The two week wait (2ww), whether you are trying to conceive naturally or ART, is a terrible time, not gonna lie. When K and I were trying naturally, the two weeks leading up to my (hopefully) missed period dragged by. I was constantly wondering if that cramp I had that morning was a period cramp or something else, that spotting was implantation bleeding or the start of my period, etc. I was so in-tune with my body it was almost unhealthy.
But there is something different about the 2ww when you're undergoing IVF. No, I am not saying the 2ww when conceiving naturally isn't easy, but just different. Depending on your IVF situation, you have a lot on the line; financial reasons, timing and age, the status of your current embryo/frozen embryo's you (hopefully) have left over from retrieval, and also the reason for your infertility. So the pressure is on.
During my 2ww I learned many things. Here are some tips of what to do and what not to do during those 2 weeks.
What To Do:
Eat Healthy! This was easy for me, because I craved healthy foods (I know, weird right?). As a person who LOVES cheese and carbs, this was unusual for me. The thought of pizza makes me nauseous, and anyone who knows me knows pizza is my life (sad but true). Talk to your doctor about certain foods to avoid or to eat during these weeks.
Listen To Your Body The first couple of days after transfer (the beginning of the 2ww) I was exhausted. I have had mono in the past, and that's the only kind of exhaustion I can compare it too. It takes everything in your body to get up, go to the bathroom, and return to your bed when at that point you are at energy level 0. If you are tired, REST! In my experience, I took two, yes TWO, naps a day and got a full 8+ hours of sleep. My body needed it, so I listened.
Take It Easy Again, the first couple of days after transfer I was SO tired, I was practically on bed rest, and only got up for the essentials. I am lucky enough to have a husband who waited on me hand and foot for these couple of days. If you do live alone or your partner is at work, try to have a friend or family member over to help you for at least a couple of days. After the first couple of days, I started to increase my activity. I would take a walk around the block, then the next day extend it around the neighborhood, and so on. But only do this if you are feeling up to it! When I got tired, I stopped until I felt good enough to go again. This is not the time to push yourself!
Water, Water, Water I honestly did not drink enough water because I would nap most of the time. You can't get enough water during these two weeks. Have that water bottle in reaching distance at all times!
Wear a Panty Liner This I did not do, and I should have. With IVF, you spot a lot more than a natural pregnancy. Most of my underwear are black or darker colors, so it's hard to see if I spotted a lot. Luckily on the day I did spot, which was 9dp5dt (9 days post 5 day transfer), I was wearing lighter underwear and spotted on my underwear. It's easier if you have a panty liner to see the true color of your spotting (if you spot).
What NOT To Do:
DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT TEST This I had, as many of us, a really really hard time doing. While we were trying to conceive naturally, I was a POSA (peeing on a stick addict). Yes, that's a legit thing. The reason why, is that most trigger shot contain HcG, the pregnancy hormone, which is detected in your urine when you are far along enough. If you do test, this could give you a false positive, because the trigger shot is still in your blood stream for a certain amount of time. So listen to your doctor, and don't test!!
Google Is NOT Your Friend Right Now I am guilty of this, googling my symptoms. Just don't do it. It will cause you more stress and lead you to guessing if you're pregnant or not. This is easier said than done, but try not to!
Don't Compare Your 2WW Experience To Someone Else's! Every, and I mean EVERY, pregnancy is different. Just because someone had symptoms and got a positive result doesn't mean you will and vice versa.
Don't Drink I know this may sound obvious, but some doctor's do allow you to consume alcohol during your 2WW. I personally suggest you don't. Do your research about pregnancy and alcohol, but also talk with your doctor.
Don't Bend Over This I had a really hard time with. We would go for walks and Bruce our dog would go #2 (yay) and I would start to bend over to pick it up, but K reminded me not to, so he would have to take over. You really want to "baby" (no pun intended) your mid section. Doing crunches and ab workouts is not a good idea. If I dropped something, I made sure I was almost doing a squat instead of bending forward to pick it up.
And there ya have it! These are what I suggest and not suggest during the 2WW.
baby dust,
s.
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