Ovulation kits are great, but there’s one easy way to check out if you’re fertile – your cervical mucus. The changes in those secretions in your cervix play a huge role in your fertility and ovulation. During your fertile time, cervical mucus aids and helps sperm swim through the cervix to reach their final destination.

When you’re fertile, you will be moist and sticky. Your cervical mucus will be white or creamy, and it breaks easily when you stretch it between your fingers. When your cervical mucus is thin, watery, transparent and has a similar consistency as an egg white, that’s when you are at your most fertile and most likely to conceive if you have unprotected sex.

During the parts of the month when you’re feeling dry down there, you aren’t fertile. Not having much cervical mucus may also be a sign of a fertility problem. It could mean that you’re not ovulating, and this is especially true if you are missing periods or your cycle is irregular.

There are many reasons why you not be producing enough cervical mucus, including stress; how old you are (in your 30s and 40s, your fertility decreases and your days of having stretchy, slippery, fertile cervical mucus also decreases); lower estrogen levels; side effects of medications, and other reasons.

If you’re looking to increase your cervical mucus, the following may help improve the amount of cervical mucus:

Drink more water – This is one of the easiest things you can do. Not only is water essential to your health, it replenishing and healing. Plus, cervical mucus is 90 percent water, so if you are not hydrated, you may have less cervical mucus than if you were well-hydrated. Try your best to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.

Decrease Your Caffeine Consumption – Although you may have all your coffees and sodas, if you’re having problems producing a lot of cervical mucus, you may want to cut back. Caffeine causes dehydration, which can reduce the amount of cervical mucus that’s been produced.

Try Guaifenesin – Some women trying to conceive have had success with guafienesin, an expectorant that helps loosen congestion from your lungs when you have a cold or flu. Do not use other cold medicines, such as antihistamines, as most will dry up your mucus membranes, including your cervical mucus. However, guaifenesin seems to be the opposite effect. Use it in the days before you ovulate, and follow the instructions on the package.

Try FertileCM – FertileCM is a dietary supplement that claims to help promote the production of your fertile cervical mucus. Ingredients in this fertility aid include vitamin C, calcium, L-arginine, N-Acetyl L-Cysteine, Coral Calcium, Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Grape Seed Extract. It may also help improve your sex drive

Use Pre-Seed Lubricant – Pre-Seed is a fertility friendly lubricant that many couples use to help with conception. Unlike other lubricants on the market, it does not contain ingredients that harm sperm. In fact, it is safe for sperm and was developed to match cervical mucus in pH, offering sperm an optimal environment to swim to their final destination.

Try Herbs – Dandelion leaf and root, licorice root, marshmallow root, red clover, and shatavi root may help improve your cervical mucus production. These herbs support healthy reproductive organs and healthy hormonal balance, so they may help. You can find many of these herbs in fertility teas that are marketed to help you have more success in your conception goals.