What Is the Two-Week Wait?

Truth: A bit of anxiety comes with the territory when you’re trying to conceive. And if you’re going through fertility treatments, waiting to find out if the process you’ve undergone is successful can seem to stretch out endlessly in front of you — and feel hard to endure. 

Fortunately, there are some easy ways you can get through this tense span while you wait to learn whether a baby is on the way. Here are some ideas for things you can do (or not do) during the two-week wait, as well as early pregnancy signs you might notice while you sit tight.

What is the “two-week wait”?

The two-week wait, or TTW in fertility-speak, is the 14-day interval between ovulation and when your period usually occurs. The same TTW happens after a fertility treatment and the date when you’re supposed to take a pregnancy test, sometimes at a clinic or the doctor’s office.

Keep in mind that the two-week wait is based on a 28-day cycle, which is actually the average length and doesn’t apply to every woman. In fact, some menstrual cycles can be as short as 21 days and others may go as long as 35 days. That, along with the fact that you may be using treatments including intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF), means the wait time you might experience could be as little as nine days or a bit longer than two weeks.

The two-week wait can be highly anticipatory as some women who sit through it have likely been planning their pregnancies for a while. In general, this involves tracking your cycles, checking for signs of ovulation, and then getting busy between the sheets. 

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Tips to get you through the two-week wait

It’s hard to wait for a pregnancy confirmation when you’re TTC — and it can be pretty tough for some to end the TTW with their usual period. To get through this tense time, try these tips: Trusted SourceBoston IVFThe Two-Week WaitSee All Sources ^[1]

• Just breathe. Take some slow meditative inhalations and exhalations (or hit a yoga class) to help ease the anxiety and maybe achieve a small moment of relaxation.

• Eat right. As much as you’d like to gorge on a favorite comfort food, now is a good time to focus on healthy snacks and meals (who knows, you might have already conceived!).

• Sleep enough. “Try to get at least eight to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, as it allows your body to recover from the mental and physical stressors of the day,” recommends Aaron Styer, M.D., a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board and the Co-Medical Director of CCRM Boston.

• Treat yourself. Feel like a pedicure or a massage? Both are soothing and distracting and smart moves when you’re dealing with the two-week wait.

• Meditate. Dr. Styer also suggests meditation, even for just 10 minutes a day. “With improved focus, you can engage in effective mediation and, over the course of several days in a row, your ‘images of pregnancy success’ will become more detailed in your mind and body,” he explains. The goal: a shift in your focus on getting pregnant and away from the anxiety associated with the wait.

• Get moving — or slow down. A long walk with the dog or a few laps in your local pool might be a great mind reset. But if you feel like doing less, a nap is certainly fine too.

• Talk with someone. What you’re feeling is completely normal and your partner, best friend, sister or mom are no doubt ready to hear about it. Get with someone you trust so you can vent, complain or just ramble so you get your worries out of your system.

Things to do during the two-week wait

We get it — the wait is annoying, but rather than sit and stew, consider some of the following things you can do to help pass the time.

• Grab your to-do-list. Got old clothes to donate? A closet to clean out? Now is an excellent time to put your mind toward a pesky project you’ve been meaning to complete.

• Binge-watch something. Did you miss The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel or The Bear? Both are worthy shows that’ll distract, entertain and (fingers crossed!) calm your nerves.

• Try stress-relieving activities. Dr. Styer says to choose things that bring you happiness and satisfaction, whether it’s exercise, reading, cooking or podcasts. “Anything that puts a smile on your face is fair game,” he notes.

• Find an online support group. Blogs about fertility treatments or conception can be a great resource as well as a place to share concerns and ask questions.

• Write it down. Start a journal to document how you feel. Putting your hopes and fears on paper can help you understand how you’re feeling and might even ease your mind.

• Compartmentalize. It’s not realistic to ignore your emotions during the TTW. The fix: Allocate some time during the day to focus on your situation — and then move on.

• Choose your company wisely. “It’s useful to avoid people, events and activities that may make you more anxious and self-conscious about trying to conceive or how difficult it may have been to become pregnant,” says Dr. Styer.

Things not to do during the two-week wait

Alas, there are some things you should try to avoid during the two-week wait, Trusted SourcePenn Medicine, Lancaster General Health5 Things to Remember During the Two Week WaitSee All Sources ^[2] such as:

• Hoard home pregnancy tests. Buying up a dozen kits is expensive and unnecessary. Instead, it’s best to wait until your period is supposed to come and then get one.

• Test too soon. If you pee on the stick too early, there may not have been enough time for hCG, “the pregnancy hormone,” to rise to the level of detection in your system. Rather than fret over a possibly false positive test, wait the full 14 days or the time recommended by your medical team.

• Focus on your body. If you leap for joy every time you feel an ache or pain, you might drive yourself nuts. Know that the symptoms of early pregnancy are very similar to those of the onset of your period, so try not to obsess over your body’s various twinges.

• Throw caution to the wind. Of course, at this point you could have conceived, so it’s a wise idea to proceed with this in mind and act as if. This means you should strive to be as healthy as you can by avoiding alcohol, smoking, vaping and illicit drugs and focusing instead on eating well and getting some regular exercise.

• Bottle up your emotions. Seek support so you can share your feelings with your spouse, family or friends. Allow yourself a chance to rant and then try to let it go. 

Early pregnancy symptoms that might crop up during the two-week wait

It’s possible you may feel some subtle, early pregnancy symptoms during the two-week wait, though keep in mind that most of these don’t show up until about the eight-week mark.

Also know that the following early signs are very similar to those many women experience when they’re expecting their regular period. Here’s what you might feel or notice:

• Tender breasts and a slight increase in size

• Bloating

• Moodiness, mild fatigue

• Food cravings

• Headaches and body aches

• Constipation

• Sensitive nipples

There are, however, symptoms that more closely reveal an early pregnancy, including spotting or implantation bleeding, which some women experience, and a new-found sensitivity to odors.

Along with breast soreness might come some darkening or enlargement of your areolas as well as more pronounced bumps, which are called Montgomery glands. These are the body’s way of prepping you to breastfeed your new baby.

As stressful as the two-week wait can be, do all you can to relax and focus on the positive. Talk about your feelings so you can get answers and feel heard and then try to stay busy with healthy and distracting activities. Here’s hoping that your two-week wait ends with the answer you want.