1. Stress affects our bodies in more
ways than one. When our health is
affected, so is our ability to conceive.
Unfortunately, the months and years
of waiting, trying and failing to get
pregnant can be very stressful. If you
are also spending a lot of
time, money and effort going to
fertility clinics and getting infertility
treatment, the stress level increases.
Fortunately, there are many ways for
you to start relaxing again. Here are
some of the things you could do:

2. Exercise releases hormones in your body that
help you to feel happy and relaxed. If you are
obese, exercise will help you to lose some
weight, which in turn will improve your
fertility. You may want to consider some
traditional forms of exercise. Yoga and
taichi/qigong and especially good for
relaxation.

3. Meditation clears the mind and
allows us to be at one with
ourselves. Starting with 15 minutes
a day, sit quietly in a quiet corner
and just observe your breath, focus
on a picture or a flame. Let your
thoughts gently float away and
your body slowly relax. If you can't
sit for 15 minutes, do other forms
of 'meditation' that allow your
mind to relax - such as deep
breathing, painting, knitting or
walking.

4. There's nothing better than
being with people you love.
But be careful not to be
around toxic people, people
who stress you out. Joining a
support group allows you to
talk to people in the same boat
and sometimes, knowing how
strong others are will also give
you strength and inspiration.

5. Caring and being with a pet is extremely
therapeutic. It has been known to help
people with depression, disabled children,
hospitalized patients, the old and lonely.
Moreover, even though it is not the same,
caring for a pet will prepare you in caring
for a child.

6. Massage is the fastest way to
relax. Find a good masseur or
better still, massage each
other. Massage is not only
relaxing, it can only be erotic,
which is a bonus when one is
trying to conceive.

7. Lots of couples come back from holiday and find
that they are pregnant. This is because you are
relaxed while on vacation. You are also spending
quality time with each other. Choose a holiday
that suits you. Some people find lying on a beach
relaxing while others like trekking in the fresh
mountain air. Still others prefer a shopping
holiday or one that includes an activity they enjoy.
The choice is yours.

8. Watch funny movies, go to
comedies, read books that make you
laugh. I'm sure you've heard of the
saying that laughter is the best
medicine. It keeps you in a good
mood, it enforces a positive attitude
and it definitely relaxes you. In
order to conceive, you must learn to
relax. Put aside some of the less
important things that you have to
do and make time for yourself and
each other.