How Much is Too Much?

I'm often researching online the best ways to aid pregnancy. I've found articles about everything from special cooling boxer shorts to different positions that are supposedly best for conception.

Every site gives different opinions, each has different advice so what really is for the best?

The main query I have right now is how often we should "try".. So I left Lee home one Saturday whilst I was working and gave him the job of finding this out.. This was my first mistake. Whether he actually looked it up or not I will never know because his answer was of course going to be "as often as possible" no matter what the experts said. I decided I would look into it myself and I discovered that nobody has any idea. You would think that the "as often as possible" theory is probably accurate after all but when supplying a sample for testing you have to abstain for 48 hours... why is this? If regular sex doesn't affect the quality of his sperm then why the abstinence? I have read that there is some merit to "keeping the river flowing" ... Some studies have shown that daily ejaculation may improve sperm quality... 118 men were included in a 2009 study and that's what they come up with? it MAY improve? According to BabyMed.com couples who were trying to conceive were previously told to have sex every other day but are now being told that every day is more effective... if his sperm is ok. So maybe that's why I'm so confused. In those " rare circumstances" where the man does not have enough sperm the every other day rule still applies. ugh! Right now we don't know if the Varicocele Embolisation worked. He has another test booked in for mid February so we shouldn't have much longer to wait. It will be 3 months since the procedure and they say it takes 3-6 months to take effect. Right now I guess I don't know what group we fall in to... during fertile days, every day or every other day? The waiting and the not knowing really can drive you crazy but at least the tests give us a little goal post. I can't help but wonder what we will do if all is not well. I assume that the embolisation will of course have worked  but if it hasn't.. well.. it doesn't bare thinking about right now. I am in my ovulation period right now and so will once again be in my 2 week wait very soon. As always I will keep you posted and if I do get any great news you will be the first to know :)

xoxo

miss bb

sperm tests and the mr & miss average

A healthy male discharges 50 million sperm in a single ejaculation. During sexual intercourse, of all those millions of sperm, only a couple hundred will make it to a mature egg that is ready to be fertilized.

As previously disclosed the average per 1ml should contain around 20 million sperm but we're working with less than 3.. hmm.
When faced with this information where do you go next? The internet!
The internet is everyones favourite research department.. It can generally tell you whatever you need to know in a matter of moments but when it comes to fertility you never quite get a straight answer.
Every site tells you different facts and figures and those that do match up are vague at best. I've come to the conclusion nobody really knows how a sperm goes on to fertilise an egg.. I think if they were honest, even the scientists are baffled. Yes maybe they can do it in a petri dish but nobody give a definitive answet why some sperm can get to the egg and conceive a baby and some can't.
There are lots of theories... "well this can affect and that doesn't help... buy this contraption and you'll be pregnant within a month... or you won't, no promises" nobody really knows do they.
Doctors tell men and women all over the world they have little to no chance of having children and they go on to have a whole brood.
So when you're told you have fertility issues what are actually supposed to do? How are you supposed to feel?
It's been a couple of weeks since our appointment with the consultant now and I've tried to put babies out of my mind, concentrating on other things but you can't make plans when you're trying to conceive ... I can't plan a holiday in 6 months time... I may not be able to fly let alone wear a bikini... what now?

I haven't reached a conclusion yet but I thought I'd leave you all with some facts and figures of my own
Ones of course I've borrowed from other sources

• One study showed that geographic location influenced average sperm count. Men in New York City had higher sperm counts than men in Los Angeles. (Whether a man's sperm count will increase should he move from L.A. to the Big Apple is not clear, however.)

• Humans are among the least fertile of any species on earth. Pregnancy is a result of a complex combination of factors and events. When trying to have a baby, the chances of conception in any month of unprotected intercourse are just 20%

• Studies show that about 40% of infertility cases are caused by female factors, 40% by male factors and 20% by a combination of both

• Sperm can live in the female reproductive tract for up to three days after intercourse, so having sex every day, or even on ovulation day, is not necessary. What is critical is knowing when you are fertile. According to data from the AIA, 20 percent of couples seeking infertility treatment are not timing intercourse correctly.

xoxo

MissBB