If you’ve been trying to conceive, waiting to find out if you’re pregnant can be a monthly torture. Mum-to-be Sarah Ivany has been down that road and shares her four survival tips for the longest, hardest waits you’ll go through on the road to motherhood.
Regardless of whether your journey to pregnancy has been natural or assisted, the day on which you can test is one and the same. Every woman has to wait the dreaded two weeks (casually known as the two week wait, or 2ww) between ovulation and the day of her expected visit from Aunt Flo. And for all women who want to be pregnant, this two weeks feels long and slow.
Before you get carried away with daydreams of throwing the ultimate baby shower read and start your internal debate on whether you’ll be a stay-at-home mother or go back to work, stay off the emotional roller coaster with these tips for staying sane during that wait for those all-important two little lines to appear…
Don’t start daily home pregnancy testing
Unless you’re one of the lucky ones who tests positive on first try, this will absolutely drive you crazy. It will take up so much room in your already stressed mind: it will get you excited, and it will let you down. You’ll hope in anticipation and you’ll cry in misery. Just don’t do it. Prioritise your sanity during this defining wait.
Try to live an unaltered life
I have been known to make the mistake of basically giving up everything: friends, baths, wine, coffee, and in the end the negative results were a huge let down. I felt I had given up weeks of my life for no reason at all. If you’re trying to conceive, chances are you will go through several 2ww periods. Sure you should take it easy, be healthy and drink less, but don’t give up your life completely.
Share your experience with someone
Don’t take this on alone. Be it your family, a friend group, or even your nail technician, open up and let someone in. Every woman who has tried or is trying to conceive can relate to the dreaded feelings you experience during the 2ww. So, build up your tribe and make sure you have support.
Give yourself a treat on test day
All things come to an end, and that is absolutely true with the 2ww. Make sure to plan something for test day, which you can look forward to regardless of the result. My trick was to book dinner at a fancy schmancy restaurant – the only question would be: ‘will there be wine?’
Editor’s note: There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, ladies: check out Sarah’s gorgeous baby shower at Raffles Singapore!
