[mrsb1029]

My husband and I haven't gone to a doctor yet. I am a little anxious about that because we are still trying after 14 months and still nothing. I got a bfn today and AF should be here by Saturday or Sunday, I believe. I do worry if he has a low count or other issues because he drives a delivery truck, so he is sitting down a lot and our sex life isn't the best. Sex once a week is the norm for us and the only time we have more is near my O time.

Is there anything he can do or we can do to help his fertility?

[ShawnaCAN]

Having too much sex or having too little sex can both make it more difficult to conceive. If you tend to concentrate on the time around ovulation, but not so much before - what may be happening is the sperm is old by the time you are fertile. Sperm is produced in supply/demand kind of fashion. Men are always making some, but when it's used up more frequently - they make even more. What you might want to try, first and foremost, is following the Billings TTC guidelines for a cycle or two. Here they are:

1. Have sex on alternate evenings after your period ends. Every other evening.
2. Once you notice the beginning of your CM, STOP having sex. WAIT!
3. Wait until your CM becomes slippery. Then resume having sex while you notice slippery CM and for a day or two after it stops. This is important! Lots of people stop too soon!

Using the early part of the cycle is the supply/demand training. It tells his body to make more! Then once you're fertile, the waiting allows his sperm to build up for a few days. By the time you reach your max fertile days (slippery CM), he will have plenty of fresh sperm saved up from the days of waiting.

On the flip side, having sex on all your fertile days means there's always fresh sperm involved...but just a little bit each day. It can also work against TTC.

[mrsb1029]

Thanks for the advice, Shawna. I am hoping my husband will be willing to try especially since he is saying he is always tired and passes out by 9pm.

Makes me think we may never have children and maybe we should just stop trying.

[ShawnaCAN]

How much exercise does he get?

[mrsb1029]

None really other than walking to fill the vending machines. He used to lift weights a few times a week when we first started dating and then we would go for walks in the park across the street from our apartment when we started living together. Since he got this job, he rarely does much exercise.

[ShawnaCAN]

That might be something to work in if you can - even if it's just walks together! It's one of the most under-rated ways to improve male and female fertility.

[mrsb1029]

Thanks, Shawna. I will let you know how it goes!

[ShawnaCAN]

And maybe try not to tell him when you're really fertile, if you can help it. Pressuer won't help either. Just seduce him like crazy.

[mrsb1029]

Yea, I was planning not to tell him

Wish me luck!

[rlh27]

DH took zinc the few months before we conceived. I don't remember who suggested it. After I got pregnant he stopped taking it, and a few months after that he had a regular check up with his doctor and found out he had some vitamin deficiencies, so I really think the zinc helped us. Also, I added just a small pinch of baking soda to the sperm friendly lube, as google said that'd keep more swimmers alive through the cervix. Could have just been luck, but the only month I did that was the month I conceived

[mrsb1029]

Thanks for the advice, Lucy! I know my husband will be taking a multi-vitamin, which he said he would start tonight, but the baking soda in the lube, maybe I will try that next cycle. Wish me luck!

[ShawnaCAN]

Baking soda? Now that's one I've never heard before!

[carissaluis]

Do tell him to exercise more.. and you should as well since it will help you guys to be more into the deed.. if you are both healthy..the possibility of having a baby is beyond your reach.. good luck you guys.. wish you all the best.

[wishfulgal]

My DH has a low sperm count (low enough that at one point we were told IVF was our only option even though we already had a child we'd conceived naturally). In addition to a good multivitamin and vitamin C, he took 4 grams of
L-arginine, 4 grams of L-carnitine and 1 gram of Acetyl L-carnitine daily (divided into two different doses). It was spendy but we got them a little cheaper on Vitacost.com. There are studies to back up those supplements up as male fertility aids. Ultimately I think they made the difference in DH as his count and especially his motility improved significantly and we did conceive naturally again.

[rhiane2013]

Yeah I believe good exercise, fruits and veggies, plus i did ask my hubby to include fish oils in his diet. I also took fish oils before i conceived then right after that I got pregnant. Hope it will work out for you guys!!

[LJD3Tdance]

I learned so many interesting things from this thread, though I feel somewhat late to it lol.