You've had the familiar pang of longing while looking at the babies of friends and family. Heck, diaper commercials may even bring a tear to your eye. But it's not all emotions; you've done the math, weighed your options and decided: it's time to have a baby.

{relatedarticles}

Women of childbearing age today have quite a few advantages that didn't exist a generation or two ago. We have the choice of whether and when to have children. We can postpone childbearing until our educations, careers, and relationships are settled. While there's still some pressure about having children at the right time and beating the biological clock, our options are many.

Another way in which we're lucky is that today's women know far more about how our bodies work. Thanks to an increased focus on women's health and a more open attitude about reproductive science in general, many of us grew up being educated about female anatomy. This knowledge can come in very handy when planning for a baby. A woman who knows what her body needs to do in order to conceive is better equipped to get pregnant when she's ready.

There's a wide range of fertility-related products on the market, and not just for couples who have trouble getting pregnant. The trend toward individuals taking control of their own health has led to a new crop of home fertility detectors and pregnancy tests you can order online or pick up at your local drugstore.