It's been awhile since I have had to pee on a stick to test for ovulation or pregnancy.
There was a time when it was a constant part of my life. Many women who are purposely trying to get pregnant know the cycle of taking ovulation tests, and pregnancy tests.
We take an ovulation test while hoping to time sex for pregnancy. Then we take a pregnancy test to see if we are pregnant.
The time between taking these tests is known as the two week wait.
Then doing it all over again each month that pregnancy is not successful.
The Two Week Wait
When I was trying to get pregnant each time I would take ovulation tests to find out when I was ovulating, then two weeks later start taking pregnancy tests.
The first time I was trying to get pregnant this was all new to me, and I would patiently wait until my period was 100% late to take a pregnancy test.
In fact, with my first baby I may have not taken any pregnancy tests until the positive one I received when I was finally pregnant.
When I was trying to get pregnant with my second child, I grew even more impatient and started taking my pregnancy tests sooner than I should of most likely.
I remember my first positive test with him, the line was so faint, and pretty much showed up after the time period. Taking after the time period faint lines seriously when reading pregnancy tests is frowned upon. But we still do it!
I couldn't believe the faint line so I did what any woman trying to get pregnant would do, I posted pictures of my super faint line in online pregnancy forums asking for opinions. Then I went to the grocery store and bought more tests. A Clearblue digital, a First Response. You know.. the good tests.
Then I held my urine all day so it would be more concentrated. Yep, I was learning all these tips when trying to gauge pregnancy test accuracy. When I took another test that afternoon it was a clear positive.
So I had my answer, and I am pretty sure my period was not even late. I was also breastfeeding my daughter still.
I have written a lot about getting pregnant when breastfeeding if you want to check those posts out.
Two Week Wait Symptoms
I hate to say it but most symptoms during the two week wait are going to be really similar to symptoms you will get before your period.
They are usually all of those typical premenstrual symptoms such as bloating, cramping, possibly sore nipples.
But the most typical symptom that you could possibly be pregnant is a late period.
This makes it easy to take any symptom we experience that is not typical and attribute it to possible pregnancy while in the two week wait.
Implantation bleeding is a possible symptom you could experience during this time period.
Surviving the two week wait
Making it through the two week wait can feel excruciating. I remember.
How to get through it? Well I can offer suggestions but I know they will only help marginally. The biggest one is to keep busy and try to keep in mind that even if you are not successful this month to not give up.
Keeping busy was the best for me. Trying to keep my mind off things and keep living life as close to normal as possible. But if you cannot do that then I recommend joining some groups of like minded women and commiserate.
It helps...a lot! Having companionship in other women always helped me. Of course having a supportive partner helps too but sometimes it's good to have other sources of support.
Otherwise continue to keep busy with work, hobbies, exercise, fun and other life obligations. As hard as it is once you actually are pregnant everything changes.
Many sources will recommend waiting to take a pregnancy test until your period is late. As a realist I know this is hard for a lot of impatient women. I recommend waiting if you can. At least until you are close to your period date.
If you test too soon you will most likely get a negative test and that will be discouraging.
Get cheap ovulation tests and pregnancy tests
By the time I was onto my third baby I was not trying, but I was also not preventing. I believe I would occasionally take an ovulation test just to see if I was ovulating (again, I was still breastfeeding).
And, even though I was not really trying, I still had a huge stash of cheap pregnancy and ovulation tests.
BTW I recommend these cheapies from Amazon if you would like to keep a stash too!
So, even though I was not really trying, there was a part of me that still wanted to pee on a stick. I would take a pregnancy test from my cheap stash and try it out even before my period is due.
Why did I do this when I wasn't even sure I wanted to get pregnant? I don't know. I guess it's some kind of weird compulsion, or maybe I really did want a third baby deep down (she is pretty awesome!).
Eventually one of those cheap tests turned positive and I couldn't believe it. I thought since we were not really trying and I was old... over 40 at the time, it would not happen. I was actually in shock and had initial regrets.
Unlike my previous pregnancies I did not take any further tests until I was late and had to face reality.
After I got over my shock and denial I probably took a few more tests, but I don't remember them as clearly.
That was pretty much the end of my peeing on stick days. I have never done it since. Even now I don't really care to know if I am ovulating.
Conclusion
You will survive the two week wait! And eventually you will not care about it all that much anymore.
But that is not much consolation when you are going through it. I recall the anxiety and how slowly the time seemed to pass during those two weeks.
All I can recommend is load up on cheap tests, keep as busy and distracted as you can, try not to be too disappointed if it does not happen right away, find support in other women going through the same thing, and good luck!