How Long Can It Take to Fall Pregnant?

Updated on May 26, 2010
H.M. asks from Burnsville, MN
22 answers

I know this may seem like a silly question, as I know it can take some time. I fell pregnant really quickly with my first baby, actually in the first month we tried. I think I expected the same this time around. She is now 21 months and we have been trying for the second since January, still with no luck. I guess I am looking for some reassurance that I am not the only person who has been trying for 5 months and not been successful. I think I am just starting to feel like it is never going to happen and I am starting to get worried about the age difference between the first and second child.

Thanks,
H.

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So What Happened?

I can't thank you ladies enough. I feel so much better now and realise that I am putting way too much pressure on myself. I am going to stop thinking about falling pregnant and just go day by day. I am also going to try the ovulation kit, just to help out a bit ; )
Thanks again and will keep you posted : )

xx

Hi Ladies,

Thought I would drop you all a line and say thank you to all of you. I followed your advice and stopped stressing about it. I bought Ovulation kits and just had some fun.

I am now 6 weeks pregnant and just thrilled.

Thanks so much to all of you. You really did just put me back on track.

xx

Featured Answers

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E.B.

answers from Duluth on

My first three pregnancies took 2 months each...and trying for the next baby took 8 months. I was breastfeeding (my 2 1/2 year old...1x a day...) but apparently that little hormonal difference was enough to prevent me from getting pregnant!

1 mom found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Pocatello on

Well all people are different so it just takes some longer than others to get pregnant. I think the % is that only 75% of couples get pregnant in the first 6 months. My sister got pregnant with her first no problem (in the first month of trying) and her second it took 8 months! She has no idea why but it just did. She was worried too about the age difference I think they are are almost 3 years apart. But now she says she is so glad for that much of a space she thinks it's much easier and that because her first Son was almost 3 when the baby came he was able to understand a lot more and was better about the transition to sharing Mommy and Daddy.

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M.J.

answers from Chicago on

I got pregnant with my first child right away within a few weeks of getting off the pill, however, I am now pregnant with our second child and the same did not happen this time. We started trying June 2009 and didn't end up with a positive pregnancy test until January 2010. I bought a book my friends told me about..."Taking Charge of your Fertility.." and also a fertility monitor since my case was that I was never ovulating the same time each month and that was the problem. Maybe you could try the monitor? It helped us alot because it gives you more of a window time frame of when you will be, are and are done ovulating which makes it easier to get pregnant. Good Luck!

P.S. I am selling my monitor and accessories plus the book if you are looking to buy. I am in IL but can mail it to you.

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K.H.

answers from Dallas on

Hi H.,

It took me two weeks with the first and about 5 months to get pregnant with the second. Just relax and stop thinking about it, we actually went on a cruise vacation and that seemed to do the trick. I think your body knows that you are stressed and that seems to make things worse.

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J.P.

answers from Green Bay on

Our pediatrician actually told us that having baby number two is better at age 3 to 4 depending on your first child's maturity. As for the simple getting pregnant part, most ob/gyn's won't even blink at a woman not getting pregnant until they have been trying for at least a year. The more you stress about it the less likely you are to get pregnant. Have sex to have sex it's more fun that way anyways. Act as if it's just another day. The more you concentrate on getting pregnant the less likely you are to get pregnant. Don't change your diet or exercise or anything like that. If you are putting your body through any type of stress or change it can effect your fertility. But long and short of it I wouldn't worry until you have tried for at least a year with no luck. And I definately wouldn't worry about the age difference between the two.

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L.L.

answers from Orlando on

It took me seven years to get pregnant with my first son. I then got pregnant with my second son when the first was ten months old. I used to stress ALOT about being able/not being able to get pregnant before I had my first son. I totally contribute the 7 years to STRESS. We went on vacation and that's when my first son was conceived.

Try not to stress, because it will only throw your body out of whack; trust me! Just relax and it will happen.

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J.N.

answers from Madison on

Hi H.,

We got pregnant on month 3 after getting off the pill and I wasn't really expecting to get pregnant that quickly but so glad I did. We have been trying since May '09 and still no luck. My daughter is now almost 21 months and I was hoping to be pregnant by now too. I have used the ovulation kits and now I am on my second round of clomid. I am turning 39 this summer so I really don't have the time to take a few months off. I am sure the minute I said I wasn't going to try I would get pregnant, so I am leaning towards that for one month. Good luck, there are so many of us dealing with the same problem!

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N.H.

answers from Dallas on

I became pregnant very quickly with my first like you. With my second, we tried for 7 months before getting pregnant It may not sound long to others but to me it felt like a lifetime. LOL
My second was the only one that reallly took "time", so to speak, getting pregnant. My 3rd and 4th both came like my first, within a month of trying. So hang in there, it's almost when your "not" trying that it wll happen. Just keep having LOTS of sex and it will happen. : )

Good luck and take care!

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S.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

With our first we got pregnant w/out even trying, so when it was time to TTC#2 we thought we'd have no problems. It took us 10 months to conceive the second time around! I ended up needing Clomid since my body was having issues w/ ovulation. You've only been TTC for 5 months so it's early, just give it time. If you are not pregnant in the next few cycles ask your OBGYN for some help. If you've had a baby already chances are it's just taking a little longer this time. BTW, w/ our third we got pregnant on our first try, we were shocked since it took so long w/ our second. Good luck!!
BTW~ try charting your cycles if you haven't already, that's what tuned me in on my body. The book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and the website "fertilityfriend.com" helped me immensely.:)

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C.G.

answers from Dallas on

it took me 6 months with my second, we tried 5 months and decided to try an ovulation kit for the 6th month and it worked the first time. so 6 months total, my first was a beautiful surprise!
don't worry it will happen it just takes a little longer sometimes, by the way 5 months it's not that long, and remember stress messes up with our fertility too. keep us posted,
Good luck!

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C.D.

answers from Omaha on

My first suggestion would be to stop trying so hard to get pregnant. The amount of stress you put yourself under has a lot to due with conception.. If you have been on some sort birth control it may take awhile for it to get out of your system. 2-3 years difference between your children isn't that big of a gap... my two are 9 years apart. While it was difficult at first but now that they are older they are the best of friends

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M.R.

answers from Columbus on

It took much longer with our second than our first. Don't get too anxious, keep trying!

M.

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G.S.

answers from New York on

I got pregnant w/my oldest the first time we tried but it took a few months with my youngest (they were almost 6 yrs apart). Something that my old supervisor at work told me to try w/my first pregnancies was having sex 8 days after the 1st day of your period. Not sure if it was coincedence but it worked w/my oldest & it worked w/both of her girls.

As far as the months it took to conceive our youngest, I was frustrated each month that I didn't get pregnant, but all of that sex makes of for the lack of sex we have now w/6 & 12 yr old girls! Our oldest isn't so bad, but I swear to you our youngest has some sort of radar! We can got to bed at midnight & as soon as she hears the lock on the door click........she's up! Good luck & try not to get too discouraged!

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

My grandchildren are 3 years apart. They are now 6 and 9 and get along as well as any siblings do. They play more together now than they did when the second was a toddler/preschooler. I think that there are pluses and minuses for all age differences. Whatever age difference your children have will work just fine.

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A.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

I strongly agree with reading the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility." It is a easy read and u can get it at the library (I had to be on the waiting list and then eventually bought it on Amazon because I wanted a copy to keep) I too got pregnant pretty easily with the first and now 25 weeks with number 2 and it took twice as long. Hang in there!

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S.D.

answers from Grand Rapids on

my husband and i started trying last year january, and didn't get pregnant until november, so it took about 10 months for it to happen for us. My daughter was about 21 months when i got pregnatn, so they will be about 2 1/2 years apart. I think that is pretty good timing apart.

good luck

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R.M.

answers from Topeka on

I can tell you that I tried for SIX YEARS before getting pregnant for the first time!! Don't let this consume you...relax, enjoy life with your husband and your toddler. It will happen when it is supposed to happen. I have adult children, when the youngest was born the other two were 8 and 2...and the oldest child and the baby are closest to each other, so it isn't age that makes a difference, it is personality and shared interests that really make the difference.
Also, worrying about this is NOT going to change a thing...it isn't going to make the age difference between your children any less and it sure isn't going to gety ou pregnant any faster!! So stop worrying!!! (Besides I am an only child and I turned out pretty well..so if you only have the one child, it isn't the end of the world!!! :-) )

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I.M.

answers from New York on

Hi H.,
I didn't have that problem, as a matter of fact after my two boys I wanted to wait a little longer and my daughter decided that she was not going to wait and her and my middle one are only 18mths apart. I would suggest you buy an ovulation kit. Try that first, and if it doesn't work just go to the doctor and have yourself & your husband checked to make sure all is well and you just haven't gotten the right day ;) And remember the fun part is the trying :) so don't hold back and don't let yourself be stressed about it, I think stress won't help you.
Blessings

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D.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

First off, try not to worry about an age difference. You may have one in your mind that you feel is perfect, but in the long run, and because nature often has different plans than parents, it won't really matter. You will have your beautiful baby and your wonderful older daughter, and you won't be able to imagine it any other way. We tried for over 2 years to conceive our daughter, and I'm fairly convinced after conceiving my son without trying that it was the stress and pressure of trying to conceive in a timely manner that had exactly the opposite effect. Relax and have fun and don't worry about timing!

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D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

We were the opposite of most responses - we needed to use an ovulation kit with our first as we'd tried a few months unsuccessfully. It only took 1 try with our daughter. We'd wanted to space kids about 2 years apart - they're 21 months apart and best friends.

Now, I'm wanting a third, my husband is on the fence. I don't even know if I can get pregnant after 5 months of chemo and recovery. Plus, I'll be 35 this year, so the clock is a ticking.

Good luck. Everything I hear is that the more you try, the more mother nature screams to let her work in her own way.

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I only have one child and it took us 4 years of trying and finally a fertility specialist to be successful (I was 36 when my son was born). My husband and I had multiple issues that needed to be over come before we could get pregnant. Heck, if I'd have known about them sooner I never would have wasted all that money on birth control. If you are in your 20's you've got time. If you are mid to late thirties, I'd see a fertility doctor sooner than later.

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C.M.

answers from Rochester on

Our first took about 4 months to conceive and now, like you, we've been trying since January for our second. It is taking a little longer than we thought it would for us as well. Someone mentioned looking into "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and I recommend that one as well. I think we also get to a point where we're overanalyzing, trying too hard and stressing too much. I say that because I know that is what I have done.

I hope you get some great news soon!

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