When you’re trying to make a baby, you’re probably reading up on things that make the magic happen quicker.
Besides the health advice—such as eating healthy and quitting smoking—there are a few products that can also help during that time.
In this post, we’re listing 7 things that are useful when you’re trying to conceive.
#1 Vitamin & Mineral Tracker Sensor
The Vitastiq Vitamin and Mineral Tracker is a pen-like device that you use on your skin to detect your levels of nutrients. You can read results on the connecting app. It can show your readings for 26 vitamins and minerals in real-time and compare it to your previous readings.
Here’s how it works: Move the tip of the pen over certain spots on the hands and feet. Use the in-app video tutorials to learn the correct placements. It’s non-invasive and painless. After you’re finished, you can see the results on your app immediately. It will also give you helpful information about the vitamins and their natural sources.
The device was created using electroacupuncture (EAV), which uses the electrical resistance of the skin at acupoints to indicate the body’s health imbalances. EAV has been used by natural health professionals and in pharmacies for decades. A clinical study showed that the Vitastiq had higher than 70% accuracy of a blood test, without the needles.
During pregnancy, maintaining a healthy level of vitamins is essential for not only you but your growing baby. While taking prenatal supplements is necessary, the pen can let you know what gaps you’re filling in with your daily diet. Ensuring you’re getting the correct levels of folic acid, DHA and nutrients, in general, can put you in a better position to conceive.
If the device seems like a bit of a splurge, consider this: You can use it on your children and other family members, too. For example, you can take your child’s reading to ensure they’re always meeting their nutritional requirements.
Get the Vitastiq Vitamin & Mineral Tracker for $199.95 today!
#2 Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins used to be recommended once a woman became pregnant. However, now doctors recommend taking them before you’ve even conceived. That’s because prenatal contains folic acid—a nutrient that prevents spinal defects. Since these defects can occur early on, before a woman even knows she’s pregnant, already having it in your system is a good idea.
Look for a prenatal with DHA, which is an omega-3 fatty acid. It’s important for bone health of a growing fetus. Apart from these two benefits, they also contain other vitamins that can help improve your health, making you more likely to conceive overall.
We recommend MamaNurture’s Premium Prenatal Vitamins. They contain a unique curated selection of nutrients, including folic acid and DHA. The synergistic formula was created keeping in mind the optimal ratios of absorption, safety and metabolism. The pack contains 60 soft gels that should be taken twice a day with meals.
Get MamaNurture Premium Prenatals for $29.95.
#3 Fertility-Friendly Lubricant
Not all lubricants are created equal—some are designed specifically for the mom-to-be in mind. For example, Pre-Seed lubricant is pH balanced to mimic your body’s natural fluids. While some lubricants damage sperm, this one allows sperm to “swim freely” so they can find their way to an egg to fertilize. This specific brand is used in fertility clinics and by fertility experts across America.
You can get Pre-Seed lubricant on Amazon for $18.83.
#4 Cost-Effective Pregnancy Strips
Unless you’re lucky and get pregnant after one month of trying, chances are you’re going to go through quite a few pregnancy tests. That can add up to a lot of money, especially if you’re someone who feels they need to repeatedly check. To save some, switch to pregnancy strips and buy in bulk. You’ll have some stocked up for whenever you need and you won’t need to worry about setting aside a monthly budget just for tests.
Pregnancy test strips work similar to a pregnancy test, only they’re less fancy. Simply pee into a plastic cup and dip the strip in. It will detect the presence of hCG to determine if you’re expecting. If it’s positive, multiple color bands will appear in the control and test zone.
You can get 50 pregnancy test strips on Amazon for $12.19
#5 Fertility Tracking Devices
There’s plenty of apps designed to help you track your cycle and let you know the best time to have sex to conceive. Thanks to technology, there’s also several devices aimed at testing your fertility. These products test different “fertility vitals” in different ways at varying price points. Here’s an overview of the most popular ones.
Clearblue Fertility Monitor
This touch screen monitor is designed to identify your most fertile days by tracking your changing levels of two key hormones using urine sticks. It tells you when to test and your level each day. It can store the information from 6 cycles at a time. Keep in mind that since the monitor uses urine sticks, that will be a reoccurring cost, unlike other devices. It has a 3.5/5 star rating with over 750 reviews.
You can get it for $139 on Amazon.
Ava Fertility Tracker
The Ava tracker is a bracelet that you wear while sleeping to help you determine your fertility window. You can review the results on the connecting app. The sensors track your skin temperature, resting pulse rate, breathing rate, heart rate variability ratio, perfusion, movement and sleep. Using this information, you’ll know your fertility for that day as soon as you wake up and check your app. Some of these features are helpful to know once you become pregnant, such as your sleep patterns and stress levels. It has a 3/5 star rating with over 10 reviews.
You can get the Ava Fertility Tracker for $310 on Amazon.
Femometer
Unlike other devices, this one only tracks your basal body temperature (BBT), which alone is an important fertility sign. You can track your temperature daily and it syncs to the connecting app to determine patterns. Using that information, the app will analyze your most fertile days. It has a 4/5 star rating with over 850 reviews.
You can get the Femometer for $29.95 on Amazon.
OvaCue Fertility Monitor
This tracker comes with a handheld monitor, a saliva sensor and a cervical mucus sensor. It works by monitoring changes in the electrolyte levels in your saliva and cervical mucus, which are impacted by estrogen. The device tracks trends, giving you 5-7 days notice of your most fertile days. It can store four months of readings. The OvaCue has a 3.5/5 star rating with 39 reviews.
You can get it on Amazon for $299
#6 Stretch Mark Prevention Oil
Many skin professionals say that people should start using anti-aging products in their 20s, even while they’re still youthful. Similarly, you should start using stretch mark prevention products before your belly starts growing. As with most things, prevention is the best solution.
Start using the prevention oil while you’re trying to conceive and continue using it throughout pregnancy to minimize any marks as your belly grows. About 90% of pregnant women will get stretch marks, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
We recommend the MamaDerma Stretch Mark Prevention Oil. It contains a unique mix of natural ingredients that have been clinically proven to:
- Reduce the risk of getting stretch marks
- Reduce the severity of stretch marks compared to other regular oils
Help prevent stretch marks for $19.95.
#7 TouchPoints for Calm Wearable Device
Some research suggests that there’s a link between stress and fertility. For example, one study showed that those with high levels of a stress enzyme took 29% longer to get pregnant. Whether this is directly linked to the psychological effects of stress or other factors is yet to be determined. For example, stressed people may have sex less often, smoke more and drink too much—all of which can affect conception.
While there are many ways to control and alleviate stress, one company came up with an interesting solution: a bracelet that sends vibrations to hold back the body’s “fight or flight” response. This can help you shift from stressed back to the rational part of the brain. It can be used for 15 minutes before, during or after a stressful event. The neuroscience-based technology has been used for over 30 years for people with PTSD. According to the company, it can reduce stress by up to 70% in 30 seconds. If you think your stress levels may be affecting your fertility, it may be worth a try.
You can get TouchPoints for Calm for $159.99 on Amazon.
What are your essentials while trying to conceive? Share them in the comments below. If you have any friends who are starting a family, share this post to help them, too!
P.S. When you get pregnant, you need to try out our fetal heartbeat monitor. It allows you to listen to your baby’s heartbeat through speakers or earphones, similar to an ultrasound. It’s easy to use from home and provides reassurance to many anxious parents-to-be. Get yours for as low as $49.95 today!