The Best Sex for Making Babies

While there is no scientific proof that having intercourse in certain positions can help you and your partner conceive, there are several positions recommended by fertility experts that may do just that.

It's simple, really. Positions that promote the deepest penetration are the best for baby-making because they allow for your partner's semen to be deposited very close to your cervix. The closer his sperm are to your egg, the less work they have to do! In contrast, sexual positions that defy gravity and discourage the upward mobility of sperm may make becoming pregnant more of a challenge.

Below are some positions that are considered the best for making babies.

• Man on top - This standard position is also known as missionary style. Many fertility experts agree that engaging in intercourse with your partner on top offers the best chance of success when trying to conceive because it allows for the deepest penetration, placing the sperm very close to the cervix and allowing them to enter without much obstacle. One benefit of the traditional missionary style of intercourse is that it promotes face-to-face intimacy. It can also be nice if you want to relax and let your partner do most of the work!

• Rear entry - Most commonly referred to as "doggy style," this position describes a woman on her hands and knees and her partner kneeling behind her. Similar to the missionary position, rear entry allows for the deepest penetration, placing the sperm closer to the cervix and increasing the chances for conception. While this position does not offer you or your partner the intimacy of making love face-to-face, it does allow for easier manual stimulation of the clitoris and could help you reach orgasm, which, research has shown, may also aid in conception.

• Lying side-by-side - In this position, sometimes referred to by a term for cuddling known as "spooning," a man and woman lay together like spoons facing the same direction and they engage in intercourse from behind, similar to the rear entry position. Reverse spooning can also be done the same way, only facing each other. Lying side-by-side is another great position for baby-making because it allows plenty of sperm to get close to the clitoris. Reverse spooning also allows for face-to-face intimacy, while regular spooning, like intercourse from behind, makes manual stimulation of the clitoris easier. An added benefit of side-by-side intercourse is that it allows for both of you to relax, putting less strain on either of you. It is a great position for people who are overweight or suffer from a bad back because there is no strain on the body from holding oneself up.

Now that you know what positions can aid in your conception, it's a good time to check out the more counterproductive ones.

• Woman on top - Take pro-conception missionary style intercourse, reverse it and what do you get? Sperm that falls victim to gravity. However much you may enjoy it, you should avoid this position when you and your partner are trying to get pregnant. Deep penetration may allow for your partner's sperm to be deposited close to your cervix, but gravity will cause them to head in the opposite direction. Semen can leak from the vagina, resulting in fewer sperm attempting to reach the egg.

• Sitting or standing - Sitting or standing during intercourse can only work against you and your partner if you are trying to conceive. Not only does gravity work against you, but neither sitting nor standing allows for deep penetration. When your partner's semen is deposited farther from your cervix, his sperm have a longer, more complicated time getting to your egg. This is especially true when you sit or stand upright and gravity pulls the semen down.

You and your partner may be so excited about having a baby that every time you have sex, you use one of the three optimal baby-making positions. You might even be a little tired of the same old thing! But optimizing your chances of getting pregnant doesn't have to be a bore.

Below are a few ways to combat the factors experts say could work against you, while still keeping it interesting in the bedroom.

• Outsmart gravity - While woman-on-top is said to be one of the more counterproductive baby-making positions because it gives semen the chance to leak out, you can prevent this from happening by lying down immediately following your partner's orgasm. Stay put for at least 15 minutes to allow the sperm some time to make their way upward. If you are prone to urinary tract infections and have been advised to go to the bathroom immediately after having sex, this is not a good option for you.

• Use a pillow - Keeping your hips elevated for about 20 minutes after intercourse will allow your cervix to rest in your partner's semen, giving the sperm more time to travel up through your uterus and fallopian tubes. Elevating your hips by lying on your back and placing a small pillow under your pelvic region will expose your cervix to the maximum amount of sperm and promote their upward mobility.

• Have an orgasm - Other than wanting to please you, your partner has another reason to help you reach orgasm if the two of you are trying to get pregnant. Research suggests that muscular contractions associated with the female orgasm can actually trigger an "upsuck" reaction, pulling the sperm from the vagina to the cervix and giving them a better chance at reaching an egg. Of course, the only orgasm essential for conception is your partner's, and pregnancy without the female orgasm is always possible, but there's no harm in striving for it anyway!

Baby-making sex is only true baby-making sex during your fertile period, which leaves the rest of the month open to have any kind of sex you want! Trying to get pregnant shouldn't feel like a chore. Have fun with it. A certain amount of spontaneity in your sex life will help keep it both exciting and healthy.