When you're trying to get pregnant, having a good quantity of fertile cervical fluid every month is very important to help keep sperm alive. If you don't know what cervical fluid is look here for a basic introduction. A woman in her early thirties should really be seeing at least 3 to 4 days of fertile cervical fluid each month in the run up to ovulation. If you want to improve your cervical fluid here are 5 things you can do:
1. Drink plenty of water. Yep, the boring old 'drink more water' command. Cervical fluid is 98% water. You need to drink 1.5 to two litres a day. Your reproductive system is pretty much at the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to scarce water resources and if you're a bit dehydrated there won't be enough left once your body has allocated what it needs to your vital organs. You can also try drinking unsweetened grapefruit juice and green tea - there's no hard scientific data but lots of anecdotal evidence from women to say they can help.
2. Try taking a chesty cough mixture with the active ingredient guaifenesin. (Be sure to avoid brands with any other active ingredients as these can be harmful in pregnancy). The idea is that the cough mixture loosens chest mucus making it easier to cough. In some women it can also help them produce greater quantities of wet and stretchy cervical fluid.
3. Both acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be great at balancing hormones and helping to improve cervical fluid production.
4. Avoid thongs and G-strings - they can lead to a disruption in the healthy balance of bacteria in the vulval and vaginal area which can interfere with your cervical fluid.
5. Avoid over-using tampons. They sit at the top of the vagina, right next to the delicate tissue that contains the cells that produce cervical fluid. Only use the minimum absorbency tampon you need and only use them on the days of heavier flow to avoid that uncomfortable pulling sensation you sometimes feel on removing a tampon.