It starts out innocently enough: your first baby doll, your first baby-sitting job. The instinct to be a mother is a powerful drive. By the time you are in your 20s, the desire to procreate might be the first thing on your mind each morning, and the stuff that dreams are made of each night.

Deciding to conceive can be as difficult as plotting and planning for years, or as simple as throwing your birth control out the window. But before you take action, some veteran parents have a few bits of wisdom to share. Chances are, you'll learn a thing or two you never even dreamed about.

Getting pregnant isn't always easy. Not every couple conceives on the first try. Far from the ideal, many people find themselves months behind schedule, wondering if infertility might be an issue. If you think your worry stops once the test reads positive, think again.

"I thought miscarriage only happened to someone who wasn't healthy or was kind of frail," says Pregnancy Today diary writer Kathy Woltman. She learned the hard way that miscarriage can happen to anyone and for no apparent reason. While having this information shouldn't turn you away from trying to conceive, it should begin to prepare you for the possibility that conception is unpredictable. That's a head-start Woltman wishes she could have had.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.