When you’re trying to conceive, it pretty much takes over your entire life and many of the thoughts in your brain. Once you decide that you’re ready to take this step, whether to conceive for the first time or add a baby to your family, you become a bit obsessed with this goal and try to make it happen as quickly as possible.
We can all relate to the things below when trying to conceive. It is a stressful time, but one that is also full of anticipation. Every month is a waiting game, with that two-week wait until you can test being the most brutal.
You Know You’re Trying to Conceive When . . .
You always know what day it is.
Not only do you know today’s date, you know what day of your cycle it is. You also have planned out what days to do the baby dance that month to make it the most effective. And you know exactly what day you can take a pregnancy test and wait for it with bated breath. You are painfully aware of each passing day and how your life could change.
You can sense the slightest shift in your body.
“Were those implantation cramps, or is my period just coming?” “Do I feel extra blood pumping through my body because I’m pregnant or is it all in my mind?” You pay hyper-close attention to your body and try to determine if you may be pregnant before you’re even able to test. Any slight change brings about scrutiny and analysis to figure out what it’s telling you.
You are constantly pushing on your breasts to check if they are sore.
One of the first things many women experience is their breasts getting sore and tender. If you’re trying to conceive, you may be paying them extra attention to determine if they are sore this month. It could be a clue!
Every trip to the bathroom is monumental.
When you’re trying to get pregnant, every trip to the bathroom at the end of your cycle fills you with anxiety. “Is my period going to show up?” “Is it just late this month?” “Is my discharge any different?” “Am I needing to pee more often than usual?” Every time you go to the bathroom around when your period should show up comes with the nerves. You also may be wondering if you should take a test yet or not.
Numbers consume you.
The numbers are all around you. How long it’s been since your period . . . where in your cycle you are . . . how many days until you can test . . . and your temperature graph consumes you every day during the month.
You take your temperature before getting up every morning.
If you have difficulty pinpointing when you ovulate or want to know when you ovulate, you will have a thermometer by your bed to take your temperature every morning before waking. This way, you can figure out when you may be ovulating in your cycle. Knowledge is power.
Diaper commercials make you cry.
The sight of a bunch of babies is enough to set you off if you’re having a hard time conceiving or even if you’re just stressing out about whether or not it’s going to happen this month.
Your “fertile” week is basically the super bowl.
The week that you’re ovulating is cause for celebration. After all, it’s what you’ve been training for, and it’s time to show up. You do the baby dance as often as possible and try to time everything just right to win.
You’re more concerned with the timing of everything.
Instead of needing to be in the mood for sex, you’re more concerned with its timing. This can get tiresome if you’re having a hard time conceiving. Sex can feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable act between you and your partner. You will record every time you have sex, what day it was, maybe the position you did, and your temperature. You will want to ensure that you give it the best chance possible.
You pee on more than just pregnancy tests.
You may also be purchasing ovulation tests in addition to pregnancy tests. These will help you with your timing for conception but require you to test a whole bunch to figure out the best days. These tests can be a great tool.
You look at your ovulation app almost every day.
Most women today download an ovulation app to help them plan, track and organize their months. This is where they put in all of their details so they can look at their calendars and have help determining the best time to conceive and when they can expect their period.
You buy pregnancy tests in bulk. “Hello, Dollar Store!”
Whether you’re having difficulty conceiving or just want to confirm a result, you may buy more pregnancy tests than you originally intended. You also have a stash ready to go in your bathroom cabinet.
Trying to conceive can be an exciting but also stressful and frustrating time. You are not alone in all of the things that you do in preparation for conceiving. There are many things to consider to align the timing just right for the most success. The important thing to remember is to try to have some fun while waiting for that positive test.
