Written by: Dr. Amy Beckley, PhD, Founder and Inventor of the Proov test — the first and only FDA-cleared test to confirm successful ovulation at home.
When you’re ready to get pregnant, every month can feel like a roller coaster. You’re hoping for those two pink lines, but after trying you have to get through the two week wait (TWW) before you can get your results!
We know the two week wait can feel like an eternity. To help you get through it, we’re providing ten tips and things to expect!
What is the TWW?
The two week wait (TWW) is the time between ovulation and the earliest point at which you can find out if you’ve conceived. Typically, that’s at the point of a missed period.
After conception (via timed intercourse or insemination), it takes roughly two weeks for a fertilized egg to travel to the uterus, implant in the uterine lining, and begin producing hCG, the hormone measured by pregnancy tests.
Those two weeks of waiting can feel like torture, as you have no way of knowing what exactly is going on in your body. You’re noticing every symptom, counting down the days, and considering if this is the month that everything changes.
How can you relieve the TWW stress?
We’ve come up with 10 tips for dealing with the stress and making the two week wait just a bit more bearable!
1. Stay positive and patient
This first tip may be the hardest one, but being positive and patient can make this wait a lot easier to handle. Since there’s nothing you can do to speed along the process, staying positive, keeping a good outlook, and being patient for the right timing can help the time pass more easily — and in better spirits.
2. Distract yourself when possible
When possible, try to keep yourself busy or include some distractions — but keep them healthy. Some coping mechanisms for stress (like smoking, drinking alcohol, or staying up late into the night) are not good for early pregnancy.
Instead, focus on distractions that also improve your health and wellbeing, like spending time with friends or loved ones, cooking healthy meals, watching your favorite movie, or enjoying a nice walk in a park.
3. Avoid over-searching on Google
As difficult as it may be, try to refrain from constant internet searches during this time. It can contribute to the feeling of uncertainty because these searches often lead to more questions than answers — there is so much conflicting information on the internet.
We understand the desire to search out TWW symptoms or early pregnancy symptoms. While we typically think more information is better, sometimes Dr. Google can do more harm than good for your mental health. If you start noticing a tendency to over-search, it may be time to take a break from Google.
4. Be aware of the potential symptoms
Since Googling can become a part time job during the TWW, we recommend reviewing these potential symptoms beforehand, so that you can feel calm and prepared. We have several blog posts that may help you in this area.
5. Connect with supportive friends and family
A great alternative to spending time on the internet is real life connection. Set a date with your best friend. Meet some colleagues for dinner. Schedule a coffee date with a family member.
Everyone gets to decide who she shares with about trying to conceive, but if you have friends or family that you trust with this information, then you can let them know that you need some friend-time during these two weeks, especially.
Not only does this help provide a healthy distraction, it can also provide an outlet for talking about the stress and your feelings about possibly being pregnant. Talking through both of these can be helpful for mental health during a stressful season.
6. Prioritize Self-Care
The TWW is a great time to intentionally prioritize some “me time.” This type of self-care doesn’t have to look like one thing!
Some women enjoy going for a run or tackling the backyard garden clean up, while others schedule a spa day. Maybe you set aside 10 minutes a day for silence and solitude, practicing meditation or prayer. If it brings you rest and encouragement, the TWW may be the perfect time to put it on the calendar.
7. Resist the urge to test too early
You may be tempted to think testing early will take away the stress of having to wait. But testing early may actually add to the stress as you receive negative results.
Not only can it be difficult to see negative pregnancy test results, it can also be frustrating, as you know it’s likely too early to get an accurate result anyway. This is because a fertilized egg that has not yet implanted in the uterine lining will not cause a pregnancy test to be positive.
That said, there are early pregnancy test options we’d recommend using if you can’t resist the urge. Proov Check early pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy up to 5 days before a missed period!
8. Follow instructions for medications
Before trying to get pregnant, be sure to talk with your doctor about your current medications and supplements. Ask if they are okay to take while pregnant, or while trying to conceive.
Do not stop or alter your medications in any way without the instruction of your doctor. Instead, make a plan with your doctor beforehand so you’ll know the steps to take when and if you do find out that you are pregnant.
Additionally, if you are taking fertility medication, we always recommend consulting your doctor with concerns about protocol, side effects, etc. so you have the best possible chance of conceiving that cycle.
9. Maintain a balanced perspective
Remember that it can take a few months for a healthy couple to get pregnant. The majority of couples conceive within 6 months of trying, so if you’re not successful on the first, second, or even third month, just know you’re not alone.
In fact, a couple does not start talking about infertility until they’ve tried to get pregnant without success for an entire year. If this isn’t your month, the good news is there are plenty of tools you can try next time and you’ll know exactly what to expect.
10. Be kind to yourself!
This is arguably the most important tip of all. The pressure of trying to conceive can feel monumental. But remember that all you can do is your best.
Be kind to yourself in the process. Prioritize time with friends and family, practice self care, do things that bring you joy and rest, and enjoy this season as much as possible!
Additional Tips on What to Expect
Remember how we said you won’t know what’s going on in your body during the TWW? Well, that isn’t necessarily true.
Once a fertilized egg makes its way to the uterus, it needs to find a comfortable place to implant. While this is happening the ovary that released the egg starts producing a hormone called progesterone.
Progesterone is the hormone that prepares the uterus for implantation and pregnancy by making it “sticky” enough so an embryo can comfortably implant. Without enough progesterone during the implantation window — about 7-10 days after ovulation when the uterus will actually be receptive to an embryo — it can be more difficult to get pregnant.
This is referred to as “successful” ovulation, meaning an egg was released and progesterone levels remained elevated high enough for long enough after ovulation to allow for the highest possible chance of getting pregnant.
Proov Confirm is the first and only FDA cleared PdG (progesterone marker) test to confirm successful ovulation at home. Our patented PdG testing protocol confirms successful ovulation during the implantation window — right in the middle of the TWW!
The more information you have, the better prepared you can be for the TWW and getting pregnant.
