2WW – 7 Must Do’s to Survive Your Two Week Wait During IVF

The 2WW (two week wait) is quite honestly (as many of you will know or have read), a gruelling time. Within the context of fertility treatment, it’s when you’ve had your procedure (such as IUI or IVF) and you’re left alone waiting for two weeks, before testing to see whether the treatment has worked. It’s a time full of mixed emotions: sadness, despair, excitement, hope and anxiety to name a few. Here at TRB, we have a network of incredible holistic fertility coaches and counsellors, who can help guide you through this uncertain time, with key visualizations and more.

Read on for advice from Fertility Coach Monica Bivas on how to survive the ghastly 2WW.

Over to Monica…

Facebook | @monicabivas

My Story

I am a member of the “1 in 8” Infertility Club. Really. After trying to conceive the ‘natural way’ for almost two years, and finding out that the only way to motherhood, in my case, was through IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation), no other way, it was really hard and devastating to hear.So, I went along with my husband through five cycles of IVF to be able to conceive; from those five cycles, one was cancelled, one was a miscarriage and one was my stillbirth baby girl Isabelle at 39 weeks, the other two are my girls: Eliyah and Maya.

Yes – infertility sucks!

But infertility, and all my struggles through it (including my 2WW), not only taught my husband and me a lot, but it also inspired me to open up about the pain and start coaching other women and couples walking the same path. It also inspired me to write a book – The IVF Planner – a valuable read for anyone going through IVF.I truly recommend having a planner during this time, and especially during your 2WW, because trust me, keeping up with the daily medical dosages during an IVF cycle is challenging.

The IVF Planner helps you not only manage the admin but also relieves some of the stress that comes with it. It’s also a way to write your own 2WW story, and one day be able to show your rainbow baby what a bumpy but incredible journey it was to bring them into the world.I realised that a planner is not only a journal but also can be a unique and personal coaching tool. Based on my own IVF journey, I also learned that stress is one of the biggest and most difficult issues to handle during your 2WW.

7 Survival Tips for the 2WW

Here are seven things you can do to make your 2WW a little easier:

1. Go easy after your transfer and start writing a journal.

2. Eat well, rest, but also remember you are not sick, so take a refreshing walk to clear your head and get some fresh air.

3. Please do not test early: this adds more pressure and stress to your 2WW; wait until your beta test.

4. Colour and create. Art therapy is a huge tool to release stress and focus our mind on something positive.

5. Watch funny movies with your partner: this makes time go faster and it’s good to laugh during your 2WW.

6. Pamper yourself: go for a foot massage, a pedicure, a manicure or a make-over. Do the normal things that make you feel like you.

7. Acupuncture straight after transfer is a great option too. Head acupuncture is also a relaxing and peaceful way to be mindful and reduce stress, as is meditation and listening to chill-out music.

I truly hope that the message in this article can be of benefit to you if you are struggling with infertility or going through any medical intervention to reach motherhood. Feel free to contact me, I offer a complementary introductory call. We have a great selection of fertility coaches here too.