A long romantic Valentine’s get-away weekend can be just what the doctor ordered for 11 million American couples trying to conceive (TTC). Janet Lever, PhD, former coauthor of Glamour's "Sex and Health" column and co-author of Getaway Guide to the Great Sex Weekend andFrommer’s Places for Passion: The 75 Most Romantic Destinations in the World—and Why Every Couple Needs to Get Away, offers tips to help couples ignite that spark for an exciting Valentine’s celebration.
“Romance should be given its due. And, that doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Pack your favorite music, finger foods, chocolates, champagne, massage oil and candle to set the mood,” says Lever. “Planned intercourse can be stressful and dryness can occur, so don’t forget to take the right lubricant because traditional lubes can be toxic to sperm.”
Fertility experts advise using Pre-Seed lubricant to ease dryness and increase fun when trying to get pregnant. Clinical studied, Pre-Seed, is completely safe to use when trying to conceive. Developed by doctors to mimic a woman’s fertile fluids, it is widely used in fertility clinics, and the applicator deposits the lubricant close to the cervix to create an optimal environment for the sperm’s journey.
According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, TTC couples can optimize their chances of pregnancy by having sex every 1-2 days, starting soon after menstruation and continue to have intercourse at least 3 times a week throughout the month. Women can track their cycle using a smartphone app like the First Response Tracker or with a First Response Daily Digital Ovulation Test Kit, which detects a woman’s unique luteinizing hormone (LH) surge.
Endorsing the notion that travel ignites romance, Dr. Helen Fisher says about Frommer’s Places for Passion, "Travel is the liquor of romance. Novelty triggers the brain's dopamine system to sustain romantic passion. This surge soon fires up testosterone to tickle your sex drive. And as you hug and kiss, you fuel the oxytocin system—ushering in feelings of deep attachment. So Pepper Schwartz and Janet Lever have it right with this charming book. It's full of great ideas on how to keep love alive.”
