How To Survive The Two-Week-Wait

Now that you’ve read the previous blogs, you’ve become a total boss at the following things:

  • predicting your fertile window.
  • identifying your ovulation.
  • planning the baby dance with your partner accordingly.

So. What’s next?

The dreaded two-week-wait! You have to wait for an agonizing 14 days before you know if all your effort paid off.

  • What does the two-week-wait look like in 4 steps?

    1. Ovulation — The egg is released and waits 24 hours in the fallopian tube for a sperm to fertilize it.
    2. Conception — A sperm fertilizes the egg. No other sperm can get inside now. The embryo immediately starts growing, dividing itself into more cells.
    3. Implantation —  After 3 to 4 days, the embryo starts to move to the uterus. Once there, the embryo will attach itself to the lining of the uterus.
    4. Pregnancy test — When the embryo is attached to the lining of the uterus, the body starts to produce the hormone HCG. It takes about two weeks before a pregnancy test is able to detect it in your urine.

Fun fact: At the moment of fertilization, the gender of the baby is already determined. The sperm determines the gender through either a Y (boy) chromosome or an X (girl) chromosome.

Waiting for 14 days may feel long. Even agonizing. Just know that your body and the fetus are already working and growing hard at this very moment.

It’s a good idea to distract yourself from worrying during the two-week-wait. Here are three ways to do it:

  1. Exercise
    Whether it’s going for a brisk walk in the park or working yourself into a sweat at the gym, exercising helps your body to produce a lot of endorphins. This hormone triggers a positive feeling in the body. And positivity is exactly what you need during the 2WW.

  2. Surprise your partner
    If you’ve fallen into the trap of the routine baby dance with the sole purpose of conceiving, now is a good time to let your partner know how much you love and appreciate him. A massage, a home-cooked dinner, or a thoughtful gift are great ways to tell him you love him.

  3. Journal
    Write down your thoughts and feelings. It’s okay to feel stressed and anxious during the two-week-wait. Research has found that journaling about your feelings may help you to control your emotions and may even improve your mental health.

And now, it’s time for the pregnancy test. Baby dust!