Myth busting

Can you influence your baby's gender?

Monique Robinson The Shettles Method, the Chinese lunar calendar, following a special diet ... do any of these actually influence your baby's gender? We look at the research to find out.

Things I'm thankful for after my miscarriages

Hannah Cherry I’ve come to realise there are positives in negatives - even in repeat miscarriages. So here are the things I'm grateful for.

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The road to conception

Dr Debra Kennedy, clinical geneticist When it comes to conception and fertility, old wives’ tales and myths abound. Here are some truths and down-to-earth advice from Australian clinical geneticist Dr Debra Kennedy.

Organising now makes it fun later

Sponsored feature Candy Jubb is former country police officer who retired from law enforcement to lay down the law at home. A mum of seven who also blogs, she shares her advice on gettibng organised before you have a baby.

Putting the fun back into conceiving

Spsonsored feature Steph Bond-Hutkin enjoys a busy family life with her husband and two young daughters. Here, she shares her tips on how to make trying for a baby fun.

Celebrate your relationship

Sponsored feature For Kelly Burstow, having a baby was about celebrating something she and her husband already had: love. Here are some of her ideas for investing in your relationship while trying tor a baby.

Making a baby is as fun as sex

Sponsored feature Jody Armstrong lives on the NSW South coast, where she blogs about life as a mum - and her current pregnancy. Here, she shares her tips for conceiving.

An L-shape to success

Sponsored feature What's the secret to making babies? According to the parents of Fig & Cherry blogger Christie Connelly, it needs to be hot ... and one of you has to try very hard.

Should people with depression reproduce? I did

Shannon Chapman I was certain I wouldn’t have kids because of my depression, right up until the day the biological clock kicked in and demanded I make babies immediately. I rolled the dice twice, and some would say I lost one time out of two: my eldest son has depression.

What is my luteal phase?

Knowing the length of your luteal phase allows you to more accurately predict at what point in your cycle ovulation occurs - and makes getting pregnant easier.

Fertility is not infinite

Prue Corlette Sex-ed may have taught us how to avoid pregnancy, but not once was it mentioned that if you wanted kids, you better get cracking before 35.

Nicole Kidman opens up on pregnancy struggles as she reveals appreciation for surrogate mother

After a "roller-coaster ride" with fertility problems, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman says she feels love for the woman who carried her second child.

Kylie's feeling broody

Kylie Minogue is keen to start a family of her own, and says she has considered "various options" to help her fall pregnant.

Sexual positions for conceiving

When it comes to conception there is a lot of discussion about successful positions for ‘making babies’. Unfortunately there is no widely-accepted ‘best position’ but here are some answers to common questions surrounding the act of conceiving.

Life gets tough for big daddy's little girl

Deborah Smith Men may have to rethink that extra hamburger and chips for the sake of the health of their unborn daughters. New research reveals that a father's high-fat diet can lead to diabetes in his female offspring.

Conception - the facts

Prior to conception, an egg was released from one of your ovaries and began to travel down the fallopian tube. At the moment of conception, one of your partner's sperm met, entered and fertilised your egg, which then sealed itself off to exclude all other sperm.

Conceiving a baby

Most would be parents tend to assume that becoming pregnant will be a fairly simple task. After all, most of you have been practising the basic "moves" required for some time.

Ejaculation

Some facts about ejaculation and getting pregnant...

Basal Temperature Chart

This chart is geared toward women who are trying to conceive. It will help you find the pattern to your ovulation and maximise your chances of getting pregnant. It will also give you information to provide your doctor if you suspect a problem.

Ovulation

Some basic facts on ovulation to help you be prepared when trying for a baby...

Three stages of conceiving a baby

Learn more about the three stages of conceiving a baby.

Helpful resources for those trying to conceive

Juliana Fridman The internet played such an important role in our research, and I cannot even start telling you how many things I found via web on trustworthy groups and websites.

Is 22 too young to be a mum?

Justine Davies DH isn’t sure. He thinks we should buy a house first and he also worries that none of our friends have kids yet or are probably even close to starting a family.

My story - the unexpected journey to have another baby

Amity Dry This time, however, things didn’t go quite as smoothly. This time I would come to learn just how hard it can be to make, and keep, a baby.

Folate is key for expectant mums

Angela Thompson Ten tiny fingers and 10 tiny toes, baby Aliyah arrived at Wollongong Hospital this week just as mum Kim McGuinness hoped: perfect.

Be my baby: On the road to fatherhood

Neil Humphreys With a theatrical sigh, I took the still warm plastic contraption, held it at arm's length in such a way that it suggested it was radioactive and rested it on top of the toilet. I love my wife dearly, but there is a line. Well, actually, there were two lines.

What's the alternative?

Caitlin Chang I want to get pregnant this year. What can I do to increase my chances of conceiving?

Misconceiving

Nicole Salinas Sex education is important for young adults but it can often leave one with a lasting impression that falling pregnant is easy. Whilst this may be the case for some on average it can take a healthy couple up to twelve months to conceive.

The Shettles Method of gender selection

Dr Shettles claims that his method of gender selection has a success rate of up to 85 per cent. Here are his recommendations for choosing your baby's sex.

Time to talk

Now is a great time to fact-find and get chatting to other mums about their experiences.

Conceiving a baby

Having a child today as compared to having children 20 years ago is quite different. These days we can make a conscious choice about whether or not to have children, and we can also choose when we will have them.

Ejaculation

Of the millions of sperm contained in each ejaculation, only a few hundred actually reach the female egg in the fallopian tube.

Limit alcohol intake

Alcohol can damage both the sperm and ovum prior to conception, so consideration should be given to both you and your partner's alcohol intake if you are trying to conceive.

A plan for parenthood

Lisa Wachsmuth Fancy a slice of shark's fin, camel hump stew or a bowl of hot chilli peppers? Having a better lifestyle can greatly improve your chances of falling pregnant.