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THE 2 WEEK Wait
Those two long weeks after embryo transfer can feel like the longest two weeks of your whole fertility journey ... maybe even your life!
I'm sure you're all over it, but it's those stressful two weeks between the time you finish your fertility treatment and that long awaited appointment back at the clinic to take a pregnancy test.
The reality is it does take two weeks before you can accurately know if treatment has been successful.
Those two weeks leaves you plenty of time to obsess over the thought going round and round in your head "did it work, am I pregnant?".
There's no denying it's a stressful and anxious time!
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So, how can you survive this two weeks (that feels like about a year).
Here's a few tips to help you cope.
TESTING
As hard as I know it is, resist the temptation to take home pregnancy tests.
Because the truth is it isn't a great idea!
Your fertility treatment is likely to have elevated different hormone levels in your system and these can impact home pregnancy test results.
So, home testing kits after fertility treatment aren't as accurate and could give you a false positive or false negative.
So, I know it's hard but wait for a blood test at the clinic which is more accurate and reliable - and where you'll have the added support of clinic staff and/or even your partner - so much easier than trying to manage your emotions on your own!
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SYMPTOMS
During this two week wait your body needs to adjust to all the hormones it's been producing during fertility treatment.
You might experience symptoms that mimic early pregnancy - like swollen or sore breasts, nausea, fatigue, needing to urinate all the time - even an abnormal vaginal discharge!
Remember your body is adjusting and these changes don't necessarily mean you're pregnant, so trust your body - know it's doing what it needs to do - and don't overthink (tempting as it might be) every symptom.
FOCUS
Notice where your mind is going.
Focussing on - and worrying about - how you'll get through this 10 days will make each day seem like an eternity!
Your mind will go to all sorts of places during this time which is completely normal - it's a stressful time. This wait might bring up memories of past losses or a fear of what might happen this time can make you feel sad or anxious.
Fear and worry about how you'll cope, how you'll tell others and even the impacts on your relationship may all come up for you.
So, when you notice your mind wandering bring your attention back to the present - the here and now - which will help calm your thoughts and emotions.
SOCIAL MEDIA
This next two weeks might be the perfect time to either remove yourself from social media (or avoid it as much as possible).
By avoiding the socials you're less likely to be surprised - and not in a good way - by a pregnancy announcement or cute baby pictures that may cause distress for you.
JOURNALLING
If you have never been a journal-type person, this could be the perfect time to start.
Keeping a journal of your thoughts during this time can help you process emotions and also give those persistent thoughts a place to ‘land’ instead of going round and round in your head.
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Not sure where to start?
Click here to grab our free Gratitude Journal for some simple and easy to use prompts.
TALK ABOUT IT
Don't hide or bottle up your feelings.
Keep those trusted people who've been on this journey with you close … and those who just don't get it … well, feel free to keep them at a distance during this next two weeks.
When talking about it with those you trust make sure you let them know if you’re feeling overwhelmed, worried or even detached from the process.
Tell them you don't need cheering up. Ask them not to smother you in kindness. Let them know you just want them to listen - to hear your fears without dismissing them.
It might be an idea to ban baby talk - even just for this two weeks - and remember that you are a whole, interesting person with many interests to do or talk about!
MEDITATION
This is the perfect time to focus on your meditation practice.
Remember to tune into your body without judgment.
Remember to notice your thoughts without getting hooked into them and give your mind, body and spirit some time to be calm and relaxed.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
There's no denying this two weeks is going to be hard.
You might feel scared, stressed, overwhelmed, sad, fearful or a myriad of other feelings.
It's completely normal. But we also recommend you consider:
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Call or make an appointment to see your doctor and be honest about how you're feeling - there's a good chance they can help!
Increase your meditation so you're meditating twice a day.
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Try acupuncture which has been shown to result in pregnancy success rates
Let us support you by grabbing your Two Week Wait Support Kit for focussed daily emails with affirmations and meditations to keep you calm and centred!