# Getting Pregnant: Tips, Tricks & Old Wives' Tales **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2005, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705 "2005-04-23T01:08:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/41 "2005-04-28T04:10:05Z")
I didn’t read all the posts, but I found out on Monday, that not realizing the patch fell off works. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/42 "2005-04-28T04:21:01Z")
> [@Joey P](#): > > I didn’t read all the posts, but I found out on Monday, that not realizing the patch fell off works. Oh, wow…congratulations? So, in about a week, I’ll take a test and we’ll see how your suggestions went - at least a few of them. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/43 "2005-04-28T04:42:01Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > You could always do what Homer Simpson suggested to Apu…dress up as high school seniors and have sex in the back of the car. Shit. You beat me to it. But I heard that one as a Leno joke. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/44 "2005-04-28T06:21:26Z")
Just to reiterate the sex thing, you’ve got to be doing it _right._ Story I heard a few years ago was a couple who went to a Fertility Clinic for investigations into their apparent infertility. All the blood and sperm tests etc came back fine, but upon a physical examination of the wife, it was found that her hymen was still intact. A few gentle enquiries later, it turned out that the couple had been engaging in anal sex exclusively, and were unaware that there was a whole other orifice available for exploration. Babies ensued not long after. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/45 "2005-04-28T11:04:15Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > A few gentle enquiries later, it turned out that the couple had been engaging in anal sex exclusively, and were unaware that there was a whole other orifice available for exploration. Unaware? Great Og! Either there was some strange physiological deformity at work here, or there \*are \*people literally too stupid to breed. (Or a UL.) ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/46 "2005-04-28T18:45:05Z")
You could try taking a cough syrup with Carbocisteine as the active ingredient (it would be Exputex or Mucodyne here, not sure about your local brands) from day 11 to 19 of your cycle. The Carbocisteine is a mucolytic- it makes mucus less thick and sticky…and it works EVERYWHERE, not just in your lungs. The theory being that thin, runny cervical mucus is easier for sperm to get through, so it makes it easier for you to conceive. It should also help remove the need for additional lubrication. It’s not really backed up by evidence, but I know at least one Obstetrician here who suggests all his female patients TTC start taking it. He’s heavily into NaPro (sort of reverse rhythm method, for couples trying to conceive) and uses it as a first step before adding in Clomiphene. It’s cheap, safe (only contraindication is active peptic ulceration) and available over the counter from your local pharmacy for a few dollars, so it might be worth a go. Just make sure it’s Carbocisteine! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/47 "2005-04-28T18:50:07Z")
In the words of the Great Jimmy Buffett: Get drunk and screw. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705/48 "2005-04-28T22:47:03Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > You could try taking a cough syrup with Carbocisteine as the active ingredient (it would be Exputex or Mucodyne here, not sure about your local brands) from day 11 to 19 of your cycle. > > The Carbocisteine is a mucolytic- it makes mucus less thick and sticky…and it works EVERYWHERE, not just in your lungs. > > The theory being that thin, runny cervical mucus is easier for sperm to get through, so it makes it easier for you to conceive. It should also help remove the need for additional lubrication. > > It’s not really backed up by evidence, but I know at least one Obstetrician here who suggests all his female patients TTC start taking it. He’s heavily into NaPro (sort of reverse rhythm method, for couples trying to conceive) and uses it as a first step before adding in Clomiphene. > > It’s cheap, safe (only contraindication is active peptic ulceration) and available over the counter from your local pharmacy for a few dollars, so it might be worth a go. > > Just make sure it’s Carbocisteine! If nothing takes this time, I’m going to try that next month. I have a feeling **lavenderlemon** ’s suggestion of Robitussin works on the same theory - it’s probably the same drug, in fact. I’m not sure what the brand name in Australia is, but the chemists here are very helpful. Thanks for the suggestion! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-pregnant-tips-tricks-old-wives-tales/300705.md?page=2)