Schedule a pre-conception doctor visit. Before you and your partner officially start trying to get pregnant, you should both get a regular checkup. Have a discussion with your doctor about prenatal vitamins and the benefits of folic acid. Folic acid is one of the most important vitamins to prevent some birth defects, like spina bifida. Research shows that folic acid begins working from the moment of conception, which is why it’s so important to begin supplementing with prenatal vitamins even before you get pregnant.

The visits are also important in case you have underlying medical conditions that you take medication for, such as depression. You and your doctor will want to make sure you are safe to continue the medication when you are trying to conceive and during the pregnancy.

Figure out your menstrual cycle. For many years you’ve probably tracked your cycle in order to find out when you would be on your period. But when you’re trying to conceive, cycle tracking takes on several other dimensions. Not only will you need to pinpoint the days of ovulation, you’ll also learn to spot the signs of ovulation, such as tweaks of pain and thicker cervical mucus. You may want to use an ovulation tester kit to get the hang of calculating your cycle.

Although physicians used to say you needed to wait a few months after stopping birth control to get pregnant, the conventional wisdom has changed, with doctors saying you can start trying right away.

Consider the best positions. There are lots of old wives tales about the best sexual positions to stimulate conception. Most of these stories are bunk. Acrobatic sex won’t get you pregnant any faster. However, when it comes to sperm reaching their destination, keep gravity in mind. If you’re having sex standing up it may result in fewer sperm swimming upstream.

The same scenario is true of the advice to stay in bed with your legs up after sex to keep the sperm inside. Nothing that dramatic is necessary, however, staying in bed for 15 minutes can help keep things in place. It only takes about 15 minutes for the sperm to reach the cervix.

Sperm control. Give your husband a few tips for getting his sperm under control. Wearing tight clothing can actually decrease sperm count, as can hanging out in hot tubs. A few studies have also indicated that having a cell phone in your pocket, close to the testicles, negatively impacts sperm count as well. So tell your man to keep that phone somewhere else.

Don’t stress out. Having sex every day during your ovulation period is not necessary, since sperm live around 72 hours. Your husband may not have as much sperm to give the next time you have sex. Moreover, you want sex to remain fun and not stressful. You should still have sex outside of the ovulation period and you should try to keep spontaneity.

Give it a year. Keep in mind that if you don’t get pregnant right away, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you. It simply takes different people different times to get pregnant. Also remember that almost 85 percent of women get pregnant during the first year of trying, so there is no need to hit the panic button. Give yourself a year before you start visiting fertility specialists.