study at Emery University in Atlanta, Georgia, showed prolonged, severe stress could halt ovulation entirely. If you're struggling with anxiety, contact the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (babcp.org.uk). For less severe, everyday stress, try exercise or just make sure you take time to relax every day.

EAT ZINC-RICH FOODS These include meat, dairy, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and wholemeal bread. "This mineral is crucial for cell division in the very early days of a pregnancy," says Helen. "If you've been on the Pill it may have depleted your zinc levels. And men lose 15 per cent of their zinc store every time they ejaculate. So you both need to include zinc-rich foods in your diet."

STEP 3 The next month

"The fertilised egg is implanted in the womb seven to 10 days after fertilisation," says fertility therapist Helen Savill. The first few weeks of a pregnancy are quite precarious - it's thought one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage, and many of these may happen in the first month, often before women know they're expecting. Here's how to improve chances of implantation, and maintaining pregnancy:

GO LOW GI "Eating foods that release sugar rapidly triggers a surge in blood glucose, which is quickly followed by a drop," says Helen.

"These highs and lows can affect progesterone levels, and as this hormone is essential for implantation and for maintaining the pregnancy in the early days, too lit tle could mean an unsuccessful pregnancy." Avoid refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta, anything high in sugar, including fizzy drinks, and also caffeine, which can trigger a blood glucose rise. Eat little and of ten, combining protein such as fish, nuts and meat, with unrefined carbs such as brown rice and wholemeal bread.

EAT GOOD QUALITY PROTEIN "It's crucial for the womb lining to build up, ready for an egg to implant in it," says Helen. "Aim for good quality meat at least three times a week - non-organic meat can contain hormones that might disrupt your s." Also include fish, pulses, nuts and seeds.

WATCH WHAT YOU DRINK "You shouldn't have coffee, as it has be en linked with miscarriage," says Zita. "Alcohol is toxic to the foetus. If you have a glass of wine, so does the baby."

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Information from: Mirror.co.uk