A.K.A The “Looking up every early pregnancy symptom on the internet” week wait.

A.K.A. The test your patience week wait.

A.K.A  More like the million year, week wait.

A.K.A The 2 week wait.

For those of you unfamiliar with this glorious term, the 2 week wait refers to the 2 weeks after ovulation and hopefully conception in which you have to wait to pee on stick. As it turns out I am in the 2 week wait as I type this. {5 days past IUI to be exact}.

In the past I have been really sucky at this wait. Patience is a new word that has come into my vocabulary and life practice’s since this whole infertility journey began. It wasn’t until last cycle that I sort of let it go {until 4 days before the 2 week wait was over…. but that is pretty good if I do say so myself!} Each month the 2 week wait consists of scouring the internet for every symptom that could mean I am pregnant! This will go on for hours and days, until I have re-discovered the same information about 3 times. It usually ends up with 5 wasted pregnancy tests. {chaaaching!} I open my fertility friend app every day to see that yes, we are still only on day 3- no time machine here. I begin to check off every symptom I have felt and analyze that against my other charts- because this has never happened any month before- wrong. {my fertility friend app is beginning to become more like fertility enemy}.  The 2 week wait is also full of hopes and expectations that will soon be crushed, once again.

Since finding my peace, this 2 week wait has felt immensely different from the others. I haven’t looked at fertility friend enemy app all month. I haven’t looked at a single pregnancy forum online. I haven’t analyzed any symptoms I might be having- I honestly haven’t been paying much attention. {for me PMS symptoms are exactly what I have read early pregnancy symptoms are}. I feel so relaxed and content about where I am at right now. I am sure things will become more difficult the closer I get to being able to test, but I am making a promise to myself- and maybe you all can hold me accountable- that I am not going to test until the day after I am supposed to start my period. I know everyone is at a different space in their infertility journey so I am going to give some tips that might help you get through the 2 week wait without loosing your sanity::

* take a mini vaca- hubs and I, along with some friends, will be heading to San Felipe this week for an after Memorial Day celebration. It helps to not have internet- kind of forces you not to be tempted to look up your symptoms. It is also nice to be surrounded by friends and fun activities. {hubs and I did this last month during the 2 week wait and it helped me to stay relaxed the rest of the month}.

* plan a date night with your girlfriends. Have a glass of wine {or 2 if you want! you haven’t peed pink yet ;)} and make fun of the men on the latest episode of The Bachelorette.

* get a massage. it. feels. so. good.

* start a good book you have been wanting to read. Especially if it is 700 pages- that will keep you busy for a while.

* limit the time you are on social media. Sometimes social media can trigger negative thoughts and emotions about ourselves. The 2 week wait is a sensitive time and seeing another girl get pregnant while awaiting your turn can send you into a spiral. I find the less I am on social media the more I can focus on what is really going on inside of me. { note: I am going to do another post about social media and infertility entirely}.

* keep busy. I don’t care what it is you do, just keep moving.

* go for a nice, long walk. We live in such a beautiful world. Take advantage of Mother Earths creation and clear your mind.

* don’t put expectations on yourself.

As soon as you know it the 2 week wait will be over. It may end positive- literally- or it may end with you saying “well, we always have next month.” Either way just know how strong you are for getting through it the best you know how. This month I have no expectations for myself. I have hopes and I pray that this will be the month for us. As for now you can find me digging my toes in the sand while sipping a cold O’douls…