Let's make a baby

Let me be the first to admit, getting pregnant is rocket science.

My whole life, I thought it was easy to get pregnant. I thought if you didn't wear a condom or use birth control during sex, you could rest assure a little present would be waiting nine months later. Stupid me. I was one of the idiots who apparently didn't pay attention during sex ed.

Now that I'm weeks away from being 30 and married, I feel like I'm ready to be a mom. Which if you knew me is a shock. The truth is, my husband and I have tried to get pregnant for about a year now. I've had to learn all sorts of stuff like basal temperature, calculating when I ovulate and knowing signs when that happens. And during this whole baby making 101, which is sad that I am now just learning, these are things that are really striking to me.

1. When you're really horny and your panties are wet, you're probably ovulating. Yep. You know first you have some milky white discharge, then it becomes clear. And it's during this time that you find yourself wanting some. Because your body is sending signals that it's ready to carry a baby.

2. You normally ovulate about 14 days before the first day of your next period. That's important to know, because a lot of girls think it happens right before your next period--which isn't true. This gets complicated though if your period is irregular. I suggest tracking your cycles every month.

3. The door to getting pregant only stays open for about 12 hours. The reality of this makes timing even more difficult. This is why many couples who are trying to conceive have sex every day during ovulation or every other day and they tend to try a few days prior to ovulating, too since the sperm has a long journey ahead. If it's times just before, it could actually make it when the door is still open.

4. Stress will hurt your chances of having your baby. I worked around 60-70 hours a week for months. Treating your body like this will make it near impossible to get pregnant.

5. Folic acid is your friend. You need to have some every day, even while you're trying to conceive. Because if you're successful, you'll be glad you're taking folic acid. It's essential in the development of your baby.

6. Take it one day a time. It can be frustrating. Especially if you've been trying for months or a year like me. And don't let family members or the pressure get to you. My mother-in-law asks practically every week when is she getting a grandkid. She has no idea that we have been trying and that sometimes the disappointment is depressing. So just take it slow and easy.

Well, this time I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant. The first day of my last period was December 6. I ovulated during the week of December 21st and we only did it once during that week. And my period is supposed to come on January 6. Anyway, there's always next year.