If you are trying to conceive you may be familiar with the term “two-week wait.” And if you’ve been in the baby-making game long enough, you know it is a period that requires a lot of patience. In my current season of trying for a third child, surviving the two-week wait has been the most challenging time in motherhood for me.
These are some of the spaces I’ve put myself in to handle the two-week wait.
Do not symptom chase.
I become hyper-aware of the changes in my body during the two-week wait. Every twinge, feeling, and ache is over-examined because, of course, there must be a reason for it!
Symptom chasing is tricky because it often leads to google diagnosing. I always think that if I could just find someone else with the same set of symptoms, I could confirm my pregnancy prior to testing. This often leads to disappointment and confusion. Save yourself the time–focus less on the symptoms, and more on what’s happening in your life.
Stay off the forums and blogs.
Like symptom chasing, it’s easy to go down a rabbit hole of information and opinions. And seeking information in the two-week waiting process on forums and blogs could be overwhelming and misleading. Every woman’s body is different, and every pregnancy is different. It can be comforting to hear a familiar story, but be mindful of how far down the rabbit hole you go.
Keep busy.
Spend time working on something you want to get done before the results are in. Make a list of things to do prior to the start of the two-week wait, and focus on them to keep busy. Pick up an extra project at work, organize the kitchen, finish a photo album or scrapbook, or my favorite–clean out your closet. Completely immerse yourself in a task to get your mind off of the two-week wait.
Make time to worry . . . then move on.
Whether it’s journaling your feelings or crying in the mirror, make time to feel your emotions. Validate your positive AND negative feelings while surviving the two-week wait. If it is giving yourself 15 minutes a day to worry or a particular time in the day to vent, do it and move on. Harping on the unknown will work against maintaining a positive outlook.
Make happy movements.
Dance, sing, or go for a walk to clear your head. Keep moving your body through the emotions. This can include deep breathing exercises, screaming exercises, and mindful meditation. Push your body in happy movements to rid it of the tension and anxiety the two-week wait can create. My favorite happy movement is dancing with my kiddos to loud music until we can no longer hear our thoughts.
Talk to someone.
We all have friends who might suggest you should enjoy the process of baby-making, but when it comes down to surviving the two-week wait, the fun between the sheets is the last thing on your mind. Decide who to share this time with, and talk to them.
My best confidant for big emotional journeys is definitely my husband. Though his responses are typically short and spiritual, the time he allows me to speak makes a big difference in how I process the wait.
Don’t compare.
Try not to compare this journey to the journey of others, or even to your past pregnancies. I have had a hard time questioning the process of trying for our third child. My two previous pregnancies came easily. I often find myself falling into negative thoughts about my body that are hard to shed. When I focus on this new process as its own, negative thoughts do not have a lasting effect.
Let go of control.
Relax. Live life now. You are growing from this experience. Continue managing your stress, worry, and anxiety through letting go. Let go of what you cannot control and control how you can enjoy this space in relaxation. If you are in the two-week wait practice patience on yourself first, not the process of conception.
The emotional stress of the two-week wait can be hard to bear. Will this be the month, will we have to try again? Whatever the outcome, do not go down a road of dishonoring your journey. Place yourself in a space of hopeful thoughts, happy movements, and positive support. Getting through the two-week wait isn’t easy if we choose to focus on it.
