Trying to conceive and undergoing infertility treatments can be downright stressful at times, especially when it comes to the 2-week wait. I bet you would also like to know how to skyrocket your chances to get pregnant naturally using this little knows fertility secret.
Couples trying to conceive can have a difficult time waiting to see if they were successful in conceiving a baby. The infamous two-week wait can be excruciating where you can’t do anything but wait.
Many couples might be eager to look out for the earliest signs of pregnancy during the two-week wait. This post will talk about exactly what happens in those 14 days or so past ovulation. I will talk about early signs of pregnancy that you can keep an eye out for a while you wait for your pregnancy test during the two-week wait. That’s why I am going to cover some tips to help you not only survive but to thrive.
Exactly what is the two-week wait?
The 2-week wait refers to the period between ovulation and when an embryo implants. And although it’s just two weeks… it can feel like an eternity when you’re in it.
More specifically, it’s the time until your body produces enough beta-hCG (i.e., the pregnancy hormone) to be detected in the urine or blood when you take a pregnancy test. Beta-hCG is commonly referred to as your “beta” because this is specific to the hormone of pregnancy.
Two week wait symptoms
It’s common to become hyper-aware of all physical sensations and symptoms during this time making you wonder even more.
“But I don’t feel any different”
Many women don’t experience any signs of early pregnancy in their own two weeks wait and simply rely on seeing a positive pregnancy test. This is especially so for women who have irregular cycles and are unclear about when they may have ovulated, let alone conceived.
And even though that question can’t be answered during the wait (no matter how many tests you use), it’s important to understand what’s going on physiologically and why you’re feeling the way you’re feeling.
If you’ve undergone infertility treatments like IVF, then your hormones are likely at an all-time high. This can definitely accentuate baseline PMS-type symptoms. Just remember the goal of supplementing with those extra hormones (typically estrogen and progesterone in the case of embryo transfer) is to enhance your uterine lining and to create an optimal environment that supports a healthy pregnancy.
Unfortunately, these medications can often contribute to increased nausea, bloating, breast tenderness, fatigue, cramping, and even light spotting — all of which can also be experienced early in pregnancy.
These symptoms may also be experienced after using a medication like Clomid or Femara for ovulation induction or maybe experienced each month around the time of ovulation for many women too (even without medications!).
What to eat during two week wait ivf
Think lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, good quality proteins, nuts and seeds, healthy fats and whole grains. The key here is blood sugar control to support implantation and early embryo development, so limit the junk and focus on real, nutrient-dense food. Fermented and probiotic-containing foods may also be beneficial (yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough). Don’t forget the water as well! A quick google search might tell you to eat pineapple core and pomegranate juice as well – while these are both delicious, there is no evidence either will improve implantation rates. But if you enjoy them, go for it!
Exercise during two week wait
Exercise is a great form of stress-relief and energy and mood management. All which are beneficial during the two-week wait (TWW) – a time where stress can be high, energy may be depleted and your moods are all over the place. But should you be exercising during the TWW if you are hoping to see those two pink lines?
Although exercise is good for you and can provide much-needed stress relief during challenging times, going overboard with your physical fitness can actually work against you. It’s recommended that you avoid strenuous physical activities like heavy weight-lifting or high-impact cardio during your two-week wait as it could lead to uterine contractions and affect the implantation process. After the first few days of our waiting period, you can do some light exercising like walking or swimming
The 2 Week Wait – what makes it easer?
Try not to worry whether you see any symptoms or not. Although it is easier said than done, let your body do what it needs to get things in order. Once the two-week wait is over, you can use a home pregnancy test to confirm that you are pregnant. None of us can control time, or make it go faster or slower. But what we can do is keep busy and try to keep our minds active. It is this which can and does change our perception of how time passes.
- Make goals for the next two weeks and work steadily towards them.
- If you’re a visual person, make lists of tasks and cross them off as you work through them.
- Get yourself a really engaging book or download a television series.
- Start a project which demands your attention and focus. Nothing keeps the mind on track like being physically and mentally active.
What not to do during the two week wait
Although we are all tempted to do it, taking a home pregnancy test too early can yield false-positive and false-negative results both of which are equally devastating when TTC.
Those two weeks between embryo transfer and waiting to see if pregnancy has resulted can seem like a lifetime. So much has been invested into trying to fall pregnant, with planning and careful monitoring that having to then step back and be patient can present its own unique challenges. Because ultimately, that’s what the two weeks wait is about. Sitting back and waiting. There is nothing which can be done to speed up the process and nature really does need to be left alone to do its own thing. The two-week wait is an incredibly stressful part of the fertility journey… when it feels like all you can do is count the days.
But during those times remember to be compassionate with yourself and to take care of yourself. Take one day at a time and lean on others for support. Don’t lose hope, there are other ways you can try on how to increase ovulation naturally. There are even steps to getting pregnant with blocked fallopian tubes.
2 week wait ivf success stories
There was a period of time when I was convinced I may never have children of my own. I felt helpless, defeated, and shamefully, jealous. Jealous of friends, jealous of acquaintances, and even jealous of strangers who were pregnant with no (apparent) conceiving issues. For they weren’t having to face the agony that I was enduring every month, when the test read negative and a period arrived quickly thereafter.
One of the more recent “come backs” in treatment for infertility is Natural IVF. This method does away with the injections of ovary-stimulating hormones used in standard IVF and instead relies solely on the natural development of the egg.
Tips to prepare holistically for IVF
Your ovary releases a mature egg each month. If natural fertilization occurs, the egg becomes an embryo and attaches to the uterine wall. Traditional IVF uses injected hormones to give your body a boost to produce more eggs at one time. More eggs equal more opportunities for viable embryos.
Preparation does pay and it is necessary to get through the IVF process efficiently but the also want to know about the holistic side too and how what they can do to improve their chances of IVF success.
Final thoughts
I bet you would also like to know how to skyrocket your chances to get pregnant naturally using this little knows fertility secret.