The conclusion that you should start a family was not reached quickly or easily.
You gave careful consideration to every facet of your life.
Managing a career, a family, and one’s finances.
You began trying to conceive after you came to the conclusion that it was the appropriate time for your family to welcome a new member.
Even though monitoring your ovulation and timing your sexual activity can be challenging in and of themselves, you must now wait two weeks.
The two weeks that pass between the time you try to conceive (ovulate) and the beginning of your period are referred to as the wait.
On the other hand, if you were successful in conceiving during the month, you would not have a period.
In the event that you were unable to conceive, your period will arrive, and you will start a new cycle and another round of pregnancy testing.
However, what do you do during the two weeks that you have to wait?
The following six two-week wait do’s and don’ts will help the time pass more quickly until your next cycle.
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After trying to get pregnant for two and a half years, I have gone through a lot of two week waits. It is a form of torture.
In the moments immediately following ovulation, your expectations for a productive cycle are at an all-time high.
Your period is getting closer and closer, and with each passing day, anxiety begins to take over more and more.
The trying-to-conceive process, which used to be filled with optimism and excitement, has devolved into an agonizingly slow and ticking wait.
After going through so many cycles in which, I did not get pregnant, I decided to compile the most helpful information I had gleaned from the countless two-week waits.
I really hope you don’t have to wait around for two weeks as much as I did.
But in the meantime, here are my top six suggestions for getting through the next two weeks of waiting.
Two Week Wait Do’s And Don’ts
1. Don’t Google Anything!
Google. The search engine that knows everything to provide answers to our never-ending questions.
Google is my go-to resource for information whenever I need an answer to a question that I don’t already know.
However, searching the internet for answers to questions about your period and pregnancy will only lead to more confusion on your part.
Researching the symptoms of the two-week wait won’t help you conceive a child, even if you are looking for any glimmer of optimism that could lead to pregnancy.
Try to stay away from researching symptoms in relation to PMS and pregnancy.
Because the symptoms of PMS and pregnancy are so comparable to one another, there is no foolproof way to determine whether or not you are pregnant.
You won’t find out until the end of the first two weeks.
Obsessing over every little cramp and googling symptoms to see if it means anything will just leave you overly hopeful or depressed.
It is essential to divert your attention away from the symptoms you are experiencing in order to make it through the waiting period.
Try to not think about being in the grips of the two-week wait.
Do yourself a favor and avoid researching the similarities and differences between the signs and symptoms of pregnancy and those of an impending period.
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2. Keep Yourself Busy
During the two weeks that you have to wait, you should try to keep yourself busy and refrain from researching possible symptoms.
The constant expression of hope and prayer can only accomplish so much.
There are times when all you can do is wait for nature to take its course. In this particular scenario, there will be a gap of two weeks between ovulation and the start of your period.
It is true that two weeks is a very long time to wait for a child that you desire so very much.
But there is a window of opportunity for miracles.
You made it through the two-week wait before you made the decision to have a baby, which indicates that you will make it through this time as well.
Make an effort to divert your attention to something else. This presents the ideal chance to broaden one’s horizons and embark on an exciting new pastime.
Keeping up with your hobby is a good idea if you already have one.
Anything that makes you happy and keeps you from dwelling on the possibility of becoming pregnant is a good distraction.
Whenever I had to wait for something for two weeks, I would keep my hands and mind occupied by crocheting.
When I at last had a cycle that was successful, I was prepared with a large supply of burp cloths that I had lovingly handcrafted.
Discover a pastime that makes you happy, brings you relaxation, and can act as a diversion for you while you are in the middle of your two-week wait.
While you wait, here are some other activities to keep you occupied:
Read a book: transport yourself to a new setting and forget everything about the one in which you currently find yourself. This will divert your attention away from the current topic for the time being.
Housework: If you’re feeling anxious, put that energy to good use and clean your house.
Chores: During the course of the next two weeks, choose one chore or one room to focus on each day. You are going to be shocked at how clean your home appears after a fortnight has passed. Take on some of the responsibilities that have been piling up for a while, and then get to work.
Journal: It’s unhealthy to bottle up your emotions, so writing them down in a journal can help you let off some steam without dwelling too much on the worry and melancholy you’re experiencing.
If you want to keep your sanity, you should try keeping a journal. Not only will writing in a journal every day for two weeks enable you to articulate your emotions, but it will also assist you in concentrating on the positive aspects of your life.
While you wait the next two weeks, try to work on building your self-confidence by writing about the good things that have happened in your life.
Create a list of potential baby names: this activity may not appeal to everyone. Do not bother creating a list of potential baby names if the thought of doing so gives you anxiety.
On the other hand, I found that looking up names of boys and girls that I liked and compiling a list of them was a good way to pass the time. Choosing names for the baby also filled me with a sense of optimism and excitement.
It is always exciting to think about the near future in a positive light, even though it is common knowledge that one should avoid getting their hopes up.
3. Stay Away from Social Media
Our lives are often dictated by social media platforms. A good number of us are constantly posting selfies and updating our statuses on social media.
However, if you are trying to conceive a child, it is highly recommended that you do not include the use of social media in any of your plans.
Even though your friends might be enthusiastic about your plans to grow your family, there’s no reason to share the fact that you’re about to ovulate on social media.
The use of social media platforms is a fantastic way to maintain connections with friends, family, and people all over the world.
The increased use of social media platforms is associated with an increased risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
According to a number of studies, individuals who engaged in multiple forms of media consumption had a threefold increased risk of developing both anxiety and depression.
It is more important that the time you spend on social media be of high quality rather than a large quantity.
During the two weeks that I had to wait, I made sure to stay away from social media. I should probably avoid social media because it will only make my depression worse.
It was difficult for me to see everyone I know posting pictures of their happy, healthy families on social media.
Seeing pictures of friends’ pregnancies and pictures of their children could only make me feel more upset.
Even though I was overjoyed for them, a part of me couldn’t help but feel envious of my friends.
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4. Don’t Tell Anyone About Your Two-week Wait
Although it is always your choice to tell whoever you want about your attempts to conceive, I would recommend that you do not do so as part of your two week wait do’s and don’ts list!
Everyone has a piece of advice to offer you when it comes to having a baby, and they are all under the impression that you want to hear it.
When you tell your loved ones and close friends about your intention to start a family, you open yourself up to an onslaught of inquiries.
During this time of anticipation, the last thing you need is for someone to ask you, “Are you pregnant yet?”
When it comes to asking about your personal life, questions from friends and family are almost always the most sincere.
However, being forced to respond to questions for which you do not have an answer can be very frustrating.
Along with an infinite number of questions comes an infinite number of suggestions.
When you tell someone that you are in the two-week wait, you will likely receive unwarranted advice on what to do in order to increase your chances of being successful.
“After you’ve finished, try lifting your legs into the air and letting gravity do the rest of the work.”
“Did you apply for the position of missionary?”
You made sure to do it twice as many times on the day of your ovulation, as well as two days before your ovulation, right?
Does this ring a bell? When it comes to matters of a personal nature, receiving unsolicited advice from anyone is not only overwhelming but also annoying.
You are not going to feel any better if you talk to friends and family members who always got pregnant by accident because it is not going to help.
The fact that well-meaning friends and family members give you pointless sexual advice does not mean that they are trying to help you get pregnant any faster.
5. Focus on Yourself
The uncertainty of whether or not you will become pregnant after a wait of two weeks can feel like an eternity.
Take advantage of this two-week period to focus on taking care of both your body and your mind.
Find ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life so that you can take care of your mental health.
Although it may not always be possible to lessen the amount of stress in your life, you should still take steps to eliminate it.
While your partner helps out around the house, you can take some time to relax in the tub with some bubbles. Have a cup of tea to calm your nerves.
Whatever it takes to keep the stress level down!
You need to continue to act as though you are pregnant in both your body and your mind even though you do not know if you are pregnant or not.
Eliminating as much of the stressful situations in your life as you will benefit both you and your baby.
Take special care of your body and treat it as if you were expecting a child.
Choose foods that are better for you by increasing the amount of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in your diet.
Eliminate all unhealthy lifestyle habits as well, such as drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
In order to improve your chances of conceiving a healthy child, it is important to treat both your body and your mind with the utmost care.
Whatever is healthier for you will also benefit the baby.
6. Don’t Take An Early Pregnancy Test
I am aware that you are pressed for time. It is imperative that you find out right away whether or not you are pregnant. You simply cannot stand to be in the dark.
Believe me when I say that I’ve been there and I totally get it.
The wait of two weeks is very frustrating and stressful because of how long it takes.
However, getting a pregnancy test too soon not only wastes money, but it also can cause you to give up any hope you might have had.
There are a variety of pregnancy tests available today, and many of them claim to be able to detect pregnancy two or three days before the expected period.
It is best to postpone taking a pregnancy test until after you have not had your period even though there is always the possibility that you could get a positive result before your period is due.
The human chorionic gonadotropin can be detected by pregnancy tests that are available over-the-counter (HCG).
Only when a woman is pregnant will she have detectable levels of the hormone HCG.
However, it can take anywhere from seven to twelve days after implantation for an over-the-counter pregnancy test to detect HCG levels in the blood.
If you take a pregnancy test too soon in the pregnancy, there is a possibility that you will get a false negative result.
This indicates that you are pregnant but that your HCG levels are not yet high enough for a pregnancy test to detect your pregnancy.
This may cause you to experience extreme disappointment, melancholy, and unwarranted fits of crying for no apparent reason.
Why would you subject yourself to that? Just be patient.
You can save both your money and your sanity if you keep a positive outlook and exercise patience for the entire period of two weeks.
After your period hasn’t come as expected, you should take the test.
If you feel as though you simply cannot wait another second to find out for certain, you are able to take a pregnancy test with Clearblue Rapid Detection Pregnancy Tests up to five days before the expected first day of your missed period.
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Final Thoughts
Your life will be irrevocably altered in every way if you make the choice to become a parent. Having children is one of life’s most precious gifts.
However, attempting to conceive a child is a challenging endeavor. It requires several months of carefully timing sexual activity, monitoring ovulation, and being patient while doing so.
The most challenging aspect of trying to conceive a child is staying upbeat and rational during the two-week wait that comes in the middle of the process.
However, giving yourself a little bit of time and learning how to distract yourself from the obsessive thoughts you have about becoming pregnant will go a long way.
Take advantage of your two-week wait to give yourself the best possible care that you can. Bring the amount of stress that you normally have to deal with down to the bare minimum.
When deciding whether or not to discuss your plans to conceive with people on social media, among your friends and family, err on the side of caution. You may receive unwarranted questions and advise.
Take care of both your physical and mental health as if you were already tending to a child who was still inside of you.
In order to avoid getting your hopes up, you shouldn’t waste your time Googling endless questions about pregnancy.
Do not take an early pregnancy test to protect yourself from possible disappointment.
There is a possibility that you are pregnant despite the test indicating otherwise.
You will be able to wait patiently and gracefully for the next two weeks if you follow these six two week wait do’s and don’ts!
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